Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Sun protection
- Evens skin tone
- Moisturizing
- Anti-aging
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: high
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 0
Key actives
Product Summary
We assess that "Taos AER - SPF 30 Broad Spectrum Mineral Sunscreen" can provide reliable sun protection based on the ingredient list. 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).
Because it includes good moisturizing ingredients, it can also work as a hydrating day cream. Like all broad-spectrum sunscreens, this product helps prevent early signs of aging.
Sunscreen filters
This sunscreen is a mineral sunscreen. It uses zinc oxide for sun protection. Zinc oxide almost never irritates the skin or stings eyes, but it can leave a white cast.
Irritation risk
This sunscreen contains a bunch of common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide any known benefit for the skin. It might not be the best choice if your skin is sensitive. We assess the overall irritancy of this sunscreen to be high. 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 38.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-aging
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.
Evens skin tone
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).
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals and reduce hyperpigmentation, but evidence of effectiveness of topical application is lacking. It can be an INCI name for the trademarked ingredient Pycnogenol (but could also be a different type of this plant's bark extract)
Moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
diglycerin, glycerin.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: caprylic/capric triglyceride, helianthus annuus seed oil.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: panthenol
An oil naturally present in skin. Works as an emollient to soften the skin and form a protective layer on its surface without a greasy feeling.
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
A great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and creates a nice product texture
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
Helps products spread more easily and works as an emollient to soften skin
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
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.
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
Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (pinus pinaster bark extract) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals and reduce hyperpigmentation, but evidence of effectiveness of topical application is lacking. It can be an INCI name for the trademarked ingredient Pycnogenol (but could also be a different type of this plant's bark extract)
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Sun protection |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 90/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 Taos AER SPF 30 Broad Spectrum Mineral Sunscreen | Current | $38.00 | |
The INKEY List CA SPF30 Sunscreen 100% Mineral UV Filters | 61% | $14.99 | |
REVOLUTION SKINCARE SPF 30 Mineral Protect Sunscreen | 59% | $15.00 | |
 SkinMedica Total Defense and Repair SPF 50 | 56% | $68.00 | |
 Farmacy Beauty Green Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen | 54% | $36.00 | |
 La Roche-Posay Anthelios 100% Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid | 54% | $37.99 |
Key Actives
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals and reduce hyperpigmentation, but evidence of effectiveness of topical application is lacking. It can be an INCI name for the trademarked ingredient Pycnogenol (but could also be a different type of this plant's bark extract)
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
A great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
An oil naturally present in skin. Works as an emollient to soften the skin and form a protective layer on its surface without a greasy feeling.
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
Potential irritants
Used to help oil and water mix together. Can be irritating
A plant oil with a high content of volatile compounds that can irritate the skin and lead to allergic reactions. Can lead to photosensitivity
A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Used to create a thicker product consistency and stabilize the formulation
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals and reduce hyperpigmentation, but evidence of effectiveness of topical application is lacking. It can be an INCI name for the trademarked ingredient Pycnogenol (but could also be a different type of this plant's bark extract)
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Comedogenic ingredients
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
All ingredients
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
A great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
An oil naturally present in skin. Works as an emollient to soften the skin and form a protective layer on its surface without a greasy feeling.
Helps products spread more easily and works as an emollient to soften skin
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
Used to help oil and water mix together. Can be irritating
Used to create a thicker product consistency and stabilize the formulation
A plant extract that might help neutralize free radicals and reduce hyperpigmentation, but evidence of effectiveness of topical application is lacking. It can be an INCI name for the trademarked ingredient Pycnogenol (but could also be a different type of this plant's bark extract)
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin and creates a nice product texture
A plant oil with a high content of volatile compounds that can irritate the skin and lead to allergic reactions. Can lead to photosensitivity
A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat
Ingredient list view
Zinc oxide, Water, Helianthus annuus seed oil, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Squalane, Dicaprylyl carbonate, Cetearyl olivate, Sorbitan olivate, Glycerin, Shea butter cetyl esters, Sorbitan sesquioleate, Polyhydroxystearic acid, Diglycerin, Pinus pinaster bark extract, Punica granatum seed oil, Phenethyl alcohol, Pentylene glycol, Propanediol, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice powder, Panthenol, Xanthan gum, Lauroyl lysine, Vetiveria zizanoides root oil, Juniperus virginiana wood oil, Citrus aurantium bergamia fruit oil, Salvia officinalis oil, Limonene, Linalool
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- Ultraviolet Protection Properties of Commercial Sunscreens and Sunscreens Containing Zno Nanorods
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- Study of nutraceutical, nutricosmetics and cosmeceutical potentials of polyphenolic bark extracts from Canadian forest species
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