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HAZARD SCORE RANGE
Scoring legend
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES LEARN MORE ABOUT EWG VERIFIED®

HOME / recreational sunscreens / beach & sport sunscreen


Score

Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50

WHERE TO BUY

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CATEGORY

recreational sunscreens

BRAND

Cetaphil

DATA LAST UPDATED

July 18, 2024

Health Concerns

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • HIGH
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • HIGH
    Use Restrictions

Efficacy Concerns

  • Caution We have flagged this product with 2 concerns
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    Find better scoring products

    Based on EWG's modeling, the UV protection is significantly lower than the SPF value would indicate.

    Sunscreens can break down while still in the bottle. To be safe dispose of products when the mixture clumps or separates.
  • high
    UVA/UVB Balance

Ingredient Scores

Ingredients are scored based on their formulation and concentration in this product. Click on an ingredient for more information.

ZINC OXIDE active ingredient 12%
Data Availability: Good
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate), Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Ecotoxicology (low), Occupational hazards (moderate)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
ALLANTOIN
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
BISABOLOL
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate), Enhanced skin absorption
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
BUTYLOCTYL SALICYLATE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Use restrictions (moderate), Endocrine disruption (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low), Contamination concerns (SALICYLIC ACID)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
CAPRYLYL GLYCOL
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
CAPRYLYL METHICONE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (low), Endocrine disruption (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low), Contamination concerns (CYCLOPENTASILOXANE and CYCLOTETRASILOXANE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
DIMETHICONE
Data Availability: Fair
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CONCERNS Use restrictions (moderate), Persistence and bioaccumulation (high), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Ecotoxicology (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low), Contamination concerns (CYCLOPENTASILOXANE and CYCLOTETRASILOXANE)
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DIMETHICONOL/PROPYLSILSESQUIOXANE/SILICATE CROSSPOLYMER
Data Availability: None
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CONCERNS Contamination concerns (CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, CYCLOTETRASILOXANE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, and DECAMETHYLCYCLOPENTASILOXANE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Ecotoxicology (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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HEXYLENE GLYCOL
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
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ISODODECANE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Neurotoxicity (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
LAURYL PEG-10 TRIS(TRIMETHYLSILOXY)SILYLETHYL DIMETHICONE
Data Availability: None
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CONCERNS Contamination concerns (CYCLOPENTASILOXANE and CYCLOTETRASILOXANE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
LAURYL PEG-8 DIMETHICONE
Data Availability: None
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CONCERNS
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
NIACINAMIDE
Data Availability: Good
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CONCERNS Cancer (low), Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
OCTYLDODECYL NEOPENTANOATE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (low), Use restrictions (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
PEG-10
Data Availability: None
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CONCERNS Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
PHENOXYETHANOL
Data Availability: Good
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CONCERNS Allergies/immunotoxicity (low), Use restrictions (moderate), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Ecotoxicology (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high), Occupational hazards (high)
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POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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PROPANEDIOL
Data Availability: Fair
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CONCERNS Cancer (low), Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low), Enhanced skin absorption, Endocrine disruption (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
SODIUM CHLORIDE
Data Availability: Robust
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CONCERNS
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SODIUM HYDROXIDE
Data Availability: Good
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CONCERNS Use restrictions (high), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
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TETRASODIUM GLUTAMATE DIACETATE
Data Availability: Limited
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CONCERNS Cancer (low), Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low), Contamination concerns (ACETIC ACID, NITRILOTRI-, TRISODIUM SALT, MONOHYDRATE, NITRILOTRIACETIC ACID, and SODIUM GLYCOLATE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
TOCOPHEROL
Data Availability: Fair
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CONCERNS Cancer (low), Developmental/reproductive toxicity (low), Allergies/immunotoxicity (low), Endocrine disruption (low), Contamination concerns (HYDROQUINONE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
TRILAURETH-4 PHOSPHATE
Data Availability: None
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CONCERNS Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
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WATER
Data Availability: Robust
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CONCERNS
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Ingredients from label

Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 12.0%; Inactive Ingredients: ALLANTOIN, BISABOLOL, BUTYLOCTYL SALICYLATE, C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CAPRYLYL METHICONE, DIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONOL/PROPYLSILSESQUIOXANE/SILICATE CROSSPOLYMER, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, ISODODECANE, LAURYL PEG-10 TRIS(TRIMETHYLSILOXY)SILYLETHYL DIMETHICONE, LAURYL PEG-8 DIMETHICONE, NIACINAMIDE, OCTYLDODECYL NEOPENTANOATE, PEG-10, PHENOXYETHANOL, POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE, PROPANEDIOL, SODIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, TETRASODIUM GLUTAMATE DIACETATE, TOCOPHEROL (VITAMIN E), TRILAURETH-4 PHOSPHATE, WATER

PETA: Companies That Do Test on Animals

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a leading international animal rights advocacy organization, has identified companies that "either test on animals or pay a laboratory to conduct tests on animals."

LEARN MORE ON PETA.ORG


Understanding scores

Not all sunscreen products are the same when it comes to sun protection and ingredient health hazards. The scoring system for EWG’s Guide to Sunscreens is designed to help the public find products that are safer, avoid ingredients of concern, and are more effective in reducing potential health harms from ultraviolet A and B exposure.

Every product in the guide gets a hazard and efficacy rating. The top scoring products have both a low hazard rating and an excellent UVA/UVB balance rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. Beyond this 1 to 10 ranking, the EWG VERIFIED® mark on a sunscreen means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Scoring legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

EWG Verified Process

EWG Verified logo
EWG VERIFIED

Beyond the hazard score, the EWG VERIFIED® mark on a sunscreen indicates that a sunscreen company’s ingredient disclosures show the product has met our full criteria to ensure it adheres to our strictest standards for efficacy, ingredient safety and transparency.

A SUNSCREEN CAN BECOME EWG VERIFIED IF IT:
  • Meets EWG's criteria for overall product hazard score
  • Is formulated to provide balanced UVA/ UVB protection
  • Does not contain any ingredients on EWG's "Unacceptable" list
  • Discloses all ingredients, including those in fragrance.

You can review EWG’s full criteria for the EWG VERIFIED mark here.


TIPS

Sunscreen alone
is not enough

VIEW THE LIST

Wear clothes

Shirts, hats, shorts and pants shield your skin from the sun’s UV rays, reducing burn risk.

Plan around the sun

Go outdoors in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky.

Find shade - or make it

Picnic under a tree or take a canopy to the beach. Keep infants in the shade, reducing the risk of multiple burns by 30%.


Don’t get burned

Red, sore, blistered skin means you’ve gotten far too much sun.

Sunglasses are essential

Not just a fashion accessory, sunglasses protect your eyes from UV radiation.

Check UV index

The UV Index provides important information to help you plan your outdoor activities in ways that prevent sun overexposure.







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