PLUM Bright Years
58/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
PLUM Bright Years is a chemical sunscreen relying on older-generation filters, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Avobenzone and Benzophenone-3, plus a little Titanium Dioxide. It is lightweight with a balanced finish and a low white cast, though its medium sweat-sting rating suggests some care near the eyes. Pore-clogging risk is low and it sits okay under makeup. With a score of 57.6 and good protection, it is a basic daily option whose dated filter set keeps it in the lower-middle tier.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
56
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #4, UV filter
- +26.4 Titanium Dioxide at #12, UV filter (UVA1 +4)
- −8.3 UVB coverage saturated
- −12 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
☢️
Health safety
Low
14
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
64
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −6 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
41
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🍄
Fungal acne
High
36
- +100 Starting score
- −18 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Olivate)
- −23 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #3, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #4, yellow stains on white cotton
- −5 Titanium Dioxide at #12, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 1 Glycerin at #13, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid at #23, hyaluronic family
- → 4 1 strong humectants (Betaine)
- → 3 2 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
- → 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- → 4 2 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →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.
- ✨ Aloe vera
Full ingredient list (34)
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 (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 (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
-
7 Betaine
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing humectant
-
Botanical extract
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 18 feeds malassezia
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 26.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 5 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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13 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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21 Glycine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
22 Proline
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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28 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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31 Fragrance
Fragrance
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32 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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34 Ci 16255
Colorant or pigment
Is the PLUM Bright Years mineral or chemical?
It is mainly a chemical sunscreen using older-generation filters such as Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Avobenzone and Benzophenone-3, with a little Titanium Dioxide.
Does PLUM Bright Years work for oily or acne-prone skin?
It can. It has a balanced finish and a low pore-clogging risk, so it is generally suitable for oily and breakout-prone skin, with results varying by person.
Is PLUM Bright Years any good?
It is a basic daily option, scoring 57.6 out of 100 with good protection. It stays light and low in pore-clogging risk, but its dated filter set keeps it in the lower- middle tier.