ALPHANOVA SUN Sun Bio Spf 50+
49/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
ALPHANOVA SUN Sun Bio is a pure-mineral SPF 50+ sunscreen relying solely on titanium dioxide for UV defense. It wears light with a balanced finish and, for a mineral formula, a low white-cast risk, with a non-stinging and low pore-clogging profile. It scores 49/100 with weak protection, suggesting the single-filter formula may not deliver the labeled defense as reliably as the SPF number implies.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
22
- +33 Titanium Dioxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +5)
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
🤧
Allergens
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −6 4 declared fragrance allergens
- −6 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
👻
White cast
Low
75
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Titanium Dioxide at #3
- −15 Pure mineral formula
- +32.5 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +3.2 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +4.4 Coated minerals (Alumina, Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 4 declared fragrance allergens
- +12 Mineral filter system, low-sting filters
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −38 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #6, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #8, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −15 Titanium Dioxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 2 Titanium Dioxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- → 10 Glycerin at #4, the anchor humectant
- → 4 1 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
- → 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 3 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 7.5 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Skincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- ✨ Aloe vera
Full ingredient list (31)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / → shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 3 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 33 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 2 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
4 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
-
Botanical extract
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
8 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
11 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
13 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Botanical extract
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
17 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
19 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
22 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
23 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
26 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
27 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
28 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
31 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
Is this ALPHANOVA sunscreen mineral or chemical?
It is a pure-mineral sunscreen, relying solely on titanium dioxide for UV protection.
Does the ALPHANOVA SUN Sun Bio Spf 50+ leave a white cast?
The white-cast risk is rated low, which is favorable for a mineral formula, with a balanced finish.
Is it any good?
It scores 49/100 with weak protection. The single-filter mineral formula may not deliver the labeled SPF 50+ defense as reliably as the number suggests.