Unitary Sun Face Protection Serum SPF 50 Pa++++
74/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Unitary Sun Face Protection Serum is an SPF 50 PA++++ serum sunscreen combining mineral Titanium Dioxide with an older-school chemical blend including Homosalate, Octocrylene, and Avobenzone. It dries to a matte finish with a low white cast and is rated as working very well under makeup. With good protection and a score of 74.4/100, it is a solid base layer, though the medium sweat-sting rating means care around the eyes.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
77
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #5, UV filter
- +11.2 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #11, UV filter
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #20, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- −20.4 UVB coverage saturated
- −1.5 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
41
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Ensulizole at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Volatile alcohol at #10
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #20
- +0.5 Volatile silicone at #6, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
28
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, 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 #20, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #10
- ← 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 4 Glycerin at #9, the anchor humectant
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 1 Volatile alcohol at #10
💄
Makeup base
Excellent
PillsPrimer
- → 6 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- → 2 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #10), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (21)
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 (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 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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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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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 6 sebum-absorbing powder
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
9 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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10 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 11.2 UV protection
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
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
Does Unitary Sun Face Protection Serum leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast and dries to a matte finish. It also rates as working very well under makeup.
Is the Unitary Sun Face Protection Serum SPF 50 Pa++++ good for oily skin?
Yes, it has a matte finish and is rated low for pore-clogging, so it is generally a good match for oily skin and makes a useful base layer.
Is this serum any good?
It scores 74.4/100 with good SPF 50 protection, so it is a solid choice. The medium sweat-sting rating means care around the eyes.