5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer SPF 50

Paula's Choice

5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer SPF 50

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About this product

The Paula's Choice 5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer SPF 50 is a sunscreen. Our analysis of its 30 ingredients (21 low-risk) rates it Excellent (96/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to sensitive skin.

Vegan-friendly

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Sunscreen
Ingredients
30
Low-risk
21
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
United States
SPF
50 · blocks 98.0% UVB

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 2/6
Good for dry skin
Glycerin Dimethicone
Caution for dry skin
Xanthan Gum Glycerin Hydrogenated Lecithin Sodium Hydroxide Silica Laureth-4
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin No data
Sensitive Skin 5/5
Good for sensitive skin
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate Ascorbyl Glucoside Glycerin Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Dimethicone
Caution for sensitive skin
Glycerin Sodium Benzoate Potassium Sorbate Phenoxyethanol Laureth-4

Ingredients list

30 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (6)
All30 Skin Conditioning14 Fragrance6 Skin Protecting6 Uv Absorber5 Viscosity Controlling5 Uv Filter4 Antioxidant4 Emulsion Stabilising3
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
2
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
(Uv Absorber, Uv Filter)
6
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
(Uv Absorber, Uv Filter)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
4
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
(Uv Absorber, Uv Filter)
3
Octocrylene
(Sunscreen Agent, Uv Absorber, Uv Filter)
1
Water
(Solvent)
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
2
A
Silica
(Abrasive, Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Bulking Agent, Opacifying, Viscosity Controlling)
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Ascorbyl Glucoside
(Antioxidant)
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
1
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Acetyl Zingerone
(Antioxidant, Chelating, Skin Protecting)
1
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
(Skin Protecting)
1
A
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
(Viscosity Controlling)
Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
2
A
Hydrogenated Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant)
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
(Fragrance, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning)
3
B
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning)
2
3
B
Laureth-4
(Antistatic Agent, Emulsifying, Masking, Surfactant)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
3
A
Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative)
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
1
3
Titanium Dioxide
(Cosmetic Colorant, Opacifying, Sunscreen Agent, Uv Absorber)
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
2
Iron Oxides
(Colorant, Cosmetic Colorant)
Entada Phaseoloides Bark/Seed Extract
(Skin Conditioning)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

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Key ingredients

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Uv Absorber, Uv Filter
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
Uv Absorber, Uv Filter
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Uv Absorber, Uv Filter
Octocrylene
Uv Absorber, Uv Filter
Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
Skin Conditioning

Benefits

No standout benefits flagged for this product.

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
May not suit dry skin

Ingredients explained

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Uv absorber, Uv filter
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 Uv absorberUv filter
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Uv absorber, Uv filter
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 Uv absorberUv filter
Octocrylene
Sunscreen agent, Uv absorber
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 Sunscreen agentUv absorberUv filter
Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Silica
Abrasive, Absorbent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–2 CIR A AbrasiveAbsorbentAnticaking agentBulking agentOpacifyingViscosity controlling
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent, Viscosity decreasing agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 SolventViscosity decreasing agentViscosity controlling
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 AntioxidantSkin conditioning
Acetyl Zingerone
Antioxidant, Chelating
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A AntioxidantChelatingSkin protecting
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion stabilising, Film forming
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Emulsion stabilisingFilm formingViscosity controlling
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin protecting
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin protecting
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Viscosity controlling
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Viscosity controlling
Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Skin conditioning, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Skin conditioningEmulsifyingSurfactantSuspending agent- nonsurfactant
+ 9 more — see the full ingredients list above
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
Uv absorber, Uv filter
Potentially a skin irritantRead moreShow less
EWG 6 Uv absorberUv filter Bad for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Laureth-4
Antistatic agent, Emulsifying
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 2–3 CIR B Antistatic agentEmulsifyingMaskingSurfactant Bad for Oily Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic colorant, Opacifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–3 Cosmetic colorantOpacifyingSunscreen agentUv absorber Good for Sensitive Skin

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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