WOW skin science Sunscreen Matte Finish
60/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
WOW skin science Sunscreen Matte Finish is a chemical sunscreen with a mineral assist, blending octinoxate, octocrylene, avobenzone, and homosalate with titanium dioxide. Despite the matte name it is rated with a balanced finish, a low white cast, and a lightweight feel. The filters can produce mild stinging near the eyes, and pore-clogging risk is low. With good rated protection and a score of 60.0, it is a serviceable daily option, though the SPF is unconfirmed.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
56
- +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
☢️
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.
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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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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 (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 (Homosalate)
- ↑ 11.4 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 → nourishing light emollient
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8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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10 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
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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)
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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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
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Botanical extract
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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22 Fragrance
Fragrance
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Does WOW Sunscreen Matte Finish leave a white cast?
No, it has a low white cast. Although it includes some titanium dioxide, it is mostly chemical and absorbs fairly clear.
Is the WOW skin science Sunscreen Matte Finish mineral or chemical?
It is mostly chemical, using octinoxate, octocrylene, avobenzone, and homosalate, with a mineral assist from titanium dioxide.
Is the WOW skin science Sunscreen Matte Finish good for oily skin?
It has a balanced finish and low pore-clogging risk, so it is generally friendly to oily and acne-prone skin. It scores 60.0 with good rated protection.