WOW skin science Matte Finish Sunscreen SPF 55 Pa+++
61/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
WOW Skin Science Matte Finish Sunscreen SPF 55 PA+++ is a chemical sunscreen using older filters including octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone with a touch of titanium dioxide. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, and it is low on pore-clogging signals, though it carries a mild sting risk. It works as an okay base under makeup. With good protection but a score of 60.9/100, it is a mid-pack pick limited by its dated filter mix.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
59
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +11.4 Homosalate at #5, UV filter
- +26.4 Titanium Dioxide at #11, UV filter (UVA1 +4)
- −22.2 UVB coverage saturated
- −3.9 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +3 Label claims (SPF 55, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
33
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
32
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Homosalate at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Persea Gratissima Oil at #15, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
62
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Persea Gratissima Oil)
- −24 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate)
- −5 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +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
- −5 Titanium Dioxide at #11, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- → 4 Glycerin at #8, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Persea Gratissima Oil)
- → 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Persea Gratissima Oil)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 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 (25)
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 (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
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate)
- ↑ 11.4 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
-
8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
10 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 26.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 5 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Botanical extract
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
22 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Is WOW Matte Finish Sunscreen good for oily skin?
It is generally workable for oily skin. It is lightweight with a balanced finish and low on pore-clogging signals, though it carries a mild sting risk.
Is WOW Matte Finish Sunscreen mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen using older-generation filters including octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone, with a small amount of titanium dioxide.
What SPF is WOW Matte Finish Sunscreen?
It is rated SPF 55 with PA+++, offering good protection. Its overall score is 60.9 out of 100, with the dated filter mix limiting it to mid-pack.