Merit Beauty The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45 Versus NARS Cosmetics Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
C13-15 Alkane
SolventIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
C15-19 Alkane
SolventCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Diglycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Quaternium-90 Bentonite
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cellulose
Absorbent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Polyglycerin-4
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 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
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Succinate
EmollientNylon-12
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingVibrio Alginolyticus Ferment Filtrate
Abrasive
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Trisodium EDTA
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Polysilicone-2
Talc
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sea Salt
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Hydrogen Dimethicone
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Nylon-12, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Vibrio Alginolyticus Ferment Filtrate, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trisodium EDTA, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Polysilicone-2, Talc, Tocopherol, Sea Salt, BHT, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Metabisulfite, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created CI 77492 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77492Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Disteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol 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 PropanediolTocopherol 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
