Cien Sun Lotion Classic SPF 30
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Cien Sun Lotion Classic SPF 30 is a chemical sunscreen lotion built on a classic filter blend of octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone) and phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid. It wears with a balanced finish, feels lightweight, and is rated low for white cast, so it generally sits invisibly on skin and works well under makeup. The filters are older-generation actives, but they deliver good measured protection at SPF 30. With a score of 65.4 out of 100 it is a solid everyday body and face option, though the actives can sting if they migrate toward the eyes.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
56
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #6, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +8.4 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #14, UV filter
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
61
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −18 8 declared fragrance allergens
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
16
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Ensulizole at #14, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −18 Volatile alcohol at #2
- −5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 7 declared fragrance allergens
👕
Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #7, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 22 Volatile alcohol at #2
- → 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #2
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 10 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #2), fast, even canvas
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +14 2 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 E
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.
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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
2 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
- ↑ 5 high up speeds filter migration
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
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5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- ↑ 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
13 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 8.4 UV protection
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
17 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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24 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
26 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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28 Eugenol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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29 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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30 Coumarin
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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31 Geraniol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
Does Cien Sun Lotion Classic SPF 30 leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast. As a chemical sunscreen it generally rubs in clear and sits invisibly on skin, with a balanced finish.
Is the Cien Sun Lotion Classic SPF 30 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen. The filters are octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone) and phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid, an older-generation blend.
Is Cien Sun Lotion Classic SPF 30 any good?
It scores 65.4 out of 100, a solid mid-range result. It offers good measured protection at SPF 30 and works well under makeup, though the actives can sting if they reach the eyes.