Dot & Key Swim + Sports Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa+++
72/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Dot & Key Swim + Sports Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++ is a hybrid sunscreen that pairs mineral titanium dioxide with chemical filters like octocrylene and avobenzone for broad UVA and UVB coverage. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish, keeps white cast low, and is formulated to resist stinging, which suits an active, sweat-prone routine. Pore-clogging risk reads low, so it should sit comfortably on most skin types. At 72/100 with good protection, it is a solid pick that works reasonably under makeup.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
70
- +48 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +17.1 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #6, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #7, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #15, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- −22.1 UVB coverage saturated
- −13.2 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +3 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #6 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #8, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
69
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #15
- −25 Tinosorb M at #2, may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
🔥
Eye sting
Low
66
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Octinoxate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
58
- +100 Starting score
- −24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
35
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #8, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #7, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #15, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 4 Glycerin at #11, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #18, hyaluronic family
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 6 Ceramide barrier lipids
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 4 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Xanthan Gum)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (48)
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
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 48 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 25 may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
- ↑ 17.1 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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11 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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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)
-
16 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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20 Octadecene
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
25 Ceramide EOP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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26 Ceramide NG
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
27 Ceramide NP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
28 Ceramide 4
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
29 Ceramide AP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
32 Phytic Acid
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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38 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Does Dot & Key Swim + Sports Sunscreen leave a white cast?
White cast reads low, so it should blend in without leaving a noticeable film for most people. It is a hybrid formula, so the chemical filters help keep the mineral titanium dioxide from looking chalky.
Is the Dot & Key Swim + Sports Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa+++ good for oily or acne-prone skin?
Its pore-clogging risk is low and it wears lightweight with a balanced finish, so it tends to suit oily and acne-prone skin. It is also formulated to resist stinging, which helps during sweat and activity.
Is this mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is a hybrid, combining mineral titanium dioxide with chemical filters such as octocrylene and avobenzone. That mix aims for broad UVA and UVB coverage while keeping the texture light.