Youth Lab City Guard Anti-pollution Day Cream SPF 50
74/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Youth Lab City Guard Anti-pollution Day Cream SPF 50 is a pure mineral sunscreen using Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. It has a balanced finish but a more visible white cast, typical of mineral formulas, and a slightly heavier feel, while staying non-stinging with low pore-clogging risk. It sits okay under makeup. Protection is rated good, and the score of 74.4 out of 100 makes it a sound everyday mineral pick for those who do not mind a little cast.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
74
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- β0.4 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
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Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β15 6 declared fragrance allergens
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White cast
High
16
- +100 Starting score
- β55 Zinc Oxide at #3
- β35 Titanium Dioxide at #6
- β10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- β15 Pure mineral formula
- +15 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
- +10 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +6.3 Coated minerals (Methicone)
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Eye sting
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- β8 Fragrance
- β8 5 declared fragrance allergens
- +12 Mineral filter system, low-sting filters
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Heavy feel
Medium
58
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Zinc Oxide at #3
- β16 Titanium Dioxide at #6
- +14 Volatile silicone at #5, flashes off
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Fungal acne
Low
89
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
- β2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
- +0 Dimethicone at #2, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
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Fabric stains
Low
80
- +100 Starting score
- β15 Zinc Oxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- β5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- β 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 5 Zinc Oxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- β 10 Glycerin at #4, the anchor humectant
- β 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #24, hyaluronic family
- β 4 3 strong humectants (Betaine, Urea, Trehalose)
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tapioca Starch)
- β 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 9 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Glyceryl Polyacrylate)
- β 3 Humectant syrup tackiness
- β 15 High mineral load at #3 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 (53)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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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 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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4 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- β 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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9 Undecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
10 Tridecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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12 Betaine
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 β nourishing humectant
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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15 Fragrance
Fragrance
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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17 Trehalose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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18 Urea
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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19 Serine
Protein, peptide or amino acid, conditions and hydrates skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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21 Algin
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 β nourishing hyaluronic family
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25 Pullulan
Supporting ingredient
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pH adjuster
-
pH adjuster
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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29 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Botanical extract
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31 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Botanical extract
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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38 Methicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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46 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 2 minor malassezia feeder
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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49 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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52 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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53 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
Is Youth Lab City Guard mineral or chemical?
It is a pure mineral sunscreen using Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, with no chemical filters.
Does the Youth Lab City Guard Anti-pollution Day Cream SPF 50 leave a white cast?
It can. White cast is rated high, which is typical of fully mineral formulas, so blend it in carefully, especially on deeper skin tones.
Is it good and does it work under makeup?
It scores 74.4 out of 100 with good protection and sits okay under makeup. It is a sound everyday mineral pick if you do not mind some cast.