St. Botanica Vitamin C Spf 50 Sunblock Face & Body Mist Sunscreen
64/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
St. Botanica Vitamin C SPF 50 is a face and body mist combining chemical filters octinoxate, octocrylene, and avobenzone with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for broad cover. The spray format keeps it lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, though it can sting somewhat if it reaches the eyes. The filters are older generation, placing good protection at a moderate 63.5/100. A convenient reapplication mist for face and body, with okay makeup compatibility.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
61
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #14, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- +12.3 Zinc Oxide at #24, UV filter (UVA1 +5.4)
- −10.9 UVB coverage saturated
- −5.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
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 #5, 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)
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White cast
Low
79
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Zinc Oxide at #24
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #14
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
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Eye sting
Medium
38
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
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Heavy feel
Low
90
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Zinc Oxide at #24
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #14
- −5 Cetyl Alcohol at #6, rich gel-network thickener
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Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- −18 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20)
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
23
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, 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
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #14, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #19, hyaluronic family
- → 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- → 1 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
🌊
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 (36)
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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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
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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
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
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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
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- ↑ 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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7 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 18 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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12 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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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)
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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16 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
17 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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20 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Botanical extract
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24 Zinc Oxide
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.3 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
28 Lily Extract
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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31 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Botanical extract
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33 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
34 Ci 14700
Colorant or pigment
-
35 Ci 19140
Colorant or pigment
-
36 Yellow 6
Colorant or pigment
Is St. Botanica Vitamin C SPF 50 Mist mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid mist, combining chemical filters octinoxate, octocrylene, and avobenzone with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The blend leans older generation.
Does the St. Botanica Vitamin C Spf 50 Sunblock Face & Body Mist Sunscreen sting the eyes?
It can sting somewhat, as the sting rating is medium. Because it is a face and body mist, take care to avoid spraying directly near the eyes.
Is it good?
It scores 63.5/100, a moderate result. Protection is good and the spray format is convenient for reapplication, but the older filters hold it back from a higher rating.