Murad Oil Control Mattifier Spf45
64/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Murad Oil Control Mattifier SPF45 is a chemical sunscreen built on older-generation organic filters: homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, octocrylene and avobenzone. It dries to a matte finish with no visible white cast and stays lightweight, with low pore-clogging risk that makes it generally suitable for oily and acne-prone skin, and it works well as a makeup base. Moderate protection and a score of 64.1/100 place it mid-pack: a reasonable mattifying daily option rather than a top performer.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Moderate
54
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #5, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #6, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +1 Label claims (SPF 45)
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Health safety
Medium
39
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #6, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #8, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β7 Retinyl Palmitate at #16, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β5 3 declared fragrance allergens
- β7 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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Eye sting
Medium
48
- +100 Starting score
- β8 Avobenzone at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β6 Octisalate at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
- β6 3 declared fragrance allergens
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Fungal acne
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Hydrogenated Lecithin)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Laureth-12)
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Fabric stains
Medium
37
- +100 Starting score
- β38 Avobenzone at #8, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #6, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- β 13 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer)
- β 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 1 Glycerin at #22, the anchor humectant
- β 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #19, hyaluronic family
- β 4 4 strong humectants (Betaine, Urea, Trehalose, β¦)
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
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Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- β 16 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer)
- β 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
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Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- β 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- β 1 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βFull ingredient list (43)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β 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
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 8 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 10 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- β 7.6 UV protection
- β 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- β 15.2 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 6 sebum-absorbing powder
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 β nourishing hyaluronic family
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20 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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22 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Supporting ingredient
-
24 Urea
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
26 Trehalose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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27 Inositol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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28 Taurine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
29 Betaine
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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34 Laureth-12
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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40 Fragrance
Fragrance
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41 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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42 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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43 Citral
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
Is the Murad Oil Control Mattifier mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen. It uses older-generation organic filters: homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, octocrylene and avobenzone. There are no mineral filters like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide in the formula.
Is the Murad Oil Control Mattifier Spf45 good for oily or acne-prone skin?
It is generally a good match for oily skin. It dries to a matte finish that helps control shine, stays lightweight, and carries low pore-clogging risk, so it is commonly suitable for breakout-prone skin. It also works well as a makeup base.
Does it leave a white cast?
No. As a chemical formula it has low ghosting and leaves no visible white cast, so it suits a range of skin tones.