Malibu Kids Sunscreen SPF 50
62/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Malibu Kids Sunscreen SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen with an older-school blend of Homosalate, Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Benzophenone-3, and 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor. It wears with a balanced finish, stays lightweight, and keeps white cast low. Breakout risk is low and it sits okay under makeup. With good protection and a score of 61.7/100, it is a middle-tier kids option that leans on a more dated filter set.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
65
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #7, UV filter
- +6.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #8, UV filter
- +9.6 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor at #9, UV filter
- −17.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −5.7 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −80 Enzacamene (4-MBC) at #9 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −24.5 Oxybenzone at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 3 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- +32.5 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
Allergens
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- −12 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene, 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
39
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Octisalate at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #7, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Diisopropyl Adipate, Propylheptyl Caprylate)
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 4 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →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.
- ✨ Aloe vera
Full ingredient list (16)
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 (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↓ 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 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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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
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↓ 24.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.4 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (4-MBC), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9.6 UV protection
- ↓ 80 Enzacamene (4-MBC) (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing light emollient
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
Does Malibu Kids Sunscreen SPF 50 leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low, so it generally blends in well on most skin tones. The balanced, lightweight finish keeps it comfortable.
Is the Malibu Kids Sunscreen SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen with an older-school blend, including Homosalate, Octocrylene, Avobenzone, and Benzophenone-3. These provide broad-spectrum coverage with a more dated mix.
Is Malibu Kids Sunscreen SPF 50 good?
It scores 61.7/100 with good protection, placing it in the middle tier. The older-school filter set is the main reason it does not rank higher.