Elizabeth Arden Environmental Defence Cream Mineral SPF 25
79/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Elizabeth Arden Environmental Defence is a pure-mineral SPF 25 cream using Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. It offers good protection with a balanced finish, low white cast, and low pore-clogging risk, and is generally non-stinging. The weight is moderate and it sits okay under makeup. It scores 79.0/100, a dependable mineral daily cream, though SPF 25 trails the higher numbers in this group.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Good
72
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- β0.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
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White cast
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- β27.5 Zinc Oxide at #2 (nano)
- β17.5 Titanium Dioxide at #7 (nano)
- β10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- β2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #37
- β15 Pure mineral formula
- +36 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +3.6 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +2.3 Coated minerals (Alumina)
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Heavy feel
Medium
37
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Zinc Oxide at #2
- β16 Titanium Dioxide at #7
- β2 Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract at #15, butter/occlusive fat
- β5 Cetearyl Alcohol at #6, rich gel-network thickener
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Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- β1 Glycine Soja Oil at #38, moderate comedogenic signal
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Fungal acne
Medium
71
- +100 Starting score
- β18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Cetearyl Glucoside), weak Malassezia signal
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #3, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
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Fabric stains
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Iron-oxide pigments at #34, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- β15 Zinc Oxide at #2, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- β5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- β 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- β 10 Glycerin at #4, the anchor humectant
- β 2 2 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil)
- β 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- β 1 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Coco-Caprylate)
- β 2 2 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
- β 3.8 High mineral load at #2 greys under foundation (tinted) (nano)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βFull 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
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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 3.8 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted) (nano)
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 β nourishing light emollient
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4 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Plant oil, an emollient
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- β 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- β 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Botanical extract
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
- β 2 butter/occlusive fat
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Botanical extract
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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21 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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25 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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28 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Supporting ingredient
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31 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
32 Benzoic Acid
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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34 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
- β 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
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35 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
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36 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
Colorant or pigment
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Plant oil, an emollient
- β 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
Is the Elizabeth Arden Environmental Defence Cream Mineral SPF 25 mineral or chemical?
It is a pure-mineral sunscreen, using Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. There are no chemical UV filters in this cream.
What SPF is the Elizabeth Arden Environmental Defence Cream Mineral SPF 25?
It is SPF 25. Protection is rated good, though SPF 25 sits below the SPF 50 options if you want maximum coverage.
Does it leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low. Despite being a mineral cream, it is formulated to blend in without a heavy chalky finish.