Instituto Español Protección Solar 50 SPF
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Instituto Español Protección Solar 50 is a hybrid chemical sunscreen using a broad filter mix including Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Triazone and Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate. It wears lightweight with a dewy finish and low white cast, though it can sting slightly on sensitive skin. Scoring 65.0 out of 100 with good protection, it is a budget-friendly everyday option, with a dewier look that suits drier skin.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
66
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +17.1 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #7, UV filter
- +11.2 Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate at #8, UV filter
- +17.6 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #9, UV filter
- +26.4 Titanium Dioxide at #10, UV filter (UVA1 +4)
- +21.6 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #14, UV filter (UVA1 +13.2)
- −46.7 UVB coverage saturated
- −12.3 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
☢️
Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #7 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
34
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Octinoxate at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- −14 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
- −27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-8 Distearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #14, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −5 Titanium Dioxide at #10, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 1 Glycerin at #17, the anchor humectant
- → 2 1 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 9 2 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (30)
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- ↑ 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
- ↑ 17.1 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Amiloxate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 11.2 UV protection
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 17.6 UV protection
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 26.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 5 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Botanical extract
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 21.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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17 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
pH adjuster
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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24 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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26 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
27 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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28 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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29 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Is Instituto Español Protección Solar 50 mineral or chemical?
It is chemical. It uses a broad filter mix including Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Triazone and Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate, with no mineral filters.
Does the Instituto Español Protección Solar 50 SPF leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. It wears lightweight with a dewy finish, so it should not leave a visible film.
Is it a good sunscreen?
It is a budget-friendly mid-range option. It scores 65.0 out of 100 with good protection, suiting drier skin that likes a dewier look.