StBotanica Vitamin C SPF 75 Dry Touch Sunscreen
46/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
StBotanica Vitamin C SPF 75 Dry Touch Sunscreen relies on older-generation chemical filters such as ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and octocrylene alongside titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. It keeps a low white cast and a dewy finish and is low on the pore-clogging scale, but the filter mix is dated and may sting a little. With a score of 46 out of 100 and weak protection, it falls short of what its high SPF number suggests.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
34
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #21, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- +12.3 Zinc Oxide at #37, UV filter (UVA1 +5.4)
- +6.6 Benzophenone-3 at #48, UV filter
- −16.7 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +2 Label claims (SPF 75)
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #48 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #19, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
- +0.1 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
Allergens
Medium
51
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −1 1 declared fragrance allergens
- −11 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
- −4 Other sensitizers (propolis)
- −6 Sensitizers from 3 different categories
👻
White cast
Low
79
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Zinc Oxide at #37
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #21
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Oxybenzone at #48, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
87
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Zinc Oxide at #37
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #21
- −5 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #12, butter/occlusive fat
- −3 Coconut Oil at #11, heavy oil
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
86
- +100 Starting score
- −7 Isopropyl Myristate at #9, heavy comedogenic ester
- −7 Coconut Oil at #11, comedogenic oil/butter
🍄
Fungal acne
High
0
- +100 Starting score
- −24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Olivate)
- −46 4 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Coconut Oil)
- −37 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
- +7 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
58
- +100 Starting score
- −20 Oxybenzone at #48, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #21, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Nourishing
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Hyaluronic Acid at #17, hyaluronic family
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Mel)
- → 6 4 emollient lipids (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, …)
- → 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 8 4 emollient lipids (Coconut Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, …)
- → 2 1 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Myristate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 4 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
🌊
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 (63)
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing light emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 7 heavy comedogenic ester
- 2 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
11 Coconut Oil
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 3 heavy oil
- ↑ 7 comedogenic oil/butter
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 5 butter/occlusive fat
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
14 Propolis Oil
Plant oil, an emollient
-
15 Olivem 1000
Supporting ingredient
-
16 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
18 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
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)
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
24 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
27 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
29 Mel
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
32 Allantoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
36 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
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
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
44 Ci 14700
Colorant or pigment
-
45 Ci 19140
Colorant or pigment
-
46 Yellow 6
Colorant or pigment
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.6 UV protection
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
57 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
pH adjuster
-
59 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Does StBotanica Vitamin C SPF 75 leave a white cast?
White cast is low, and the finish is dewy. The look is light on skin even though the filter mix itself is dated.
Is the StBotanica Vitamin C SPF 75 Dry Touch Sunscreen mineral or chemical?
It is mainly chemical, using older filters like ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and octocrylene, with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide added.
Is the StBotanica Vitamin C SPF 75 Dry Touch Sunscreen good despite the SPF 75 label?
The high SPF number is misleading here. It scores 46 out of 100 with weak protection because the filter mix is old-generation, so it falls short of what the label suggests.