St. Botanica Vitamic C SPF 30 Pa +++ Sunscreen
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
St. Botanica Vitamin C SPF 30 PA+++ is a chemical-led sunscreen pairing older filters like ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and benzophenone-3 with ethylhexyl salicylate, plus small amounts of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. It wears with a balanced finish, stays lightweight, shows low white cast and has a low pore-clogging profile, and works as a makeup base. At 49.0/100 with weak protection, it is best viewed as a light daily option rather than reliable high-SPF defense.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
34
- +17.1 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #4, UV filter
- +17.6 Benzophenone-3 at #11, UV filter
- +6.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #12, UV filter
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #40, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- +12.3 Zinc Oxide at #43, UV filter (UVA1 +5.4)
- −7.6 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +0 UVA claimed on the label but no real UVA1 filters in the list
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
Low
17
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #11 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
62
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −2 Essential oils (Citrus Limon Peel Oil)
- −6 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3)
👻
White cast
Low
79
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Zinc Oxide at #43
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #40
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
🔥
Eye sting
Low
73
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Oxybenzone at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Octinoxate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Octisalate at #12, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Zinc Oxide at #43
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #40
- +1.3 Volatile silicone at #6, flashes off
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
83
- +100 Starting score
- −17 Isopropyl Myristate at #7, heavy comedogenic ester
🍄
Fungal acne
High
20
- +100 Starting score
- −30 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Olivate)
- −50 4 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
Low
73
- +100 Starting score
- −20 Oxybenzone at #11, yellow stains on white cotton
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #40, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 4 Glycerin at #10, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 3 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate)
- → 4 1 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Myristate)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
- ← 2 Occlusives/waxes float the 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.
- ✨ Vitamin C
Full ingredient list (46)
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
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 36 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 3 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
- ↑ 17.1 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 17 heavy comedogenic ester
- 4 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 18 feeds malassezia
-
10 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 17.6 UV protection
- ↑ 5 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.4 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
13 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
16 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
17 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
20 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
25 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
26 Arbutin
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
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)
-
41 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
42 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
43 Zinc Oxide
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.3 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
44 Yellow 6
Colorant or pigment
-
45 Ci 19140
Colorant or pigment
-
46 Carmine
Supporting ingredient
Is St. Botanica Vitamin C SPF 30 mineral or chemical?
It is mainly chemical, using older filters like ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and benzophenone-3 with ethylhexyl salicylate, plus small amounts of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
Does the St. Botanica Vitamic C SPF 30 Pa +++ Sunscreen leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast and wears with a balanced, lightweight finish. It also works as a makeup base.
Is it any good?
It scores 49.0/100 with weak protection, so it is best viewed as a light daily option rather than reliable high-SPF defense. It does have a low pore-clogging profile.