Cancer Council Vitamin C Fluid SPF 50+
84/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Cancer Council Vitamin C Fluid SPF 50+ is a hybrid chemical sunscreen combining modern filters like Tinosorb S and Ethylhexyl Triazone with classic ones, for excellent protection. It wears light with a balanced finish and a low white cast, and breakout risk reads low. The main caveat is that it may sting somewhat if it gets into the eyes. At 83.7 out of 100 it is a strong, lightweight daily choice.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +48 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +22 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #3, UV filter
- +45.6 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +17.1)
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #5, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #6, UV filter
- −42.2 UVB coverage saturated
- −22.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- −4.1 UVA1 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- −12 Tinosorb M at #4, may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
55
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate)
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #27, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #2, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 4.5 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Tapioca Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 3 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tapioca Starch)
- → 4 2 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for 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.
- ✨ Vitamin C
Full ingredient list (30)
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.
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 48 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 22 UV protection
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 12 may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
13 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
26 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
pH adjuster
-
30 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
Does Cancer Council Vitamin C Fluid SPF 50+ leave a white cast?
No, the white cast is rated low. It wears as a light fluid with a balanced finish.
Is the Cancer Council Vitamin C Fluid SPF 50+ good for acne-prone skin?
Generally yes for pore-clogging, since breakout risk reads low. One caveat is that it may sting somewhat if it gets into the eyes.
Is it a good sunscreen?
Yes. It scores 83.7 out of 100 with excellent protection from a hybrid filter set, making it a strong lightweight daily choice.