Watsons Aqua UV Whitening Sun Protection Facial Gel SPF 50 Pa++++
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Watsons Aqua UV Whitening Sun Protection Facial Gel SPF 50 PA++++ is a chemical gel using older-generation filters including octinoxate, padimate O and avobenzone. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, and it is low on pore-clogging signals, though the formula carries a mild sting risk. It serves as an okay base under makeup. Protection is rated moderate and the score is 65.4/100, a mid-pack option held back by its dated filter mix.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
46
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +18 Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA at #2, UV filter
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- −4 UVB coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
44
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Padimate O at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
51
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Padimate O at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Heavy feel
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Paraffinum Liquidum at #9, heavy oil
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Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- −18 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Sesquioleate)
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ceteth-20)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #3, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #25, hyaluronic family
- → 1 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Isononyl Isononanoate)
- → 3 Occlusives seal moisture in (Paraffinum Liquidum)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 4 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (27)
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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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
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Legacy UV filter (Padimate O), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 3 heavy oil
- 3 → dewy occlusive
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
11 Ceteth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 18 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
16 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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19 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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23 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
Does Watsons Aqua UV Whitening Gel leave a white cast?
Its white cast is generally low. The chemical gel wears clear with a balanced finish on most skin tones.
Is Watsons Aqua UV gel mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using older-generation filters including octinoxate, padimate O and avobenzone, with no mineral filters.
Is Watsons Aqua UV Whitening Gel good?
It scores 65.4 out of 100 with moderate protection. It is a mid-pack option, held back by its dated filter mix, and carries a mild sting risk to note.