Vaseline Tone-up Sun Cream SPF 50+
51/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Vaseline Tone-Up Sun Cream SPF 50+ is an older-generation formula blending Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene and Titanium Dioxide, among others. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, though it may sting somewhat on sensitive skin and pore-clogging potential is low. With moderate rated protection and a 50.8/100 score, it is a budget tone-up option that trails more modern SPF 50 formulas.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
51
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +11.4 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor at #7, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #9, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +6.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #10, UV filter
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #11, UV filter
- +3.6 Homosalate at #23, UV filter
- +4.2 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #25, UV filter
- −36.4 UVB coverage saturated
- −2.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −80 Enzacamene (4-MBC) at #7 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #23, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #11, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #9, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 3 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- +20.6 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
Allergens
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −25 10 declared fragrance allergens
- −7 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene, 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor)
👻
White cast
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −35 Titanium Dioxide at #4
- +5.3 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
48
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #9, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Homosalate at #23, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Octisalate at #10, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Ensulizole at #25, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 6 declared fragrance allergens
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
87
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Titanium Dioxide at #4
- −2 Petrolatum at #28, heaviest occlusive
- +4.5 Volatile silicone at #6, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
High
31
- +100 Starting score
- −24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Sesquioleate)
- −45 5 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-2 Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
27
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #9, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #11, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #4, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 16 Glycerin at #3, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 Occlusives seal moisture in (Petrolatum)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate)
- ← 1 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 7 Humectant syrup tackiness
- ← 6 High mineral load at #4 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (47)
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
-
3 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 6 High mineral load greys under foundation
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (4-MBC)
- ↑ 11.4 UV protection
- ↓ 80 Enzacamene (4-MBC) (regulatory/evidence concern)
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.4 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
11 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
14 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
23 Homosalate
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 3.6 UV protection
- ↓ 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 4.2 UV protection
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
26 Tromethamine
pH adjuster
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
28 Petrolatum
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 2 heaviest occlusive
- 1 → dewy occlusive
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
30 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
31 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
33 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
35 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
40 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
41 Geraniol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
43 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
44 Coumarin
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
Is Vaseline Tone-Up Sun Cream mineral or chemical?
It is mostly chemical, using older-generation filters like Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane and Octocrylene alongside mineral Titanium Dioxide.
Does the Vaseline Tone-up Sun Cream SPF 50+ leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low and the finish is balanced, though as a tone-up product it may add a slight brightening tint by design.
Is it good?
It scores 50.8/100 with moderate rated protection, so it is a budget option that trails more modern SPF 50 formulas. Sensitive skin may also find it stings somewhat.