Alba Botanica Hawaiian Island Vibe Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
67/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Alba Botanica Hawaiian Island Vibe is an SPF 50 chemical sunscreen lotion using avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene, and ethylhexyl salicylate. It is lightweight with low white cast and a balanced finish, plus a low pore-clogging profile, and works okay under makeup. The filters can cause some stinging, so it rates medium on that measure and is best kept away from the eyes. With good protection and a 67.4 score, it is a serviceable everyday body lotion for general sun exposure.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Good
61
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- β1 1 declared fragrance allergens
- β2 Essential oils (Citrus Sinensis Oil)
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
π₯
Eye sting
Medium
36
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β1 Volatile alcohol at #34
- β2 1 declared fragrance allergens
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Comedogenic
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- β1 Glycine Soja Oil at #17, moderate comedogenic signal
- β4 Glyceryl Stearate SE at #12, moderate comedogenic signal
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Fungal acne
High
29
- +100 Starting score
- β12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Olivate)
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Glycine Soja Oil)
- β50 5 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Cetearyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate, Glyceryl Stearate SE)
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Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 2 Volatile alcohol at #34
- β 4 Glycerin at #10, the anchor humectant
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Glycine Soja Oil)
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #34
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Glycine Soja Oil)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate makeup base β
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (38)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 16 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- β 7.6 UV protection
- β 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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7 Dodecane
Supporting ingredient
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 7 film former
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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10 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 4 moderate comedogenic signal
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Plant oil, an emollient
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Plant oil, an emollient
- β 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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22 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
23 Decane
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
25 Nonanal
Supporting ingredient
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26 Nonane
Supporting ingredient
-
27 Hydroxide K
pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 12 feeds malassezia
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Supporting ingredient
-
33 Vanillin
Supporting ingredient
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34 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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38 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
Is Alba Botanica Hawaiian Island Vibe mineral or chemical?
It is a fully chemical sunscreen using avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene, and ethylhexyl salicylate. It contains no mineral filters.
Does the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Island Vibe Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 leave a white cast?
White cast is generally low, which is typical for all-chemical lotions. It wears with a balanced finish and a lightweight feel.
Will it sting?
It rates medium on stinging, which is common for filters like avobenzone and octocrylene. It is best kept away from the eye area.