Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Beautifying Foundation SPF 20 - PA++
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint is an SPF 20 beautifying foundation rather than a dedicated sunscreen, using titanium dioxide and octinoxate for some sun filtering. It has a matte finish, lightweight feel, low white cast, and excellent performance as a makeup base, with low breakout risk though it may sting somewhat. With weak protection and a 49.0/100 score, it is best treated as makeup with a little SPF, not as primary sun protection.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Weak
28
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +14.4 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #8, UV filter
- ×0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
☢️
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #8 (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −4 2 declared fragrance allergens
- −8 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
👻
White cast
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- −17.5 Titanium Dioxide at #5 (nano)
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #37
- +13.7 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
- +0.4 Coated minerals (Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Octinoxate at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −18 Volatile alcohol at #3
- −5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
- −8 Fragrance
- −4 2 declared fragrance allergens
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
92
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Titanium Dioxide at #5
- +6.4 Volatile alcohol at #3, evaporating texture
- +1.4 Volatile hydrocarbon at #6, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60)
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #34, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #5, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 22 Volatile alcohol at #3
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 4 Glycerin at #12, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #3
💄
Makeup base
Excellent
PillsPrimer
- → 11 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- → 12 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #3), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 1.5 High mineral load at #5 greys under foundation (tinted) (nano)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (37)
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
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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3 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
- ↑ 5 high up speeds filter migration
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 1.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted) (nano)
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 14.4 UV protection
- ↑ 5 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 7 film former
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
12 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Supporting ingredient
-
14 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
22 Fragrance
Fragrance
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Botanical extract
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Supporting ingredient
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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26 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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Botanical extract
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28 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
pH adjuster
-
pH adjuster
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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33 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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34 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
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35 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
-
36 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
Colorant or pigment
Can I rely on Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint for sun protection?
Not as primary protection. It is an SPF 20 foundation with weak protection and a 49.0/100 score, so it is best treated as makeup with a little added SPF.
Does the Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Beautifying Foundation SPF 20 - PA++ work as a makeup base?
It is itself a foundation and rates as an excellent base, with a matte finish and low white cast. It suits those wanting light coverage with some sun filtering.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It uses both, making it a hybrid. The filters are titanium dioxide (mineral) and octinoxate (chemical).