Supergoop! Handscreen Spf 40
68/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Supergoop! Handscreen SPF 40 is a chemical sunscreen for the hands using an older-school trio of avobenzone, ethylhexyl salicylate and octocrylene. It has a balanced, lightweight finish with a low white cast and is generally low on pore-clogging risk, though it can sting moderately if it reaches the eyes. Moderate SPF 40 protection and a score of 67.6/100 make it a convenient targeted sunscreen for frequently exposed hands.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Moderate
50
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +1 Label claims (SPF 40)
β’οΈ
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- β30 Octocrylene at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
87
- +100 Starting score
- β10 Essential oils (Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, β¦)
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
π₯
Eye sting
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Heavy feel
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- β2 Cetyl Esters at #13, wax film
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Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
- β14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate Citrate)
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Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- β 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 7 2 emollient lipids (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 1 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- β 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (40)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β 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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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 8 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 16 UV protection
- β 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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4 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 β dewy emollient lipid
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
12 Isododecane
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
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13 Cetyl Esters
Supporting ingredient
- β 2 wax film
- β 2 wax water lock
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
18 Arginine
pH adjuster
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Botanical extract
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Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
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Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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29 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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32 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Plant oil, an emollient
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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38 Vanillin
Supporting ingredient
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Botanical extract
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Plant oil, an emollient
Is Supergoop! Handscreen SPF 40 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen. It uses avobenzone, ethylhexyl salicylate and octocrylene, with no mineral filters.
Does the Supergoop! Handscreen Spf 40 leave a white cast?
No, its white cast is low. It has a balanced, lightweight finish, which suits frequent reapplication on the hands.
Is it good?
It scores 67.6/100 with moderate SPF 40 protection. As a targeted hand sunscreen it is a convenient way to protect frequently exposed skin.