Darling High Protection Spf 30-50
70/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Darling High Protection is an SPF 30 sunscreen using a hybrid set of titanium dioxide, the modern filter Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, and octinoxate. The formula has a balanced finish, wears lightweight with no white cast, does not sting, and is generally low in pore-clogging risk, making it a good base under makeup. With a score of 70.4 out of 100 and good protection, it is a reliable everyday choice.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
55
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #15, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #16, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- −6.4 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
69
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −13 4 declared fragrance allergens
🔥
Eye sting
Low
69
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Volatile alcohol at #32
- −8 Fragrance
- −6 3 declared fragrance allergens
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #15
- −1 Coconut Oil at #38, heavy oil
- +0.8 Volatile silicone at #5, flashes off
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Coconut Oil at #38, comedogenic oil/butter
- −1 Glycine Soja Oil at #25, moderate comedogenic signal
- −9 Glyceryl Stearate SE at #4, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
High
16
- +100 Starting score
- −50 4 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Coconut Oil)
- −24 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate SE)
- −10 2 different Malassezia-feeding families high in the list
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #24, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #15, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile alcohol at #32
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 4 Glycerin at #8, the anchor humectant
- → 4 4 strong humectants (Sodium PCA, Urea, Inositol, …)
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 10 5 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, …)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #32
- → 13 5 emollient lipids (Prunus Armeniaca Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, …)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 6 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 4 Transfer-resistant grip resin, holds makeup
- ← 4 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (49)
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Botanical extract
- 6 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 9 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 36 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
12 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
13 Polyamide-3
Supporting ingredient
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 19.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
19 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
-
22 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
28 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
32 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
34 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
37 Tris Citrate
Supporting ingredient
-
38 Coconut Oil
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 1 heavy oil
- ↑ 2 comedogenic oil/butter
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
39 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
43 Fructose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
44 Glycine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
45 Inositol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
46 Lactic Acid
pH adjuster
-
47 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
48 Urea
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Does the Darling High Protection Spf 30-50 leave a white cast?
No. It wears lightweight with no white cast and a balanced finish, even with titanium dioxide in the formula.
Is the Darling High Protection Spf 30-50 mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid sunscreen, combining titanium dioxide with the modern filter Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine and octinoxate.
Is it good?
It scores 70.4 out of 100 with good protection, so it is a reliable everyday choice.