LIGHTSAVER Activated Mineral sunscreen – SPF 33
74/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
LIGHTSAVER Activated Mineral sunscreen SPF 33 is a pure mineral formula using zinc oxide as its sole UV filter. It wears with a balanced finish, stays lightweight, keeps white cast low, and is generally non-stinging with low pore-clogging risk. Rated protection lands at moderate. With a score of 73.9/100, it is a sensible mineral pick for those who prefer zinc-only sunscreens.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
42
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +1 Label claims (SPF 33)
👻
White cast
Low
84
- +100 Starting score
- −28 Zinc Oxide, 14.2% declared
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #36
- −8 Pure mineral formula (14.2% total declared)
- +19 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +1.9 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +1.2 Coated minerals (Alumina)
🍄
Fungal acne
High
26
- +100 Starting score
- −24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate)
- −18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lecithin)
- −32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glycol Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate)
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #3, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #37, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- → 1 Glycerin at #14, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 5 2 emollient lipids (Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
- → 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 7 2 emollient lipids (Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 2 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium 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.
- ✨ Niacinamide
- ✨ Aloe vera
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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Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 28 14.2% declared
- ↑ 18 14.2% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
-
2 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing light emollient
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
7 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
14 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
17 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
23 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
28 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
31 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
34 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Colorant or pigment
-
37 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
Is this mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It is a pure mineral sunscreen. Zinc oxide is its only UV filter.
Does the LIGHTSAVER Activated Mineral sunscreen – SPF 33 leave a white cast?
White cast is rated low for a mineral formula. It stays lightweight with a balanced finish and is generally non-stinging.
Is the LIGHTSAVER Activated Mineral sunscreen – SPF 33 any good?
It scores 73.9/100, a sensible result for a zinc-only sunscreen. Protection is rated moderate.