Merit Beauty The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45 Versus Merit Beauty Great Skin Priming Moisturizer
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventC13-15 Alkane
SolventIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
EmulsifyingC15-19 Alkane
SolventCoco-Caprylate
EmollientPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingMagnesium Sulfate
Diglycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingQuaternium-90 Bentonite
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCellulose
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
HumectantPolyglycerin-4
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide, Water, Propanediol, C13-15 Alkane, Isoamyl Laurate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Zea Mays Starch, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, C15-19 Alkane, Coco-Caprylate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Diglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Lauroyl Lysine, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Cellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglycerin-4, Glycerin, Tocopherol, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientLysolecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveTocopherol
AntioxidantCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Squalane, Propanediol, C12-16 Alcohols, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sclerotium Gum, Palmitic Acid, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Lysolecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Arginine, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Silica, Tocopherol, Caramel
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water