Little Urchin Natural Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50+
64/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Little Urchin Natural Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50+ is a mineral sunscreen that uses zinc oxide for broad-spectrum protection. It leaves a high white cast, wears heavy, and finishes dewy, so it reads more as an outdoor or body sunscreen than a makeup base, which is poor here. It does not sting and has low pore-clogging risk. With moderate protection and a score of 63.5, it is a budget-friendly natural zinc option best for those who can tolerate cast and a richer feel.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
43
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
👻
White cast
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- −55 Zinc Oxide, 22.8% declared
- −15 Pure mineral formula (22.8% total declared)
🪨
Heavy feel
High
12
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Zinc Oxide, 22.8% declared
- −12 Candelilla Wax at #6, wax film
- −10 Hydrogenated Castor Oil at #7, butter/occlusive fat
- −6 Coconut Oil at #5, heavy oil
- −10 Ricinus Communis Seed Oil at #3, heavy oil
- −10 Mineral suspended in a dense emollient base (basic)
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Coconut Oil at #5, comedogenic oil/butter
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Fungal acne
High
36
- +100 Starting score
- −50 3 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Coconut Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil)
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate)
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #2, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
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Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- → 4 1 emollient lipids (Coconut Oil)
- → 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Coco-Caprylate)
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (Coconut Oil)
- → 8 Occlusives seal moisture in (Ricinus Communis Seed Oil)
💄
Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 19 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 15 High mineral load at #1 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 water-locking waxes
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.
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (10)
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)
- ↑ 55 22.8% declared
- ↑ 40 22.8% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing light emollient
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Botanical extract
- ↑ 10 heavy oil
- 8 → dewy occlusive
- ↑ 36 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 6 heavy oil
- ↑ 18 comedogenic oil/butter
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 12 wax film
- ↑ 7 wax water lock
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Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 10 butter/occlusive fat
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
Does this Little Urchin zinc sunscreen leave a white cast?
Yes, white cast is rated high. As a natural zinc oxide formula it can leave a visible film, so it reads more as an outdoor or body sunscreen.
Can I wear it under makeup?
It is not ideal. The makeup base is rated poor, it finishes dewy, and it wears heavy, so it suits bare-skin or outdoor use more than a makeup base.
Is the Little Urchin Natural Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50+ mineral or chemical, and is it good?
It is a pure mineral zinc oxide sunscreen. With a score of 63.5 and moderate protection, it is a budget-friendly natural option for those who tolerate cast.