Pond's Gluta-niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa ++++ UV Bright
61/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
Pond's Gluta-niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ is a chemical sunscreen with an older-school filter set of Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene and Avobenzone (Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane). It has a balanced finish and low white cast and is generally low on pore-clogging, though it may sting if it reaches the eyes. Despite the high SPF 50 label, the rating places protection at a moderate level. With a score of 61.1/100 it is a middle-tier daily option.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
48
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +13.3 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #6, UV filter
- −11.3 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
34
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Ensulizole at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Myristic Acid at #28, moderate comedogenic signal
- −4 Palmitic Acid at #12, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
High
40
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 free fatty acids that feed Malassezia (Myristic Acid)
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Isostearate)
- −27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-6 Sorbitan Stearate)
- −9 3 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Arachidic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- → 1 Glycerin at #24, the anchor humectant
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 2.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
🌊
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.
- ✨ Niacinamide
Full ingredient list (30)
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.
-
1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- ↑ 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole)
- ↑ 13.3 UV protection
- ↑ 4 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
pH adjuster
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 4 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
17 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
pH adjuster
-
23 Glutathione
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
24 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
25 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
26 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Supporting ingredient
What SPF is Pond's Gluta-niacinamide Sunscreen?
It is labeled SPF 50 PA++++. Despite the high label, the rating places its actual protection at a moderate level.
Is the Pond's Gluta-niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa ++++ UV Bright mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen with an older-school filter set of Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene and Avobenzone. It contains no mineral filters.
Is it good for acne-prone skin?
It has a low pore-clogging tendency and a balanced finish, so it is generally fine for breakout-prone skin. It may sting if it reaches the eyes, and it scores 61.1/100 overall.