Merle Norman Anti-aging Complex Eye Treatment Broad Spectrum SPF 15
70/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Merle Norman Anti-aging Complex Eye Treatment is a broad spectrum SPF 15 eye product using Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate with Zinc Oxide. It has a dewy finish and shows low white cast, but feels somewhat heavier on the skin and is a poor base under makeup. It is unlikely to sting and is low risk for clogging pores. Protection is rated good for an SPF 15 product, and at 70/100 it is a moderate pick centered on eye-area care rather than all-day sun defense.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
59
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #26, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
👻
White cast
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −14 Zinc Oxide, 6.5% declared
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #64
- +1.1 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
84
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Zinc Oxide, 6.5% declared
- −2 Tribehenin at #46, wax film
- −10 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #5, butter/occlusive fat
- −18 Mineral suspended in a dense emollient base (strong)
- +9.5 Volatile silicone at #7, flashes off
- −11.5 Dense mineral + wax system, stays heavy after dry-down
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −7 Isopropyl Myristate at #11, heavy comedogenic ester
- −2 Ethylhexyl Palmitate at #32, heavy comedogenic ester
🍄
Fungal acne
High
26
- +100 Starting score
- −24 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- −50 8 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Myristate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate)
👕
Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #2, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 4.5 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Nylon-12)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- → 10 Glycerin at #4, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #36, hyaluronic family
- → 8 2 emollient lipids (Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
- → 6 Ceramide barrier lipids
✨
Finish
Dewy
MatteDewy
- ← 3 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12, Silica, Silica Dimethyl Silylate)
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Isononyl Isononanoate)
- → 15 3 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Squalane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
- → 3 2 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Myristate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate)
💄
Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- → 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Polyacrylamide)
- ← 4 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
- ← 15 High mineral load at #2 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (65)
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.
-
Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 14 6.5% declared
- ↑ 8 6.5% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
-
3 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
4 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 10 butter/occlusive fat
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
-
6 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 7 heavy comedogenic ester
- 2 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
14 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
16 Ceteareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
21 Dipeptide-2
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 heavy comedogenic ester
- 1 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Supporting ingredient
-
38 Ceramide NG
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
45 Proline
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
46 Tribehenin
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 wax film
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
49 Laureth-7
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
50 Steareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
52 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
54 PVP
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
-
55 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
56 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
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
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
61 Tropolone
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Colorant or pigment
-
65 Mica
Colorant or pigment
Is this a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
It uses a mix: the chemical filter Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate alongside the mineral filter Zinc Oxide. It is a broad spectrum SPF 15 eye treatment rather than a standalone sunscreen.
Is the Merle Norman Anti-aging Complex Eye Treatment Broad Spectrum SPF 15 good under makeup?
Not especially. It is rated a poor makeup base and feels somewhat heavier on the skin, with a dewy finish. It does, however, show low white cast and is unlikely to sting.
Is Merle Norman Anti-aging Eye Treatment SPF 15 any good?
It scores 70/100 with protection rated good for an SPF 15. It is a moderate pick focused on eye-area care rather than all-day sun defense.