St. Botanica Moroccan Argan Oil Day Cream With SPF 30 UVA/UVB Pa
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
St. Botanica Moroccan Argan Oil Day Cream With SPF 30 combines older chemical filters Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Avobenzone with small amounts of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. It has a dewy, lightweight finish with low white cast and low breakout potential, and it does not sting. Protection rates as weak, and the score of 49.0 marks it as a moisturizing day cream with light SPF rather than a dedicated sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
32
- +14.4 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #9, UV filter
- +9 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #31, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #36, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- +12.3 Zinc Oxide at #37, UV filter (UVA1 +5.4)
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
High
61
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #9 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #31, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −30 Sensitizing preservatives (Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone)
👻
White cast
Low
79
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Zinc Oxide at #37
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #36
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
🔥
Eye sting
Low
84
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Avobenzone at #31, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −5 Octinoxate at #9, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
87
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Zinc Oxide at #37
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #36
- −6 Cera Alba at #10, wax film
- −2 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #23, butter/occlusive fat
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Isopropyl Myristate at #16, heavy comedogenic ester
- −1 Olea Europaea Fruit Oil at #18, moderate comedogenic signal
- −1 Persea Gratissima Oil at #32, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
High
0
- +100 Starting score
- −30 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Olivate)
- −50 6 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil)
- −27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #21, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
- +7 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
👕
Fabric stains
Low
65
- +100 Starting score
- −28 Avobenzone at #31, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #36, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Nourishing
LightNourishing
- → 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Hyaluronic Acid at #14, hyaluronic family
- → 12 6 strong humectants (Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Hydroxyethyl Urea, …)
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 7 7 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, …)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- → 7 7 emollient lipids (Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, …)
- → 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Myristate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 10 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
- ← 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +4 1 water-locking waxes
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
- ✨ Allantoin
- ✨ Panthenol (B5)
Full ingredient list (54)
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
-
2 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 6 → nourishing humectant
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 14.4 UV protection
- ↑ 5 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
10 Cera Alba
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 6 wax film
- ↑ 4 wax water lock
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 18 feeds malassezia
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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13 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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15 Mel
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 heavy comedogenic ester
- 1 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 28 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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33 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
pH adjuster
-
35 Arginine
pH adjuster
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9.9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
37 Zinc Oxide
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.3 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Botanical extract
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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44 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
50 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Botanical extract
-
52 Ci 14700
Colorant or pigment
-
53 Ci 19140
Colorant or pigment
-
54 Yellow 6
Colorant or pigment
Is the St. Botanica Moroccan Argan Oil Day Cream With SPF 30 UVA/UVB Pa good?
It scores 49.0 out of 100 with weak protection, so it works better as a moisturizing day cream with light SPF than as a dedicated sunscreen.
Is the St. Botanica Moroccan Argan Oil Day Cream With SPF 30 UVA/UVB Pa mineral or chemical?
It is mixed, combining older chemical filters Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Avobenzone with small amounts of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
Is it good for dry skin?
It has a dewy, lightweight finish and does not sting, so it is generally comfortable for drier skin as a day cream.