Equate Ultra Light Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion For All Skin Tones SPF 50
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Equate Ultra Light Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is a chemical lotion using just avobenzone and homosalate, an older and minimal filter pairing. It wears matte and lightweight with a low white cast and generally low pore-clogging risk, though it can mildly sting near the eyes. Despite the SPF 50 label, our rating scores its protection as weak, which caps the overall result. The score of 49.0/100 reflects that limited filter set, so heavier sun exposure may call for a stronger option.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Weak
29
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- Γ0.72 Avobenzone without a photostabilizer
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
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Eye sting
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
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Heavy feel
Low
92
- +100 Starting score
- β6 Cera Alba at #11, wax film
- β2 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #18, butter/occlusive fat
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Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- β1 Persea Gratissima Oil at #16, moderate comedogenic signal
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Fungal acne
Medium
64
- +100 Starting score
- β18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- β18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #17, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
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Fabric stains
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- β 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- β 3 3 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
β¨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- β 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica)
- β 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate)
- β 3 3 emollient lipids (Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 1 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- β 6 2 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 4 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- β 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- β 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
π
Water resistance
Very resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +26 2 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +4 1 water-locking waxes
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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3 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 13 film former
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 13 film former
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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9 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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10 Isododecane
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
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11 Cera Alba
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- β 6 wax film
- β 4 wax water lock
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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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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- β 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Botanical extract
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
-
Botanical extract
- β 2 butter/occlusive fat
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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19 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
21 Hydroxide K
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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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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25 Fragrance
Fragrance
Is Equate Ultra Light Sunscreen SPF 50 good?
It scores 49.0/100, a low rating. Despite the SPF 50 label, our rating scores its protection as weak because it relies on just two older filters, which caps the overall result.
Is the Equate Ultra Light Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion For All Skin Tones SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using only avobenzone and homosalate, an older and minimal filter pairing. It contains no mineral filters.
Does it leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low, so it generally blends in. The finish is matte and lightweight, though it can mildly sting near the eyes.