Live Tinted Hueguard 3-in-1 Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Versus Naked Sundays Beautyscreen Peptide Foundation Tint SPF 50

Live Tinted Hueguard 3-in-1 Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Versus Naked Sundays Beautyscreen Peptide Foundation Tint SPF 50

This mineral sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 30.

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Zinc Oxide 18.23%

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

C13-15 Alkane

Propanediol

C15-19 Alkane

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2

Tocopherol

Octyldodecanol

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Inositol

Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil

Silica

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Isostearic Acid

Lecithin

Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

Xanthan Gum

Coco-Glucoside

Polyglycerin-3

Polyglyceryl-3 Lactate/Laurate

Bisabolol

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

Arachidyl Glucoside

Sodium Phytate

Glycerin

Physalis Alkekengi Calyx Extract

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Sodium Levulinate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Cetearyl Alcohol

T-Butyl Alcohol

Sodium Anisate

Glucose

Beta-Carotene

Behenyl Alcohol

Arachidyl Alcohol

CI 77492

CI 77491

Zinc Oxide 18.23%, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-15 Alkane, Propanediol, C15-19 Alkane, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Tocopherol, Octyldodecanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Inositol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Silica, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Xanthan Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Lactate/Laurate, Bisabolol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sodium Phytate, Glycerin, Physalis Alkekengi Calyx Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Anisate, Glucose, Beta-Carotene, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, CI 77492, CI 77491

Zinc Oxide 12%

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Isododecane

Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone

Iron Oxides

Caprylyl Methicone

Dimethicone

Niacinamide

Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Trilaureth-4 Phosphate

CI 77499

Dimethiconol/​Propylsilsesquioxane/​Silicate Crosspolymer

Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone

Sodium Chloride

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Allantoin

Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

PEG-10

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Squalane

Sodium Hydroxide

Titanium Dioxide

Polyglutamic Acid

Aluminum Hydroxide

Zinc Oxide 12%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Isododecane, Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone, Iron Oxides, CI 77492, Propanediol, CI 77491, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, CI 77499, Dimethiconol/​Propylsilsesquioxane/​Silicate Crosspolymer, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Bisabolol, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-10, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Squalane, Sodium Hydroxide, Titanium Dioxide, Polyglutamic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.

It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.

A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.

In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.

You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.

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.

CI 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

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.

Water. 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!

Zinc Oxide (ZO) is a mineral broad-spectrum UV filter and the broadest-spectrum filter recognized by the FDA. It covers everything from UVB through to long-wave UVA.

On top of sun protection, it has skin protectant and skin-soothing properties too.

Here's a myth worth busting: mineral filters are usually described as working by "reflecting" or "bouncing" UV off your skin.

That's mostly not true: when researchers actually measured it, ZO and Titanium Dioxide reflect only about 4-5% of UV (less than SPF 2 worth of protection).

The vast majority of the work (~95%) is done by absorption, similar to chemical UV filters. ZO is a semiconductor that absorbs UV photos through its energy band gap.

So the old "physical blocker vs. chemical absorber" framing is really an oversimplification.

Zinc Oxide is one of the most effective broad-spectrum UV filters out there. It protects across UVB, UVA2, and UVA1 with a flat, even absorption curve across the whole UVA-UVB range.

That uniform UVA coverage is its standout feature; titanium dioxide skews more toward UVB as its particle size drops so ZO gives more consistent and extended UVA protection.

It's also very photostable. As an inorganic oxide, ZO doesn't break down in sunlight the way some organic filters can, so it holds up over a day of wear.

This ingredient is gentle and soothing, making it go-to for sunscreens aimed at sensitive skin, rosacea, or ecezma-prone skin, babies, and children.

It's also unlikely to cause the "eye sting" that some sunscreen ingredients are known for, and regulatory agencies broadly consider it non-toxic and safe for topical use.

Beyond sun protection, ZO is also a recognized OTC skin protectant. It forms a breathable barrier that shields skin from moisture and irritation while supporting healing. This is why you'll see it as a classic active in diaper rash creams.

The only downside to ZO is that it can leave a visible white cast, especially on deeper skin tones. This is the main reason mineral sunscreens have historically felt less cosmetically elegant than chemical or hybrid formulas.

Zinc Oxide comes in both non-nano and nano forms. The dividing line is 100nm and anything under is classified as a nanomaterial by the EU.

The nano version scatters less visible light which cuts down white case and gives a lighter, more wearable texture.

Another thing worth understanding about formulation:

Uncoated ZO has some inherent photocatalytic activity. This just means it can generate reactive oxygen species under UV. It's exactly why cosmetic-grade ZO is almost always surface-coated; this coating suppresses that reactivity and improves how the powder disperses and feels.

A well-formulated coated ZO largely sidesteps this issue.

Zinc Oxide is commonly used anywhere from 10% up to the regulatory maximum in sunscreens (25%).

Mineral-only broad-spectrum products often land in the 15-25% range to hit higher SPF and UVA values. Keep in mind SPF performance depends heavily on particle size, dispersion, and the rest of the formula, and not just the percentage.

As an OTC skin protectant like diaper creams, ZO typically runs higher at roughly 10-40%.

This ingredient is generally easy to work with and doesn't photodegrade.

The only thing to know is that uncoated ZO can be a bit reactive in a formula.

Under UV, it can break down sensitive ingredients like other actives or UV filters. This is another reason coated versions are standard. ZO can also react with very acidic ingredients or throw off stability of some creams. A good formula will get around this with the right coatings and dispersion.

The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that ZO nanoparticles "can be considered to not pose any risk of adverse effects in humans after application on healthy, intact or sunburnt skin".

You might hear that ZO is "toxic"; this is because an in-vitro (test tube) study suggested micronized ZO had potential phototoxicity. In vivo (human) investigations have disputed this and the results have come back reassuring.

So does ZO penetrate skin? The short answer is no, not in any way that matters.

The most relevant evidence comes from real-world human studies: in one, volunteers applied ZO nanoparticle sunscreen hourly for six hours and daily for five days. The advanced imaging showed the particles stayed on the surface and never reached the living epidermis, and no cellular toxicity was found.

Other in-vivo and ex-vivo work agree; ZO nanoparticles don't cross the stratum corneum, even on flexed, massaged, or barrier-impaired skin.

A small amount of solubilized zinc ions can dissolve off the particles and enter the upper skin. But the quantities are tiny compared to the zinc already naturally present in your body, and studies haven't found this to cause local toxicity.

The sunscreen bans you've heard of (like Hawaii's) are aimed at two chemical filters, Oxybenzone and Octinoxate. ZO itself it not banned and is often recommended instead.

So far, there's no solid evidence that any form of ZO harms reefs. It is an ongoing and active area of study, and worth keeping an eye on.

If you're traveling somewhere with these rules, a non-nano mineral sunscreen is the safe bet.

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