Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Protection SPF 50
62/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Protection SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen and primer combining Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Avobenzone, Benzophenone-3 and Octocrylene. It wears with a balanced finish, low white cast and a lightweight feel, and it is rated good as a makeup base, so it doubles as a foundation primer. Pore-clogging risk is low and wear is generally comfortable. With a score of 62.3 and good protection, it is a reasonable primer-SPF that relies on older-generation filters.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
65
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +12 Homosalate at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +17.6 Benzophenone-3 at #8, UV filter
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #10, UV filter
- β5.6 UVB coverage saturated
- β3.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Low
2
- +100 Starting score
- β70 Oxybenzone at #8 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β14 Homosalate at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #10, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
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Allergens
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- β7 3 declared fragrance allergens
- β2 Essential oils (Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil)
- β9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
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Eye sting
Medium
48
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Avobenzone at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β7 Octocrylene at #10, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β5 Oxybenzone at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β6 3 declared fragrance allergens
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Fungal acne
Medium
75
- +100 Starting score
- β23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
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Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- β45 Avobenzone at #7, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β20 Oxybenzone at #8, yellow stains on white cotton
- β15 Octocrylene at #10, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #21, hyaluronic family
- β 2 2 strong humectants (Sorbitol, Saccharide Isomerate)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate)
π
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- β 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)
π
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (42)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 8 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- β 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 17.6 UV protection
- β 5 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 20 yellow stains on white cotton
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Botanical extract
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10 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 12.8 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 β nourishing hyaluronic family
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22 Caffeine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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24 Sorbitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 3 film former
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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33 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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38 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
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39 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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40 Geraniol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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41 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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42 Mica
Colorant or pigment
Can Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Protection be worn under makeup?
Yes, it is designed as a primer and is rated good as a makeup base, with a balanced finish and low white cast that help foundation sit smoothly.
Is the Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Protection SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Avobenzone, Benzophenone-3 and Octocrylene.
What SPF is it?
It is an SPF 50 primer with good rated protection. It scores 62.3 out of 100.