DCL Essential Skin Protection Spf 30
56/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
DCL Essential Skin Protection SPF 30 is a chemical sunscreen built on older-generation filters including Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3. It has a balanced finish, low white cast and a lightweight feel, but it is rated high for eye stinging, so caution near the eyes is wise. Protection is rated moderate. With a score of 55.7 out of 100, it is a middling choice.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Moderate
49
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #5, UV filter
- β18.9 UVB coverage saturated
- β6.2 UVA2 coverage saturated
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- Γ0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- β70 Oxybenzone at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β12.6 Octinoxate at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 3 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- +10.6 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
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Allergens
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- β9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
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Eye sting
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β11 Oxybenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β16 Octinoxate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Fungal acne
Low
79
- +100 Starting score
- β12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Stearate)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-40 Stearate)
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Fabric stains
High
5
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β20 Oxybenzone at #5, yellow stains on white cotton
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Corn Starch Modified)
- β 1 Glycerin at #15, the anchor humectant
- β 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Corn Starch Modified)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (36)
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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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 18 UV protection
- β 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- β 15.2 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- β 20.9 UV protection
- β 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 20 yellow stains on white cotton
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6 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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10 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 3 film former
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15 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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20 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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21 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Plant oil, an emollient
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Botanical extract
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 12 feeds malassezia
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27 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Does DCL Essential Skin Protection sting the eyes?
Eye stinging is rated high for this formula, so it may irritate the eye area and caution near the eyes is wise. It otherwise wears lightweight with a balanced finish.
Is the DCL Essential Skin Protection Spf 30 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen built on older-generation filters including Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3.
Is DCL Essential Skin Protection SPF 30 good?
It scores 55.7 out of 100 with protection rated moderate, which makes it a middling choice. The high eye-sting rating is its main drawback.