Avatara The Simple Shield
71/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Avatara The Simple Shield is a pure mineral sunscreen using Zinc Oxide as its only UV filter, giving broad-spectrum coverage suited to sensitive skin. It has a balanced finish and a lightweight feel, though as a single-zinc formula it can leave a medium white cast, and it is rated poor as a makeup base. Pore-clogging risk is generally low. With moderate protection and a score of 71.0/100, it is a simple mineral option for everyday wear when a visible cast is acceptable.
Ingredient & SPF scores
👻
White cast
Medium
49
- +100 Starting score
- −42 Zinc Oxide, 17% declared
- −15 Pure mineral formula (17% total declared)
- +5.7 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
🍄
Fungal acne
High
38
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20)
- −50 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate)
- +0 Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment at #14, ferment, disputed Malassezia trigger (not penalized)
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #3, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
👕
Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- → 10 Glycerin at #5, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #15, hyaluronic family
- → 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
- → 6 Ceramide barrier lipids
💄
Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
- ← 15 High mineral load at #1 greys under foundation
🌊
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.
- ✨ Ceramides
Full ingredient list (31)
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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Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 42 17% declared
- ↑ 30 17% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
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2 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing light emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
5 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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16 Ceramide NG
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
22 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
23 Pongamol
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
27 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
28 Xylitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
Does Avatara The Simple Shield leave a white cast?
It can leave a medium white cast. It is a pure mineral formula using only Zinc Oxide, and single-zinc sunscreens commonly show some cast, so apply thinly and blend well.
Is the Avatara The Simple Shield mineral or chemical?
It is pure mineral. Zinc Oxide is its only UV filter, which suits sensitive skin that prefers physical sunscreens.
Does it work under makeup?
It is rated poor as a makeup base, so makeup may not sit as smoothly over it. It is better worn on its own.