Pestle & Mortar Daily Shield SPF 50
86/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Pestle & Mortar Daily Shield SPF 50 is a hybrid sunscreen pairing modern filters such as Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine and Ethylhexyl Triazone with a touch of Titanium Dioxide for broad-spectrum coverage. It wears with a balanced finish, stays lightweight, shows little to no white cast and is generally non-stinging. With an excellent protection rating and a strong 86.2/100 score, it is a dependable daily-defense option.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
87
- +48 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +20.9 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #6, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #7, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #22, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- −19.3 UVB coverage saturated
- −5.8 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
High
90
- +100 Starting score
- −10 Avobenzone at #8 (regulatory/evidence concern)
👻
White cast
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #22
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #28
- +4 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
🔥
Eye sting
Low
86
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Steareth-2)
👕
Fabric stains
High
20
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #8, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #12, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #22, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- → 16 Glycerin at #2, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 7 Humectant syrup tackiness
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (28)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
2 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 48 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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11 Steareth-2
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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12 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
16 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9.9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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23 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
pH adjuster
-
25 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
-
26 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
27 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
-
Colorant or pigment
Does Pestle & Mortar Daily Shield leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. Although it includes a little Titanium Dioxide, the hybrid formula is built mostly on modern chemical filters and stays close to clear.
Is the Pestle & Mortar Daily Shield SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid. It pairs modern filters like Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine and Ethylhexyl Triazone with a touch of Titanium Dioxide.
Is Pestle & Mortar Daily Shield good?
Yes, it scores 86.2/100 with an excellent protection rating. It is lightweight, low-sting and low in pore clogging, making it a dependable daily SPF 50.