bareMinerals Prime Time Daily Protecting Primer Mineral SPF 30
79/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
bareMinerals Prime Time Daily Protecting Primer Mineral SPF 30 is a pure mineral primer with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that doubles as sun protection. It has a balanced finish and low white cast, though as a primer it feels a touch heavier on skin. It does not sting and is low on the pore-clogging scale. Protection is good and the rating is solid, making it a practical primer-plus-SPF step before makeup.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
73
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- β0.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
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White cast
Low
62
- +100 Starting score
- β55 Zinc Oxide at #3
- β35 Titanium Dioxide at #7
- β10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- β15 Pure mineral formula
- +15 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
- +50 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +5 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +6.8 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Alumina)
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Heavy feel
Medium
42
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Zinc Oxide at #3
- β16 Titanium Dioxide at #7
- β2 Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil at #14, butter/occlusive fat
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Comedogenic
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- β2 Isopropyl Myristate at #33, heavy comedogenic ester
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Fungal acne
High
39
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- β50 5 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Myristate, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #2, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
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Fabric stains
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Iron-oxide pigments at #38, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- β15 Zinc Oxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- β5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch)
- β 5 Zinc Oxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- β 4 Glycerin at #9, the anchor humectant
- β 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch)
- β 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Coco-Caprylate/Caprate)
- β 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Myristate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 7.5 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation (tinted)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βSkincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- β¨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (38)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β 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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 β nourishing light emollient
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Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light β 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills β 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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5 Undecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 24 feeds malassezia
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- β 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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9 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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10 Tridecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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13 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Plant oil, an emollient
- β 2 butter/occlusive fat
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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18 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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20 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
21 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Supporting ingredient
-
25 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 2 heavy comedogenic ester
- 1 β dewy slippy emollient ester
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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36 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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38 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- β 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
Is the bareMinerals Prime Time Daily Protecting Primer Mineral SPF 30 mineral or chemical?
It is a pure mineral primer using zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, with no chemical filters.
Does the bareMinerals Prime Time Daily Protecting Primer Mineral SPF 30 work under makeup?
Yes. It is designed as a primer, so it sits naturally before makeup, though it feels slightly heavier than a thin fluid sunscreen.
Does it leave a white cast?
Not much. It has a balanced finish with low white cast for a fully mineral formula.