Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Evens skin tone
- Sun protection
- Anti-aging
- Anti-oxidation
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: low
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 2
Key actives
Product Summary
We believe that "EltaMD - UV Luminous Broad Spectrum SPF 40" can provide reliable sun protection based on the ingredients listed. It can protect from both UVA and UVB rays. This is great news because not all sunscreens with SPF ratings give UVA protection. (UVA rays do not cause sunburn, but still damage our skin and lead to early aging).
This sunscreen should also be hydrating enough to use without an additional moisturizer during the day. Like all broad-spectrum sunscreens, this product helps prevent early signs of aging.
Sunscreen filters
This product is a mineral sunscreen. It uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for sun protection. Both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide almost never irritate even the most sensitive skin and eyes, but can leave a white cast.
Irritation risk
This product does not contain known common irritants and is suitable for sensitive skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this product to be low. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
Price
The product retails for 28.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-aging
What does the product description say?
Gentle and lightly tinted it provides excellent protection against UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays.
Source: Bluemercury
This product can help prevent early signs of skin aging because it offers a good level of broad spectrum sun protection. Sun damage is the main cause of premature skin aging, and protecting your skin from the sun is the best anti-aging strategy.
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (thioctic acid) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
The following ingredients - quercetin also can have an antioxidant effect, but there is less evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin.
Might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
UV Luminous Broad Spectrum SPF 40
Source: From product name
This product offers broad spectrum sun protection. It means that it can prevent hyperpigmentation and help keep the skin tone even (sun damage is the main factor causing age spots, darkening of post-acne marks and other discolorations).
Sun protection
This product offers a good level of protection against both UVB and UVA rays.
It is a mineral sunscreen. In other words, it contains non-organic UV filters. It will probably not sting your eyes but might leave a white cast.
This product can be considered "reef safe" because it does not contain the UV filters (oxybenzone and octinoxate) that can be harmful to coral reefs when present in the water in high concentrations.
Works as a UV filter when used in high concentrations. It is photostable and is effective mostly against the UVB light, with some protection in the UVA range. In small concentrations, used for its ability to improve the color of cosmetic products. Is usually well tolerated by the skin
A broad spectrum sunblock (protects from both UVA and UVB rays). Is suitable for most sensitive skins. In small concentrations, can be used as a colorant
Moisturizing
This product can help soften the skin and reduce its moisture loss with emollients and occlusives: octyldodecyl neopentanoate, ethylhexyl stearate.
Keep in mind that this product does not contain effective ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. This is why an additional product with humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid can be helpful (apply it before this product for the best results).
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Often used to stabilize other ingredients, for example, sunscreen
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a thicker product consistency
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Sun protection | |
| Anti-aging | |
| Evens skin tone |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 90/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
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Key Actives
Works as a UV filter when used in high concentrations. It is photostable and is effective mostly against the UVB light, with some protection in the UVA range. In small concentrations, used for its ability to improve the color of cosmetic products. Is usually well tolerated by the skin
A broad spectrum sunblock (protects from both UVA and UVB rays). Is suitable for most sensitive skins. In small concentrations, can be used as a colorant
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Often used to stabilize other ingredients, for example, sunscreen
Might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin
Potential irritants
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a thicker product consistency
Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
Comedogenic ingredients
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a thicker product consistency
All ingredients
Works as a UV filter when used in high concentrations. It is photostable and is effective mostly against the UVB light, with some protection in the UVA range. In small concentrations, used for its ability to improve the color of cosmetic products. Is usually well tolerated by the skin
A broad spectrum sunblock (protects from both UVA and UVB rays). Is suitable for most sensitive skins. In small concentrations, can be used as a colorant
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and create a thicker product consistency
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Often used to stabilize other ingredients, for example, sunscreen
The same compound that is used safely in dental implants and bone cements. In cosmetics, it is used to improve the consistency of products
Used to create a thicker product consistency and stabilize the product formulation
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
Helps the function of sunscreen and pigment ingredients in the formulation
A type of silicone that helps oil and water mix well together. Helps to disperse other ingredients, e.g. pigments, evenly in a formulation
Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Ingredient list view
Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide, Water, Isopropyl palmitate, Ethylhexyl stearate, Octyldodecyl neopentanoate, Perfluorononyl dimethicone, Alumina, Polyacrylate-13, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogen dimethicone, Polyisobutene, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Oleth-3 phosphate, Citric acid, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan isostearate, Sodium hydroxide, Thioctic acid, Quercetin, Tocopherol
- A review of inorganic UV filters zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
- Risk assessment of zinc oxide, a cosmetic ingredient used as a UV filter of sunscreens
- Characterization of the UVA protection provided by avobenzone, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide in broad-spectrum sunscreen products
- Ultraviolet Protection Properties of Commercial Sunscreens and Sunscreens Containing Zno Nanorods
- ZnO nanoparticles and organic chemical UV-filters are equally well tolerated by human immune cells
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Isopropyl Isostearate
- Amended Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
- Safety Assessment of Alumina and Aluminum Hydroxide as Used in Cosmetics
- Final report of the cosmetic ingredient review expert panel on the safety assessment of Polyisobutene and Hydrogenated Polyisobutene as used in cosmetics
- Sensitization to oleth-3-phosphate and oleth-5 in a hair wax
- Vitamin E in dermatology
- Vitamin E and Skin Health