Cay Skin Universal Mineral Face Lotion SPF 55
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Cay Skin Universal Mineral Face Lotion SPF 55 is a pure mineral face lotion using zinc oxide as its only UV filter. It has a balanced, lightweight finish with low white cast and is rated okay as a makeup base. The formula is low for pore-clogging and low for sting, so it is gentle in feel. Despite the high SPF label, protection is rated weak and the overall score is low in our system, so it sits near the bottom of this group.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Weak
9
- +12.3 Zinc Oxide at #47, UV filter (UVA1 +5.4)
- Γ0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +2 Label claims (SPF 55)
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White cast
Low
86
- +100 Starting score
- β28 Zinc Oxide, 12% declared
- +14 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
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Heavy feel
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Zinc Oxide, 12% declared
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Fungal acne
High
32
- +100 Starting score
- β18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin)
- β50 7 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isoamyl Laurate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate)
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #2, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
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Fabric stains
Medium
58
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Iron-oxide pigments at #29, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- β2 Zinc Oxide at #47, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- β 2 2 strong humectants (Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate)
- β 4 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
- β 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 3 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Isoamyl Laurate)
- β 7 2 emollient lipids (Squalane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βFull ingredient list (47)
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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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 β nourishing light emollient
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 3 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
- β 36 feeds malassezia
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4 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 β dewy emollient lipid
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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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 14 feeds malassezia
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12 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Botanical extract
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17 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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18 Rutin
Supporting ingredient
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19 Lysolecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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21 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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22 Ceteth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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24 Steareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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25 Pullulan
Supporting ingredient
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26 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Botanical extract
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28 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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29 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- β 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
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Botanical extract
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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33 Maltodextrin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Botanical extract
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38 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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45 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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pH adjuster
-
47 Zinc Oxide
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 12.3 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 28 12% declared
- β 18 12% declared
- β 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
Does Cay Skin Universal Mineral Face Lotion SPF 55 leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low, so it generally blends well for a zinc oxide mineral lotion, with a balanced, lightweight finish.
Is the Cay Skin Universal Mineral Face Lotion SPF 55 mineral or chemical?
It is pure mineral, using zinc oxide as its only UV filter.
Is it good despite the SPF 55 label?
Despite the high SPF label, protection is rated weak and the overall score is low in our system, so it sits near the bottom of this group.