Little Urchin Natural Face Sunscreen SPF 50 Clear Zinc
63/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Little Urchin Natural Face Sunscreen SPF 50 is a pure mineral formula using zinc oxide as its only UV filter. It has a dewy finish and generally does not sting, but the mineral filter leaves a visible white cast and a heavy feel, and it is rated poor as a makeup base. Mineral formulas like this commonly suit sensitive skin. Its score of 62.6/100 reflects moderate measured protection alongside noticeable cosmetic trade-offs.
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
0
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Zinc Oxide, 22.8% declared
- −20 Candelilla Wax at #2, wax film
- −10 Hydrogenated Castor Oil at #6, butter/occlusive fat
- −6 Coconut Oil at #4, heavy oil
- −10 Ricinus Communis Seed Oil at #3, heavy oil
- −18 Mineral suspended in a dense emollient base (strong)
- +4 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Coconut Oil at #4, 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 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #10, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
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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
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch)
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- → 6 2 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Coconut Oil)
- → 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch)
- → 9 2 emollient lipids (Coconut Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
- → 8 Occlusives seal moisture in (Ricinus Communis Seed Oil)
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Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- ← 20 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 15 High mineral load at #1 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +10 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 (11)
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
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 20 wax film
- ↑ 10 wax water lock
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Botanical extract
- ↑ 10 heavy oil
- 8 → dewy occlusive
- ↑ 36 feeds malassezia
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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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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 10 butter/occlusive fat
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing light emollient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Botanical extract
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
Does Little Urchin SPF 50 Clear Zinc leave a white cast?
Yes, despite the clear zinc name, white cast is rated high because it relies on zinc oxide as its only filter. It also feels heavy and rates poor as a makeup base.
Is the Little Urchin Natural Face Sunscreen SPF 50 Clear Zinc mineral or chemical?
It is a pure mineral sunscreen, using zinc oxide as its only UV filter. Mineral formulas like this commonly suit sensitive skin.
Is this sunscreen any good?
It scores 62.6/100 with moderate measured protection alongside noticeable cosmetic trade-offs, such as a visible white cast and a heavy feel.