La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation Broad Spectrum Spf 20
49/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20 is a foundation with light sun protection from ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and titanium dioxide. It sets to a matte, lightweight finish with no white cast and is designed to wear well as a makeup base. The SPF 20 level offers only weak sun protection, so it is best treated as makeup with a sun bonus rather than standalone cover. Its score reflects that limited protection.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Weak
29
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +33 Titanium Dioxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +5)
- β2 UVB coverage saturated
- Γ0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
β’οΈ
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- β36 Octinoxate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
π€§
Allergens
Low
68
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- β2 Essential oils (Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil)
π»
White cast
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- β7 Titanium Dioxide, 1.9% declared
- β2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #83
- +6.3 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
- +0.4 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Methicone)
π₯
Eye sting
Low
75
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β1 Volatile alcohol at #78
- β8 Fragrance
πͺ¨
Heavy feel
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- β10 Titanium Dioxide, 1.9% declared
- +2.5 Volatile silicone at #4, flashes off
- +1.1 Volatile hydrocarbon at #5, flashes off
π΄
Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- β1 Palmitic Acid at #68, moderate comedogenic signal
π
Fungal acne
Low
80
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Hydrogenated Lecithin)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
- +0 Saccharomyces Lysate Extract at #37, ferment, disputed Malassezia trigger (not penalized)
π
Fabric stains
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Iron-oxide pigments at #84, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- β15 Titanium Dioxide at #2, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
π§
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- β 2 Volatile alcohol at #78
- β 4.5 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethyl Methacrylate)
- β 9 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 2 Titanium Dioxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- β 1 Glycerin at #43, the anchor humectant
- β 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #54, hyaluronic family
- β 2 2 strong humectants (Trehalose, Sorbitol)
β¨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- β 4 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethyl Methacrylate, Silica)
- β 8 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #78
- β 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Coco-Caprylate/Caprate)
π
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- β 8 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- β 3 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #78), fast, even canvas
- β 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 7.5 High mineral load at #2 greys under foundation (tinted)
π
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βFull ingredient list (84)
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.
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 18 UV protection
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 33 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 7 1.9% declared
- β 10 1.9% declared
- β 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light β 2 mild sebum absorbent
- pills β 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
3 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
13 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
26 Niacin
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
39 Whey Protein
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
42 Sucrose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
43 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing the anchor humectant
-
44 Cholesterol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
49 Caffeine
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
50 Sorbitol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
-
Botanical extract
-
52 Tourmaline
Supporting ingredient
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 β nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
60 Trehalose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
-
Botanical extract
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
70 Methicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
77 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
80 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
82 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
Colorant or pigment
-
84 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- β 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
Is La Mer The Soft Fluid Foundation SPF 20 enough sun protection?
Protection is weak at SPF 20. It is best treated as a foundation with a sun bonus rather than standalone protection, so layer a dedicated sunscreen underneath for full cover.
Does the La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation Broad Spectrum Spf 20 work as a makeup base?
It is a foundation itself and rated a good base, with a matte, lightweight finish and no white cast. It is designed to wear smoothly as your makeup layer.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is mixed. It uses ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, a chemical filter, alongside titanium dioxide, a mineral filter.