Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Sunscreen SPF 50
63/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch is an SPF 50 chemical sunscreen built on older-generation filters including Homosalate and Octocrylene. It wears with a balanced finish and a low white cast while staying lightweight, though it may cause mild stinging for sensitive eyes. Breakout risk is generally low and it works okay as a makeup base. With good protection and a score of 62.8/100, it is a serviceable beach-and-everyday sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Good
60
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
36
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10 Propylparaben at #23, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
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Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β4 2 declared fragrance allergens
- β8 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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White cast
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- β2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #46
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Eye sting
Medium
35
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
- β4 2 declared fragrance allergens
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Heavy feel
Low
89
- +100 Starting score
- β2 Paraffin at #26, wax film
- β2 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #28, butter/occlusive fat
- β2 Mangifera Indica Seed Butter at #32, butter/occlusive fat
- β5 Cetearyl Alcohol at #7, rich gel-network thickener
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Fungal acne
Medium
73
- +100 Starting score
- β18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ceteth-10 Phosphate)
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Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- β45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 1 Glycerin at #14, the anchor humectant
- β 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- β 2 2 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter)
- β 1 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 2 2 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Diisopropyl Adipate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate)
- β 2 2 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (46)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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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 (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 16 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- β 7.6 UV protection
- β 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- β 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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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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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 7 film former
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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12 Mica
Colorant or pigment
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13 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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14 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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15 Fragrance
Fragrance
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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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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- β 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
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pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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26 Paraffin
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- β 2 wax film
- β 2 wax water lock
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27 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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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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Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
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Plant oil, an emollient
-
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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33 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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41 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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45 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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Colorant or pigment
Is Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen, using older-generation filters including Homosalate and Octocrylene. It is not mineral.
What SPF is the Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Sunscreen SPF 50?
It is SPF 50, offering good broad-spectrum protection for daily and beach use.
Will it sting my eyes?
It may, mildly. Sting risk is medium, so the formula can feel slightly irritating near sensitive eyes for some people.