Vivier Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 45
65/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Vivier Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 45 is a chemical-leaning sunscreen that pairs older-generation filters like Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, and Ethylhexyl Salicylate with zinc oxide. It keeps white cast low and wears with a balanced finish, though it sits at a medium weight and is not an ideal makeup base. It can produce medium sting and has a low pore-clogging profile that is generally agreeable for blemish-prone skin. With a score of 65.2 and good protection, it is a moderate everyday option.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
67
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- −16.6 UVB coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 45)
☢️
Health safety
Low
22
- +100 Starting score
- −36 Octinoxate at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −22 Butylparaben at #6, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- −10 Propylparaben at #17, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
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Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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White cast
Low
87
- +100 Starting score
- −14 Zinc Oxide, 9.9% declared
- +1 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
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Eye sting
Medium
56
- +100 Starting score
- −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −16 Octinoxate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Heavy feel
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Zinc Oxide, 9.9% declared
- −10 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #7, butter/occlusive fat
- −5 Behenyl Alcohol at #5, rich gel-network thickener
- −10 Mineral suspended in a dense emollient base (basic)
- −7 Dense mineral + wax system, stays heavy after dry-down
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Fungal acne
Medium
62
- +100 Starting score
- −24 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ceteareth-20)
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Fabric stains
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #1, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #1, mild sebum absorbent
- → 4 1 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- → 1.5 2 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 9 2 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Poor
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 4 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 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 →Full ingredient list (22)
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)
- ↑ 14 9.9% declared
- ↑ 8 9.9% declared
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 18 UV protection
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- ↑ 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 22 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
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Botanical extract
- ↑ 10 butter/occlusive fat
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
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13 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
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18 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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20 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
22 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
Is Vivier Sheer good under makeup?
It is rated a poor makeup base and sits at a medium weight, so it does not layer as cleanly under foundation as lighter formulas. It wears with a balanced finish and low white cast on its own. For makeup days a lighter option may work better.
Is the Vivier Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 45 mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid that pairs zinc oxide with older-generation chemical filters like Octocrylene and Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate. That blend keeps white cast low. It is rated SPF 45.
Is it good for acne-prone skin?
It has a low pore-clogging profile, so it is generally agreeable for blemish- prone skin. Sting potential is medium, so avoid the eye area. With a score of 65.2 and good protection, it is a moderate everyday option.