The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants Review
Review of The Ordinary’s Mineral UV Filters Sunscreen SPF 30 with Antioxidants. 
In classic Deciem style we have been waiting in anticipation for the sunscreens for months. It’s pretty similar to the foundation situation, we were told about the Ordinary sunscreens quite some time ago with no specific date for their arrival. With constant requests on social media from The Ordinary’s customers I can imagine Brandon and his team felt under considerable pressure to get them out. The standards and legislation for sun protection are high and vary from country to country, so I’m betting that it was a bit of a mine field getting them approved.
Finally we have a couple of the promised sunscreens- Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 and SPF 15 with Antioxidants. I must admit I ordered mine the second I noticed it was available. I got the spf 30 because I like my sunscreen to be as high as possible, spf 50 would have been ideal.
The British Association of Dermatologists recommend-
a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 as a satisfactory form of sun protection in addition to protective shade and clothing.
It sounds like the best situation for correct sun protection is to not rely on sunscreen at all. Wear it of course but also have sunglasses, a hat, cover up and seek shade. Also take care to apply the right amount and reapply frequently- every couple of hours or after getting wet or sweaty.
From reading what the experts have to say a broad spectrum factor 30 or above is the ideal, but don’t let it lull you into a false sense of security.
The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants
The lowdown-
- £8.90 for 50mls from Deciem.com
- pH 7-8.50 so slightly alkaline
- Alcohol free, nut free, gluten free, cruelty free, vegan (contains silicone, oil and water)
- We don’t have a UVA rating yet.
- Directions– Apply to face liberally and evenly 15 to 20 minutes before UV exposure. If continued UV exposure is expected, to maintain protection, reapply at least every 2 hours or after material water exposure, towel-drying, swimming or extensive perspiration. Suitable for all skin tones. For children under 6 months of age, consult a doctor prior to use. Use a water-resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.
Even though we don’t know the exact UVA rating we know that Zinc Oxide protects from the majority of UV rays up to 400 nm (the wavelength of UVA radiation is from 320-400nm).
I tried to figure out if the percentage of spf ingredients correlated to a particular UV rating. But apparently it’s more about the formulation than the amount of active ingredient.
Brandon reports that The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants has 14.03% Zinc Oxide and 5.44% Titanium Oxide as active ingredients. Which is a good amount of sun blocking stuff.
Read more on my thoughts about sunscreen here.
Ingredients– Aqua (Water), Cyclopentasiloxane, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Astaxanthin, Disodium Uridine Phosphate, Ethyl Ferulate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Picea Mariana Bark Extract, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Isochrysis Galbana Extract, Lysolecithin, Lecithin, Triolein, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-5 Trioleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Tocopherol, Alumina, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.
The Cosdna entry-
Key Ingredients–
- Micronised Zinc oxide– Deciem reports that the Zinc Oxide in Mineral UV filter spf 30 is larger than nano size. The smaller the Zinc Oxide particles are, the less white they look. But there has been some media fuss about the possible risk that really tiny particles could pass into the skin and cause toxicity. Zinc Oxide is a fantastic sunscreen because it reflects the majority of the Ultraviolet spectrum, doesn’t breakdown in sunlight, doesn’t create free radicals and doesn’t sensitise skin.
- Rutile Titanium Oxide– There are two types of Titanium Oxide depending on their source- rutile and anastase. Anastase Titanium Oxide can create free radicals in sunlight so the rutile form is preferable. Micronised Rutile Titanium Oxide is a safe broad spectrum spf ingredient.
- Silicones– The silicone compounds in The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters spf30 hold the active ingredients in a stable film. There is a bit of talk about silicones clogging pores going around. Scientifically they shouldn’t, silicone compounds form a light permeable barrier and don’t enter the pores. If you are careful with your cleansing you should be ok (I say should because there will always be a portion of people that are the exception to the rule). Mineral UV Filters contains the following silicones- Cyclopentasiloxane– a very light slippery silicone that evaporates easily do not clogging, PEG-10 Dimethicone, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer– they have a soft smooth texture and a low molecular weight and don’t clog pores.
- Moisturisers– Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride.
- Natural Moisturising Factors-Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Urea and Sodium Hyaluronate. All work to support the skin’s moisture barrier and keep it happy.
- Antioxidants– Astaxanthin– a really powerful antioxidant derived from algae- read my post on Astaxanthin. Ethyl ferulate is an ester of antioxidant Ferulic acid. Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Aka rosemary extract. Which is rich in rosemarinic acid which is a natural antioxidant, skin soother and antiseptic. Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract aka Tasmanian Pepperberry, is seen in some of the other Deciem products like Modulating Glucosides. It is a powerful soother and antioxidant. Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract which is a type of algae that is rich in Astaxanthin. Picea Mariana Bark Extract found to be rich in anti inflammatory and antioxidant polyphenols and Reservatol. Isochrysis Galbana Extract is a microalgae extract which shows promise as a skincare ingredient. It’s a source of lipids, proteins, polysaccharides, and carotenoids that support skin, reduce inflammation and sun damage. Also present in The Ordinary B Oil.
