Mary Kay Timewise Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 25
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Mary Kay TimeWise Day Solution is an SPF 25 day sunscreen using an older-school chemical mix of Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, and Benzophenone-3 with some Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. It has a balanced finish, stays lightweight, shows low white cast, and does not commonly sting. It is low on pore-clogging triggers and layers okay. Protection is rated good and the score is 65.4/100, a serviceable daily moisturiser-style sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
75
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #4, UV filter
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #52, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- −19.3 UVB coverage saturated
- −4 UVA2 coverage saturated
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- −40 Isobutylparaben at #48, EU-banned paraben
- −12 Butylparaben at #47, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- −10 Propylparaben at #45, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- +22 Shelf-chemistry block capped
- +22.6 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
Allergens
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Sensitizing preservatives (Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate)
- −6 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3)
👻
White cast
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Zinc Oxide, 3.9% declared
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #52
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- +2.2 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +1.4 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
64
- +100 Starting score
- −11 Oxybenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
92
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Zinc Oxide, 3.9% declared
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #52
- +1.5 Volatile hydrocarbon at #6, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
High
17
- +100 Starting score
- −24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate)
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- −50 5 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-4 Laurate)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −20 Oxybenzone at #4, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- → 4 Glycerin at #9, the anchor humectant
- → 2 1 strong humectants (Betaine)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12)
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 7 2 emollient lipids (Squalane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- ← 15 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (53)
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.
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 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
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 6 3.9% declared
- ↑ 8 3.9% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
9 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
10 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
11 Betaine
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
13 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
18 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
24 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
28 Ceteareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
36 PEG-75
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
37 PEG-150
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
38 PEG-8
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
41 Laureth-3
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
46 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
47 Butylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 12 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 40 EU-banned paraben
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
51 Tin Oxide
Colorant or pigment
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9.9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
53 Mica
Colorant or pigment
Does Mary Kay TimeWise Day Solution leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low on white cast and wears lightweight with a balanced finish. It does not commonly sting and layers okay.
Is the Mary Kay Timewise Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 25 mineral or chemical?
It is mostly chemical, using older-school filters Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, and Benzophenone-3, with some Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide.
What SPF is it?
It is SPF 25, suited to everyday wear. Protection is rated good with a score of 65.4/100.