Pond's Ponds Serum Boost Sunscreen Cream SPF 35
71/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Pond's Serum Boost Sunscreen Cream SPF 35 is a chemical-leaning sunscreen built on ethylhexyl salicylate, avobenzone and octocrylene, with a little titanium dioxide. It dries to a matte finish with no real white cast, feels lightweight, and is commonly low for pore-clogging, though it can sting somewhat if it drifts near the eyes. SPF 35 delivers good protection and it works well under makeup. The older filter set holds the score to 70.8/100, a reasonable mattifying daily cream.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
74
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #8, UV filter
- +11.2 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #9, UV filter
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #15, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- −6.4 UVB coverage saturated
- −0.7 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 35)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #8 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10 Propylparaben at #36, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
🤧
Allergens
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −20 9 declared fragrance allergens
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #15
- +0.4 Coated minerals (Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Ensulizole at #9, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 7 declared fragrance allergens
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #15
- +0.5 Volatile silicone at #3, flashes off
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −4 Palmitic Acid at #12, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
61
- +100 Starting score
- −32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- −7 2 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
28
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #7, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #8, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #15, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 12 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Sodium PCA)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 11 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 8 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Acrylates Crosspolymer)
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
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 (48)
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 (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 8 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 11.2 UV protection
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
10 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 4 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
-
13 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 19.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
Supporting ingredient
-
17 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
21 Cystine
Supporting ingredient
-
22 Glycine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
24 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
25 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
26 Hydroxide K
pH adjuster
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
28 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
29 Dimethiconol
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
33 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
38 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
43 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
44 Geraniol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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47 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
48 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
Is Pond's Serum Boost SPF 35 good for oily skin?
Yes, it is generally suitable. The finish is matte and it rates low for pore-clogging, so it commonly works for oily and breakout-prone skin, and it sits well under makeup.
Does Pond's Serum Boost SPF 35 sting the eyes?
It may sting somewhat. It rates medium for stinging, so take care around the eye area, especially with sweat.
Is Pond's Serum Boost SPF 35 a good sunscreen?
It scores 70.8/100, a reasonable result. SPF 35 gives good protection, though the older chemical filter set holds it back from a top rating.