- Bio sugar complex– Comprised of Sodium Lactate, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, draws moisture to the skin and keeps it hydrated.
The ingredients are fantastic, there are so many things there that I want to put on my face.
The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants Review
With all those positive points being said, is the sunscreen wearable?
It comes in a generous (for The Ordinary, usually the tubes are 30mls size) 50ml tube. The packaging has a different colour to the usual grey. It’s a nice rose gold shade.
Mineral UV Filters is a white/grey cream with a not unpleasant chemically scent. It has quite a thick consistency but spreads evenly. It takes about 15 minutes to set, then forms a slightly tacky film with a satin finish. It’s not the lightest sunscreen I’ve tried by any measure.
It’s pretty white. My skin at the moment is fair/medium toned. Despite daily applications of factor 50, I still seem to catch the sun. The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters really does show up. I’ve seen a few reviewers saying that there’s no white cast, but for me there definitely is.
For the face you should use 1.2mls or a quarter of a teaspoon of sunscreen to get the correct amount of spf. This equates, approximately, to a blob the size of a penny or a fingers length squirt. That amount of The Ordinary Sunscreen makes my face look rather white.
Here’s a few pics with The Ordinary Sunscreen. The first is my bare face for comparison-
After I applied the correct amount to one side of my face-
And after applying to the whole face and makeup on top-
It looks much better with makeup on, though you can still see a little white around the edges.
The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants- Buy or No Buy?
Having read about all the ingredients, I’m tempted to plough through and ignore The Ordinary Mineral sunscreen’s visual drawbacks. The ingredients are fabulous. There is always going to be that whiteness issue with mineral sunscreen, Zinc and Titanium Oxide are pretty bloody white, there’s no getting around that.
Compared with other sunscreens The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants, ingredients wise comes out top. Finish and colour wise, it doesn’t fare so well.
My sunscreen loves are Asian- Canmake Mermaid UV Gel and Missha Perfect Cover are mixed filters so possibly not comparable. Neostrata Sheer Physical Protection is more expensive and only has 6% Zinc Oxide but is super light. It’s like comparing apples and oranges.
If mineral filters are your only option and you have pale or fair skin then I recommend The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants.
I’m thoroughly interested to see what the rest of The Ordinary’s Sunscreens are going to be like, maybe they’ll be easier to get along with.
(FYI I purchased The Ordinary sunscreen with my own money but the links are affiliate)
Find The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants at Deciem.com
I love your scienc-y explanations that make everything understandable . You are my favorite skin geek. Keep up the awesome posts
Aw thank you lovely xx
Fab review. I’m not keen on the white cast either but like you I’m tempted to carry on regardless because of the ingredients!!
I use Deciem products exclusively (aside from the products containing silicones, and low and medium molecular weight hyaluronic acid), and there’s no doubt that they have transformed my skin. The formulations of their suncreens are an enormous disappointment, however. While silicones not comedogenic per se, the silicones ending in ‘cone’ are not water-soluble so act as barriers on the skin, inhibiting oxygen penetration and cell turnover, and trapping sebum, dirt, and other products applied beforehand, in the pores. Silicones ending in ‘oxane’ should put everyone on high alert, as they’ve been shown to be very persistent and very bio-accumulative, as well as being harmful to the environment (particularly marine life).
I appreciate all of your reviews. Thank you!
Thanks for your comment. I’ve found it awfully difficult finding more information about silicone based ingredients. Either those saying it’s absolutely fine and others saying it’s terrible with not much actual facts. That’s really useful thanks x
That makes sense. In my experience, what works for one person may not work for another even with the same skin type and concerns, based on their unique biological and environmental conditions. Skin + chemical and/or plant-based ingredients = an unpredictable, unique physiological process with numerous causal variables and components (such as defects in receptor and immune pathways, or bacterial overgrowth, or compromised defensins, or any number of unknown contributory internal and external mechanisms).
You and I, for example, have many skin commonalities (NW20 with oiliness, blemishes, pigmentation, sensitivity/reactivity, ageing, etc.), but have very different responses to certain ingredients. Still, there are enough in common that I find it useful to always check your blog either before or after trying out a new Deciem product. Thanks again for sharing your impressions and experiences in the quest for better skin.
That’s exactly it. There are so many variables at play it’s impossible to predict a person’s response to anything. Even if it seems to be the right thing it might not work for you x
A truly honest review. Thanks a lot.
How does one tell if it’s Rutile Titaniim Dioxide from the ingredients list?
From other brands? You can’t unless they say specifically, it’s normally just listed as Titanium Oxide x
Would you have also tried Deceim’s Survival 20? I’ve always wondered if it was just a fancy parent of The Ordinary. 😮
No I haven’t. It sounds amazing though. The NIOD products I have tried have all been really good.
It also occurred to me that I’m never sure if I’ve successfully removed all sunscreen. I use an Elave one and a variety of make up cleansers, double cleansing, etc but often still have a faint smell of the sunscreen (the smell that is instantly recognizable as zinc sunscreen). Do you ever have this problem?