Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum Spf 50 Pa++++
79/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA++++ is a mineral sunscreen using Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. It wears with a balanced finish and does not generally sting, though white cast is moderate and it feels a touch heavier on skin. Breakout risk is low and it works okay under makeup, with a tinted style that helps offset mineral cast. With good protection and a score of 78.6/100, it is a capable mineral daily pick for sensitive skin.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
77
- +33 Titanium Dioxide at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +5)
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- β1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
β’οΈ
Health safety
High
93
- +100 Starting score
- β7 Retinyl Palmitate at #15, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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White cast
Medium
58
- +100 Starting score
- β55 Zinc Oxide at #2
- β50 Titanium Dioxide at #1
- β10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- β15 Pure mineral formula
- +30 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
- +50 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +7.5 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide)
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Heavy feel
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Zinc Oxide at #2
- β30 Titanium Dioxide at #1
- β10 Both minerals in the top 3, dual mineral paste
- +20 Volatile silicone at #4, flashes off
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Fungal acne
Low
84
- +100 Starting score
- β14 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
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Fabric stains
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Iron-oxide pigments at #45, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- β15 Titanium Dioxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- β5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 6 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Tapioca Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- β 2 Titanium Dioxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- β 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- β 4 4 strong humectants (Betaine, Urea, Trehalose, β¦)
- β 2 1 emollient lipids (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 5 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Tapioca Starch)
- β 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 9 2 emollient lipids (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 8 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 8 Powder overload over a film former, some pilling risk
- β 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
- β 7.5 High mineral load at #1 greys under foundation (tinted)
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for 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.
- β¨ Vitamin E
- β¨ Vitamin C
Full ingredient list (45)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β 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 (Titanium Dioxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 33 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light β 2 mild sebum absorbent
- pills β 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
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Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- light β 5 mild sebum absorbent
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3 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 β dewy emollient lipid
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Plant oil, an emollient
- 2 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 7 film former
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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14 Xanthophyll
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
17 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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19 Urea
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
-
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
21 Trehalose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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22 Inositol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
-
23 Taurine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
24 Betaine
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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27 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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29 Sucrose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
32 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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45 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- β 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
Does Murad City Skin Age Defense SPF 50 leave a white cast?
White cast is rated moderate, which is common for mineral formulas using Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. A tinted finish helps offset some of that residue.
Is the Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum Spf 50 Pa++++ mineral or chemical?
It is a mineral sunscreen using only Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Mineral filters are often chosen for sensitive skin since it does not generally sting.
Is Murad City Skin Age Defense SPF 50 good?
It scores 78.6/100 with good protection, making it a capable mineral daily pick. It feels a touch heavier than chemical lotions, as is common for mineral filters.