MELAO Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
MELAO Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+ is a chemical stick using older-generation filters: octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. It applies matte and lightweight with low white cast and layers acceptably under makeup, though it carries a medium risk of clogging pores that acne-prone users should note. With weak protection and a score of 49.0, the older filter set holds it back, so it is best as a convenient top-up rather than primary sun defense.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
22
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #10, UV filter
- +9.6 Homosalate at #12, UV filter
- +10.8 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #13, UV filter
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
37
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #12 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #13, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #10, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- −7 Octocrylene at #10, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Octinoxate at #13, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Homosalate at #12, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
66
- +100 Starting score
- −12 Microcrystalline Wax at #5, wax film
- −12 Ozokerite at #4, wax film
- −10 Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter at #7, butter/occlusive fat
- −12 Stick/balm format with a wax skeleton
- +11.5 Volatile silicone at #1, flashes off
🔴
Comedogenic
Medium
36
- +100 Starting score
- −32 Ethylhexyl Palmitate at #3, heavy comedogenic ester
- −18 Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter at #7, comedogenic oil/butter
- −14 2 heavy comedogens high in the list
🍄
Fungal acne
High
21
- +100 Starting score
- −24 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
- −45 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate)
- −10 2 different Malassezia-feeding families high in the list
👕
Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Octocrylene at #10, co-stains alongside avobenzone
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 12 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 4 1 emollient lipids (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
- → 6 Ceramide barrier lipids
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 12 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
- → 6 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Palmitate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 8 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 6 2 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 15 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +14 2 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.
- ✨ Ceramides
- ✨ Bisabolol
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (18)
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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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 8 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 8 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 32 heavy comedogenic ester
- 6 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 36 feeds malassezia
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 12 wax film
- ↑ 7 wax water lock
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 12 wax film
- ↑ 7 wax water lock
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 10 butter/occlusive fat
- ↑ 18 comedogenic oil/butter
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
8 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
10 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
11 Ceramide NP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
12 Homosalate
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9.6 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 10.8 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
15 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
16 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
18 Aroma
Fragrance
Is this mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is a chemical stick using older-generation filters: octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate, at SPF 50+.
Is the MELAO Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+ good for acne-prone skin?
Pore-clogging risk is rated medium, so acne-prone users should be cautious. The finish is matte and lightweight, but the breakout risk is a notable trade-off.
Is the MELAO Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+ good?
It scores 49.0 out of 100 with weak protection, held back by the older filter set. It is best used as a convenient top-up rather than primary sun defense.