Dot & Key Cica + Niacinamide Face Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa+++
84/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Dot & Key Cica + Niacinamide Face Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++ is a hybrid sunscreen pairing salicylates and homosalate with zinc oxide and several modern triazine filters, plus soothing actives. It settles to a balanced finish with low white cast and a lightweight feel, and it does not generally sting, with low pore-clogging risk and good makeup compatibility. Protection is rated excellent. Its score of 84.0/100 makes it a strong daily face sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
88
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +11.4 Homosalate at #6, UV filter
- +32.8 Zinc Oxide at #9, UV filter (UVA1 +14.4)
- +24 Tris-Biphenyl Triazine at #12, UV filter
- +28.8 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #17, UV filter (UVA1 +10.8)
- +14.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #29, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- −25.6 UVB coverage saturated
- −8.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +3 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #6 (regulatory/evidence concern)
👻
White cast
Low
83
- +100 Starting score
- −12 Zinc Oxide at #9
- −3 Tinosorb M at #17
- −4 Tinosorb A2B at #12 (particulate filter)
- +1.9 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
🔥
Eye sting
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Homosalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −50 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Laureth-7)
- +0 Dimethicone at #3, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
👕
Fabric stains
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Zinc Oxide at #9, 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
- → 4 Glycerin at #8, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 4 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Polyacrylamide)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (34)
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 (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate)
- ↑ 11.4 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
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8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 32.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 5 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb A2B), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
pH adjuster
-
16 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
19 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
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22 Laureth-7
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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25 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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28 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 14.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
33 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
34 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
Does the Dot & Key Cica + Niacinamide Face Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa+++ work under makeup?
Yes, it is rated a good makeup base. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, so it layers cleanly under foundation.
Is the Dot & Key Cica + Niacinamide Face Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa+++ good for acne-prone skin?
It has a balanced finish, a low pore-clogging profile, and soothing cica and niacinamide, so it is generally agreeable for breakout-prone skin. It also does not typically sting.
Is it a good sunscreen?
Protection is rated excellent at SPF 50 PA+++ and it scores 84.0/100. That makes it a strong daily face sunscreen.