Pacifica Sea & C Sheer Face Serum Spf 55
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Pacifica Sea & C Sheer Face Serum Spf 55 is a chemical sunscreen serum on an older-generation filter blend of avobenzone, homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate and octocrylene. It keeps white cast low with a balanced finish, stays lightweight, and has low pore-clogging potential, sitting okay under makeup. Despite the high labelled SPF, measured protection landed in the good range, and the score of 65.3/100 marks it as a serviceable lightweight daily serum.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
61
- +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
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 55)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
π₯
Eye sting
Medium
35
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
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Fungal acne
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- β18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
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Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Lauroyl Lysine)
- β 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 1 Glycerin at #26, the anchor humectant
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Lauroyl Lysine)
- β 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
π
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 3 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
π
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βSkincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- β¨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (32)
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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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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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
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 8 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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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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5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Colorant or pigment
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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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10 Fragrance
Fragrance
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11 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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12 Ascorbate
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
13 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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18 Caffeine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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25 Fructose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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26 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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32 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
Does Pacifica Sea & C Sheer Face Serum leave a white cast?
No, white cast is low. As a chemical serum it wears close to invisible with a balanced finish.
Is the Pacifica Sea & C Sheer Face Serum Spf 55 good for oily or acne-prone skin?
It has low pore-clogging potential and stays lightweight, with a balanced finish, so it can work for various skin types.
What SPF is it and how strong is protection?
It is labelled SPF 55, but measured protection landed in the good range rather than excellent. It is a serviceable lightweight daily serum.
Is Pacifica Sea & C Sheer Face Serum any good?
It scores 65.3/100 with good measured protection, a reasonable lightweight daily option.