M-61 Hydraboost Oil-free Sunscreen SPF 40
68/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
M-61 Hydraboost Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 40 is a chemical sunscreen built on older-generation filters: homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, and avobenzone. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and little to no white cast, with a low pore-clogging profile that suits an oil-free claim, though the salicylate content can sting somewhat near the eyes. With moderate protection and a score of 68.3/100, it is a hydrating everyday SPF 40 that relies on a dated filter set.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
46
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +1 Label claims (SPF 40)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone 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
- −1 Volatile alcohol at #16
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
74
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate)
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #3, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile alcohol at #16
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #19, hyaluronic family
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #16
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #16), fast, even canvas
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +13 3 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (31)
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
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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 (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
4 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
11 Isododecane
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
16 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
18 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
24 Hydroxide K
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 3 film former
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
Is this mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen, built on older-generation filters: homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, and avobenzone.
Is the M-61 Hydraboost Oil-free Sunscreen SPF 40 good for oily or acne-prone skin?
It is marketed as oil-free and has a low pore-clogging profile, so it generally suits oily and acne-prone skin. The salicylate content may sting somewhat near the eyes.
Does the M-61 Hydraboost Oil-free Sunscreen SPF 40 leave a white cast?
No, it generally leaves little to no white cast and wears lightweight with a balanced finish.