Salt & Stone Lightweight Sheer Daily Sunscreen SPF 40
70/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Salt & Stone Lightweight Sheer Daily Sunscreen SPF 40 is a mineral sunscreen built on zinc oxide. Despite the sheer name, white cast is high here and the feel is somewhat heavier, with a balanced finish. It does not sting and has low pore-clogging risk, with an okay makeup base. With moderate protection and a score of 69.5, it is a reasonable mineral option for those who do not mind some visible cast.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Moderate
42
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +1 Label claims (SPF 40)
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White cast
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- β55 Zinc Oxide, 22.8% declared
- β15 Pure mineral formula (22.8% total declared)
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Heavy feel
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Zinc Oxide, 22.8% declared
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Fungal acne
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- β38 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Cetearyl Glucoside), weak Malassezia signal
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Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- β15 Zinc Oxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- β 5 Zinc Oxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- β 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
- β 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 3 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Coco-Caprylate/Caprate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
- β 15 High mineral load at #1 greys under foundation
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βFull ingredient list (16)
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 (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 55 22.8% declared
- β 40 22.8% declared
- β 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light β 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills β 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
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2 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 3 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 β nourishing light emollient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 24 feeds malassezia
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7 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Supporting ingredient
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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15 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Does Salt & Stone Daily Sunscreen leave a white cast?
Despite the sheer name, white cast is rated high here. As an all-zinc mineral formula it can leave a visible film, so it suits those who do not mind some cast.
Is the Salt & Stone Lightweight Sheer Daily Sunscreen SPF 40 mineral or chemical?
It is a pure mineral sunscreen using zinc oxide, with no chemical UV filters.
Is it good for acne-prone skin?
Pore-clogging risk is rated low and it does not sting, so it is generally acne-friendly. The feel runs a touch heavier and the makeup base is only okay.