Mary Kay Sun Care Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50
61/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Mary Kay Sun Care Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen combining Avobenzone, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3. The balanced finish keeps white cast low and the texture stays lightweight without a heavy mask. Pore-clogging risk is low and wear is generally comfortable with only a medium sting tendency. With a score of 61.3 and good protection, it is a reasonable everyday SPF 50 that relies on older-generation filters.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
66
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #5, UV filter
- −8.9 UVB coverage saturated
- −6.2 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Low
2
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
32
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ceteth-20 Phosphate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
5
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #5, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 1 Glycerin at #24, the anchor humectant
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Behenyl Alcohol)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 2 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Very resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +32 4 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (40)
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 (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
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 13 film former
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 13 film former
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
18 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
23 Acai Extract
Botanical extract
-
24 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
32 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
33 Sorbic Acid
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
pH adjuster
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
39 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
40 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
What SPF is Mary Kay Sun Care Sunscreen?
It is a broad spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen, with protection rated good for daily use.
Does Mary Kay Sun Care SPF 50 leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low, so it generally wears clear. The balanced finish and lightweight feel keep it from looking chalky.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using Avobenzone, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3, all older-generation filters.