Clinique Acne Solutions™ BB Cream SPF 40
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Clinique Acne Solutions BB Cream SPF 40 is a tinted BB cream using the chemical filters Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Ethylhexyl Salicylate with Titanium Dioxide, an older filter approach. It has a balanced, lightweight finish with low white cast and a low tendency to clog pores, and it does not commonly sting. As a cosmetic with sun protection, its protection is rated weak, which holds the score to 49.0/100. It is best treated as makeup with light coverage rather than primary sun protection.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
30
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +33 Titanium Dioxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +5)
- −10 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +1 Label claims (SPF 40)
☢️
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
👻
White cast
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −7 Titanium Dioxide, 1.6% declared
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #33
- +6.3 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
- +0.4 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
65
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −10 Volatile alcohol at #6
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
90
- +100 Starting score
- −10 Titanium Dioxide, 1.6% declared
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
83
- +100 Starting score
- −17 Ethylhexyl Palmitate at #7, heavy comedogenic ester
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
44
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate)
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- −33 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Steareth-20)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #32, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −15 Titanium Dioxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 13 Volatile alcohol at #6
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 2 Titanium Dioxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- → 4 Glycerin at #10, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #19, hyaluronic family
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 3 Volatile alcohol at #6
- → 4 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Palmitate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 6 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #6), fast, even canvas
- ← 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 7.5 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate 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 (33)
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
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 33 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 7 1.6% declared
- ↑ 10 1.6% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 2 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
4 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
6 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 17 heavy comedogenic ester
- 4 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
10 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
13 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
15 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Supporting ingredient
-
21 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
26 Steareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
27 Dipeptide-2
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
28 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
31 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
32 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
Colorant or pigment
Is the Clinique Acne Solutions BB Cream SPF 40 a good sunscreen?
Its protection is rated weak and it scores 49.0/100, so it is best treated as makeup with light coverage rather than as primary sun protection. For real sun exposure, pair it with a dedicated sunscreen.
Is the Clinique Acne Solutions™ BB Cream SPF 40 good for acne-prone skin?
Its low breakout-trigger rating means it is generally unlikely to clog pores, so it can suit acne-prone skin, and the balanced finish keeps it from looking greasy.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a tinted BB cream using the chemical filters Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Ethylhexyl Salicylate with mineral Titanium Dioxide.