Equate Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+
68/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Equate Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ is a chemical sunscreen on an older filter base of avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene. It leaves no white cast, has a balanced finish and a lightweight feel, with mild potential to sting, and it is acne-friendly with low pore-clogging potential. It works as an okay makeup base and delivers good protection at a budget price. The score of 68.1/100 makes it a reasonable everyday value despite its dated filters.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
61
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- β1 1 declared fragrance allergens
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
π₯
Eye sting
Medium
43
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Heavy feel
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- β5 Behenyl Alcohol at #6, rich gel-network thickener
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Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- β1 Palmitic Acid at #22, moderate comedogenic signal
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Fungal acne
Low
78
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate)
- β4 2 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
π
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
π§
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- β 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- β 1.5 2 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
π
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 2 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Cellulose Gum)
π
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +13 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for 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.
- β¨ Vitamin E
- β¨ Panthenol (B5)
Full ingredient list (25)
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 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 8 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 13 film former
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- β 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 β nourishing light emollient
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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15 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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16 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
19 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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23 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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24 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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25 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
Does Equate Sensitive Skin Sunscreen SPF 50+ leave a white cast?
No, it does not leave a white cast. It is a chemical lotion that dries to a balanced, lightweight finish.
Is the Equate Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ good for oily or acne-prone skin?
It is a reasonable budget option. The finish is balanced, the formula is acne-friendly with low pore-clogging potential, and it has only mild potential to sting.
Is this a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is chemical. It uses an older filter base of avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene, with no mineral filters.