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Mama's Choice Baby Gentle Sunscreen SPF 30 PA++

Mama's Choice SPF 30
Mama's Choice Baby Gentle Sunscreen SPF 30 PA++

75/100 overall score

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About this sunscreen

Mama's Choice Baby Gentle Sunscreen SPF 30 PA++ is a pure mineral sunscreen using only Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. It has a dewy finish but tends toward a visible white cast and a heavier feel, and it is rated poor as a makeup base, which is common for all-mineral baby formulas. It does not commonly sting the eyes. Protection is rated good. With a score of 74.5 out of 100, it is a decent gentle mineral option.

Ingredient & SPF scores

☀️

UV protection

Good 74
  • +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
  • +33 Titanium Dioxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +5)
  • −1 UVA2 coverage saturated
  • +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
How we rate uv protection →
☢️

Health safety

High 100
  • +100 Starting score
How we rate health safety →
🤧

Allergens

Low 98
  • +100 Starting score
  • −2 Essential oils (Citrus Sinensis Oil)
How we rate allergens →
👻

White cast

High 16
  • +100 Starting score
  • −55 Zinc Oxide at #2
  • −50 Titanium Dioxide at #3
  • −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
  • −15 Pure mineral formula
  • +30 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
  • +10 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
  • +6.3 Coated minerals (Hydrogen Dimethicone)
How we rate white cast →
🔥

Eye sting

Low 100
  • +100 Starting score
How we rate eye sting →
🪨

Heavy feel

High 13
  • +100 Starting score
  • −40 Zinc Oxide at #2
  • −30 Titanium Dioxide at #3
  • −2 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #15, butter/occlusive fat
  • −5 Cetyl Alcohol at #5, rich gel-network thickener
  • −10 Both minerals in the top 3, dual mineral paste
How we rate heavy feel →
🔴

Comedogenic

Low 99
  • +100 Starting score
  • −1 Persea Gratissima Oil at #16, moderate comedogenic signal
How we rate comedogenic →
🍄

Fungal acne

Medium 59
  • +100 Starting score
  • −18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
  • −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
  • +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #9, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
How we rate fungal acne →
👕

Fabric stains

Low 80
  • +100 Starting score
  • −15 Zinc Oxide at #2, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
  • −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
How we rate fabric stains →
💧

Moisture

Hydrating
LightNourishing
  • ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Hydrated Silica)
  • ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
  • ← 2 Titanium Dioxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
  • → 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
  • → 1 Humectant polyols
  • → 4 3 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
  • → 1 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
  • → 1 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
How we rate moisture →

Finish

Dewy
MatteDewy
  • ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Hydrated Silica, Silica)
  • → 11 4 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Persea Gratissima Oil, …)
How we rate finish →
💄

Makeup base

Poor
PillsPrimer
  • → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
  • ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
  • ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
  • ← 15 High mineral load at #2 greys under foundation
How we rate makeup base →
🌊

Water resistance

Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant

Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.

How we rate water resistance →

Full ingredient list (31)

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.

  1. 1 Water

    Solvent base, the water phase

  2. 2 Zinc Oxide

    Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter

    • ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
    • ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
    • light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
    • pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
  3. Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), high in the list, a primary filter

    • ↑ 33 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
    • light ← 2 mild sebum absorbent
  4. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

    • 6 → dewy emollient lipid
  5. 5 Cetyl Alcohol

    Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind

    • ↑ 5 rich gel-network thickener
    • 1 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
  6. Humectant, pulls water into the skin

    • 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
  7. 7 Glycerin

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

    • 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
  8. Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

    • ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
  9. Botanical extract

    • 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
    • 3 → dewy emollient lipid
  10. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

    • 1 → nourishing light emollient
  11. Humectant, pulls water into the skin

  12. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

  13. Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

    • ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
  14. Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

  15. Botanical extract

    • ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
    • 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
    • 1 → dewy emollient lipid
    • ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
  16. Plant oil, an emollient

    • ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
    • 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
    • 1 → dewy emollient lipid
    • ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
  17. 17 Hydrated Silica

    Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish

    • light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
    • matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
  18. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

  19. Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  20. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

  21. Plant oil, an emollient

  22. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

  23. Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  24. Solvent base, the water phase

  25. 25 Silica

    Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish

    • light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
    • matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
  26. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

  27. Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  28. 28 Citric Acid

    pH adjuster

  29. Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin

  30. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

  31. 31 1,2-Hexanediol

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

Does Mama's Choice Baby Gentle Sunscreen leave a white cast?

White cast is rated high, so it tends to leave a visible white film, which is common for all-mineral baby formulas. It also feels heavier than chemical sunscreens.

Is the Mama's Choice Baby Gentle Sunscreen SPF 30 PA++ mineral or chemical?

It is a pure mineral sunscreen using only Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. That makes it a common choice for those who prefer mineral filters.

Does it work under makeup?

It is rated poor as a makeup base and has a dewy, heavier finish, so it is generally better worn on its own. Its overall score is 74.5 out of 100 with good protection.

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