WOW skin science Wow Skin SPF 50 Oily And Acne Prone Skin
76/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
WOW skin science Wow Skin SPF 50 is aimed at oily and acne-prone skin and uses a hybrid chemical filter system, pairing classic filters with the more modern Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine and Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone. It has a dewy finish, a lightweight feel, a low pore-clogging profile, and is unlikely to sting, with little to no white cast. The blend lands a good protection rating and works acceptably as a makeup base. An overall score of 75.7/100 makes it a solid everyday pick, especially for those who want broad coverage without heaviness.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
66
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +19.2 Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone at #12, UV filter
- −17.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −8.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
High
61
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Volatile alcohol at #26
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
86
- +100 Starting score
- −14 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
55
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile alcohol at #26
- → 1 Glycerin at #25, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Sodium PCA)
- → 1 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #26
- → 9 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 7 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Acrylates Copolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Skincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- ✨ Niacinamide
Full ingredient list (32)
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
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 9 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
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
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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10 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Iscotrizinol), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 19.2 UV protection
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13 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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16 Xylitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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17 Glucose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
23 Calamine
Colorant or pigment
-
Botanical extract
-
25 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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26 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
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29 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
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Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
32 Ci 14720
Colorant or pigment
Is WOW Skin SPF 50 good for oily and acne-prone skin?
Yes, it is designed for oily and acne-prone skin and rates low for pore-clogging. It has a dewy, lightweight finish, so it generally suits those concerns, though dewy formulas can read shiny on very oily skin.
Does the WOW skin science Wow Skin SPF 50 Oily And Acne Prone Skin leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast and applies without an obvious residue. It is unlikely to sting the eyes as well.
Is this a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid filter system, blending classic filters with more modern ones like Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine and Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone. It scores 75.7/100 overall with good protection.