Clinicians Complex Total Sun Protection SPF 30+
67/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Clinicians Complex Total Sun Protection SPF 30+ pairs older-generation chemical filters, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Benzophenone-3, with Zinc Oxide for added broad-spectrum support. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, and carries low pore-clogging risk. It is generally less suited as a makeup base. With good rated protection and an overall score of 66.9, it is a serviceable choice, but its dated filter set keeps it mid-pack.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
74
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #4, UV filter
- −14.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −0.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
Low
7
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- −10 Propylparaben at #27, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
🤧
Allergens
Low
86
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Sensitizing preservatives (Diazolidinyl Urea)
- −6 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3)
👻
White cast
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Zinc Oxide, 3.8% declared
- +0.4 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
64
- +100 Starting score
- −11 Oxybenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- −41 4 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glycol Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
Low
65
- +100 Starting score
- −20 Oxybenzone at #4, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #2, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- → 1 Glycerin at #22, the anchor humectant
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
💄
Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- ← 4 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Polyacrylamide)
- ← 15 High mineral load at #2 greys under foundation
🌊
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.
- ✨ Aloe vera
- ✨ Green tea
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (28)
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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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 6 3.8% declared
- ↑ 8 3.8% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
18 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
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
22 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
28 Laureth-7
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
Is Clinicians Complex Total Sun Protection mineral or chemical?
It is mainly chemical, using older-generation filters like Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Benzophenone-3, with Zinc Oxide added for broad-spectrum support.
Does the Clinicians Complex Total Sun Protection SPF 30+ leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low and it wears with a balanced finish. The mineral content is modest, so it blends in on most skin tones.
Is it a good sunscreen?
It is a serviceable mid-pack option, scoring 66.9 out of 100 with good rated protection. Its dated filter set and weaker makeup compatibility keep it from rating higher.