Q+A Niacinamide Balancing Daily Sunscreen SPF 50
88/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Q+A Niacinamide Balancing Daily Sunscreen SPF 50 blends mineral Titanium Dioxide with modern UV filters like Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine. It wears light with a balanced finish, low white cast and a low pore-clogging profile, and it does not commonly sting. Makeup layering is okay. With excellent rated protection and a high score of 88.4/100, it is a well-rounded daily sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
89
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +28.8 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +17.6)
- +13.2 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #15, UV filter
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #16, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- −7.2 UVB coverage saturated
- −8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
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White cast
Low
69
- +100 Starting score
- −35 Titanium Dioxide at #6
- +3.5 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
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Fungal acne
Low
89
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
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Fabric stains
Low
75
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #8, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #6, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 4 Glycerin at #10, the anchor humectant
- → 2 1 strong humectants (Betaine)
- → 2 Humectant polyols
- → 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
- ← 6 High mineral load at #6 greys under foundation
🌊
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
- ✨ Niacinamide
- ✨ Allantoin
Full ingredient list (25)
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
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing humectant polyol
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 6 High mineral load greys under foundation
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
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9 Arginine
pH adjuster
-
10 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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11 Betaine
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing humectant
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12 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 13.2 UV protection
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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17 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
18 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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24 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
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25 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
Is the Q+A Niacinamide Balancing Daily Sunscreen SPF 50?
Yes, it scores 88.4/100, which is strong. Protection is rated excellent and it wears light with low white cast, making it a well-rounded daily pick.
Does the Q+A Niacinamide Balancing Daily Sunscreen SPF 50 leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low even with some Titanium Dioxide in the blend, so it tends to blend in clear with a balanced finish.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid formula, blending mineral Titanium Dioxide with modern chemical filters like Ethylhexyl Triazone and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine.