Clinique Even Better Clinical™ Vitamin Makeup SPF 50
73/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Clinique Even Better Clinical Vitamin Makeup SPF 50 is a tinted makeup-and-sunscreen hybrid using zinc oxide alongside older chemical filters (ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl salicylate and phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid). It keeps white cast low with a balanced finish, does not sting, and rates excellent as a makeup base, which is expected from a foundation-style product. It sits a touch heavier on skin and has low pore-clogging potential. With good protection and a score of 73.1/100, it suits anyone wanting coverage and sun care in one step.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
64
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +17.1 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #4, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #6, UV filter
- +11.2 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #10, UV filter
- −14.9 UVB coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
👻
White cast
Low
76
- +100 Starting score
- −55 Zinc Oxide at #3
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #62
- +28.5 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +2.8 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +1.8 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
81
- +100 Starting score
- −11 Octinoxate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Ensulizole at #10, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Medium
58
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Zinc Oxide at #3
- −2 Polyethylene at #31, wax film
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Palmitic Acid at #44, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
High
27
- +100 Starting score
- −24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80)
- −18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin)
- −27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Laureth-7)
- −4 2 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #63, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- → 4 Glycerin at #11, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #21, hyaluronic family
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Trehalose)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate)
💄
Makeup base
Excellent
PillsPrimer
- → 11 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- → 4 Transfer-resistant grip resin, holds makeup
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate)
- ← 7.5 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +4 2 water-locking waxes
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.
- ✨ Niacinamide
Full ingredient list (65)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate)
- ↑ 17.1 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 11.2 UV protection
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
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11 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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12 Tromethamine
pH adjuster
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
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22 Caffeine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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25 Trehalose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
31 Polyethylene
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 wax film
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
32 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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40 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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42 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
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45 Laureth-7
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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pH adjuster
-
pH adjuster
-
48 Hydroxide K
pH adjuster
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Supporting ingredient
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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56 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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61 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
Colorant or pigment
-
63 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
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64 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
-
65 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
Does Clinique Even Better Clinical Vitamin Makeup leave a white cast?
No, white cast is low. As a tinted makeup-and-sunscreen product it blends into skin with a balanced finish.
Is the Clinique Even Better Clinical™ Vitamin Makeup SPF 50 good under or as makeup?
Yes. It is a tinted product that rates excellent as a makeup base, so it doubles as light coverage and sun care, with low pore-clogging potential.
Is this sunscreen mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid, using zinc oxide alongside older chemical filters like ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and ethylhexyl salicylate.
Is Clinique Even Better Clinical Vitamin Makeup any good?
It scores 73.1/100 with good measured protection, a solid pick for combining coverage and SPF in one step.