Prequel Sun Barrier
72/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Prequel Sun Barrier is a pure mineral sunscreen built on zinc oxide. It applies with a balanced finish, low white cast for a mineral formula, and a lightweight feel that does not sting. Pore-clogging risk is low, so it is generally friendly to oily and acne-prone skin, and it layers okay with makeup. With moderate protection and a score of 72.1/100, it is a comfortable mineral option for sensitive-skin preferences.
Ingredient & SPF scores
👻
White cast
Low
75
- +100 Starting score
- −42 Zinc Oxide, 18% declared
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #41
- −15 Pure mineral formula (18% total declared)
- +29.5 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
- +2.9 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +1.9 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
47
- +100 Starting score
- −30 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Olivate)
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Cetearyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate)
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #3, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
45
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #43, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Lauroyl Lysine)
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- → 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Lauroyl Lysine, Silica)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- ← 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
- ← 7.5 High mineral load at #1 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 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.
- ✨ Bisabolol
Full ingredient list (43)
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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Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 42 18% declared
- ↑ 30 18% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 7.5 High mineral load greys under foundation (tinted)
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2 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing light emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
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7 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 18 feeds malassezia
-
11 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
26 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
27 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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37 Tin Oxide
Colorant or pigment
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
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Colorant or pigment
-
42 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
43 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
Is Prequel Sun Barrier mineral or chemical?
It is a mineral sunscreen. Its only listed filter is zinc oxide, so it relies entirely on a mineral UV blocker.
Does the Prequel Sun Barrier leave a white cast?
White cast is low for a zinc oxide formula. It applies with a balanced finish and a lightweight feel, and it does not sting.
Is it good for acne-prone skin?
It is generally friendly to acne-prone skin. Pore-clogging risk is low and the feel is lightweight, and it layers okay with makeup.