Milani Prime Protect Spf 30 Face Primer
55/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Milani Prime Protect SPF 30 Face Primer is a chemical sunscreen and primer using old-school filters including Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3. It has a balanced, lightweight finish with a low white cast, but it may sting sensitive eyes more than many formulas. Pore-clogging risk is low and it sits okay under makeup. Protection is rated moderate and the score is 55.1/100, so it is more a primer with sun benefit than a primary sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Moderate
49
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #4, UV filter
- −7.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −6.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- ×0.75 Avobenzone + octinoxate degrade each other in sunlight
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −12.6 Octinoxate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #14, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
- +3.6 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
Allergens
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
High
27
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Comedogenic
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −4 Glycine Soja Oil at #8, moderate comedogenic signal
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Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- −18 1 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 80)
- −14 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Glycine Soja Oil)
👕
Fabric stains
High
5
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #4, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
- → 2 1 emollient lipids (Glycine Soja Oil)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 3 1 emollient lipids (Glycine Soja Oil)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
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.
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (20)
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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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↓ 12.6 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
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pH adjuster
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
7 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 4 moderate comedogenic signal
- 2 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
10 PEG-8
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 18 feeds malassezia
-
13 FD&C Red 40
Colorant or pigment
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
16 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
18 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
19 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
20 Ci 19140
Colorant or pigment
Is Milani Prime Protect SPF 30 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen and primer, using old-school filters including Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3. There are no mineral filters in the formula.
Does the Milani Prime Protect Spf 30 Face Primer sting the eyes?
It is rated high for stinging, so it may irritate sensitive eyes noticeably. White cast is low and it wears with a balanced, lightweight finish.
Is Milani Prime Protect a good sunscreen?
Protection is rated moderate and it scores 55.1/100. It is more a makeup primer with added sun benefit than a primary sunscreen.