NIOD Survival SPF 30
78/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
NIOD Survival is a pure mineral SPF 30 built on Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, with no chemical filters. It has a balanced finish and does not commonly sting, but it carries a high white cast and a medium-heavy feel typical of mineral formulas. It stays low on breakout triggers and layers okay. Protection is rated good and the score is 77.6/100, a thoughtful mineral option for those who accept some cast in exchange for a chemical filter free formula.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
73
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- −0.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
👻
White cast
High
7
- +100 Starting score
- −55 Zinc Oxide at #3
- −35 Titanium Dioxide at #4
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- −15 Pure mineral formula
- +15 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
- +7 Coated minerals (Alumina)
🪨
Heavy feel
Medium
58
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Zinc Oxide at #3
- −16 Titanium Dioxide at #4
- +14 Volatile silicone at #1, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
84
- +100 Starting score
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #38, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
Low
80
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch)
- ← 8 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 3 3 strong humectants (Sodium PCA, Pca, Sodium Lactate)
- → 2 2 emollient lipids (Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 2 2 emollient lipids (Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 8 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 15 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (58)
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.
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 8 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
2 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
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
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
14 Inulin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
18 Xanthophyll
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
23 Arginine
pH adjuster
-
24 Glycine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
25 Alanine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
26 Serine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
27 Valine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
28 Proline
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
29 Threonine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
30 Isoleucine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
31 Histidine
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
-
34 Pca
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
35 Sodium PCA
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
37 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
39 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
40 Melanin
Supporting ingredient
-
41 Sucrose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
43 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
50 Tromethamine
pH adjuster
-
Supporting ingredient
-
52 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Does NIOD Survival leave a white cast?
Yes, it is rated high on white cast with a medium-heavy feel, which is typical of pure mineral formulas. It does not commonly sting, so it stays gentle.
Is the NIOD Survival SPF 30 mineral or chemical?
It is a pure mineral sunscreen using Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, with no chemical filters.
Is it a good sunscreen?
It is SPF 30 with protection rated good and a score of 77.6/100, a thoughtful mineral option for those who accept some cast for a chemical filter free formula.