Laura Geller New York Better Than ‘block Skincare-infused Serum Foundation With Broad Spectrum SPF 50+
79/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
Laura Geller Better Than 'Block is a skincare-infused serum foundation with broad-spectrum SPF 50+, using a pure mineral filter blend of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. It wears with a balanced finish, low white cast, and a lightweight feel, and doubles as a tinted base. Protection is rated good. With a score near 79, it is a strong pick for those wanting sun defense and coverage in one step, though a dedicated sunscreen underneath helps ensure full coverage.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
75
- +33 Titanium Dioxide at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +5)
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- −1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
🤧
Allergens
Low
63
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −19 8 declared fragrance allergens; EU-banned: Butylphenyl Methylpropional
👻
White cast
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −14 Zinc Oxide, 6% declared
- −7 Titanium Dioxide, 2.5% declared
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- −8 Pure mineral formula (8.5% total declared)
- +27.3 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
- +1.2 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +1.6 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Alumina)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 6 declared fragrance allergens
- +12 Mineral filter system, low-sting filters
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
72
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Zinc Oxide, 6% declared
- −10 Titanium Dioxide, 2.5% declared
- −10 Both minerals in the top 3, dual mineral paste
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Ethylhexyl Palmitate at #30, heavy comedogenic ester
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
52
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60)
- −36 4 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #38, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −15 Titanium Dioxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Boron Nitride)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- ← 2 Titanium Dioxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- → 1 Glycerin at #33, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #58, hyaluronic family
- → 2 2 strong humectants (Panthenol, Sodium PCA)
- → 2 Humectant polyols
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Boron Nitride)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
- → 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Palmitate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- ← 7.5 High mineral load at #1 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →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.
- ✨ Allantoin
- ✨ Aloe vera
Full ingredient list (64)
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.
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 33 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 7 2.5% declared
- ↑ 10 2.5% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 2 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 14 6% declared
- ↑ 8 6% declared
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
8 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
11 Biotin
Supporting ingredient
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
23 Citral
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
24 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Botanical extract
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
28 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 heavy comedogenic ester
- 1 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
31 Acai Extract
Botanical extract
-
32 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
33 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
38 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
39 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
-
40 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
43 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
44 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
45 Mg Stearate+
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
47 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
48 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
53 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
pH adjuster
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
59 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
63 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
64 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
Is this Laura Geller foundation mineral or chemical?
It is a pure mineral sunscreen. It uses a blend of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as its UV filters.
Does the Laura Geller New York Better Than ‘block Skincare-infused Serum Foundation With Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ work as a makeup base?
It is a serum foundation, so it doubles as a tinted base. The finish is balanced with low white cast and a lightweight feel.
Is it good for sun protection?
It scores near 79 out of 100, with protection rated good. For full coverage, layering a dedicated sunscreen underneath generally helps, since makeup products are applied thinly.