Kiehl’s Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream SPF 50
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Kiehl's Skin Tone Correcting and Beautifying BB Cream pairs SPF 50 labeling with an older-generation filter mix of Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, and Titanium Dioxide. It has a matte finish, low white cast, and a light feel, and works okay under or as makeup, though it carries a medium chance of stinging sensitive eyes. The score is 49.0 and measured protection is weak, which is common for tinted BB formulas where coverage and color take priority over UV defense. Treat it as light cosmetic coverage rather than reliable sun protection.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
33
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- −15.2 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −7 Titanium Dioxide, 1.6% declared
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #21
- +6.3 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
- +0.2 Coated minerals (Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
56
- +100 Starting score
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Volatile alcohol at #8
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- −10 Titanium Dioxide, 1.6% declared
- −2 Tribehenin at #14, wax film
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- −32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
35
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #22, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #4, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #8
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Nylon-12)
- → 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Nylon-12)
- ← 1 Volatile alcohol at #8
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Ether)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #8), fast, even canvas
- → 6 2 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 3 High mineral load at #4 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
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 (22)
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 (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 7 1.6% declared
- ↑ 10 1.6% declared
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 3 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
7 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
11 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
12 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
14 Tribehenin
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 wax film
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
19 Adenosine
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Colorant or pigment
-
22 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
Is the Kiehl's BB Cream good sun protection?
It scores 49.0 out of 100 and measured protection is weak, which is common for tinted BB creams where coverage takes priority. Treat it as light cosmetic coverage and layer a dedicated sunscreen underneath for real sun defense.
Does the Kiehl’s Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream SPF 50 leave a white cast or work as makeup?
White cast is rated low and the finish is matte, and it works okay as light makeup coverage. Note it has a medium chance of stinging sensitive eyes.
Is the Kiehl’s Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is mostly chemical, using older-generation filters Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, and Octocrylene alongside Titanium Dioxide.