Mary Kay Timewise Daytime Defender SPF 30
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Mary Kay TimeWise Daytime Defender SPF 30 is a chemical sunscreen using Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone), and Octocrylene, an older-generation filter combination. It has a matte finish, stays lightweight, keeps white cast low, and does not generally sting. Despite low pore-clogging signals, the protection is rated weak, which caps the score at 49.0/100. It is better suited as a light daytime layer than as primary sun protection.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
14
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +9 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #31, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +4.8 Octocrylene at #32, UV filter
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #32 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #31, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Avobenzone at #31, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Octocrylene at #32, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Volatile alcohol at #23
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
53
- +100 Starting score
- −47 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Sucrose Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-25)
- +0 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract at #18, ferment, disputed Malassezia trigger (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
47
- +100 Starting score
- −28 Avobenzone at #31, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #32, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile alcohol at #23
- ← 8 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- → 16 Glycerin at #3, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 9 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica)
- ← 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #23
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 6 2 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 2 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)
- ← 3.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +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.
- ✨ Niacinamide
Full ingredient list (32)
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 (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
3 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 6 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
11 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
12 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
13 Cera Alba
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 2 wax film
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
15 Resveratrol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
16 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
23 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
26 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
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29 Ceteareth-25
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 28 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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32 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 4.8 UV protection
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
Is Mary Kay TimeWise Daytime Defender SPF 30 good sun protection?
Its protection is rated weak, which caps the overall score at 49.0/100. It is better suited as a light daytime layer than as your main sun protection, so pair it with stronger coverage for real sun exposure.
Does the Mary Kay Timewise Daytime Defender SPF 30 leave a white cast or sting?
No, white cast reads low and it does not generally sting. The matte finish stays lightweight, so it is comfortable for everyday wear.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using Ethylhexyl Salicylate, avobenzone, and Octocrylene. There is no zinc or titanium in the formula.