EltaMD UV Sheer Broad‐Spectrum SPF 50
72/100 overall score
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Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
59
- +16 Octocrylene at #1, UV filter
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
High
70
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
65
- +100 Starting score
- −42 Zinc Oxide, 15% declared
- +4.2 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +2.6 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
78
- +100 Starting score
- −22 Octocrylene at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
75
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Zinc Oxide, 15% declared
- +4.5 Volatile hydrocarbon at #6, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60)
👕
Fabric stains
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Octocrylene at #1, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #2, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #22, hyaluronic family
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Coco-Caprylate/Caprate)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- → 4 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 4.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- ← 15 High mineral load at #2 greys under foundation
🌊
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 C
Full ingredient list (23)
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 (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 42 15% declared
- ↑ 30 15% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
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3 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
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Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
15 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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19 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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pH adjuster