Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Versus IMAGE skincare PREVENTION+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Versus IMAGE skincare PREVENTION+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+

This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 32.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Zinc Oxide 12%

Water

Squalane

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

Isoamyl Laurate

Polyglyceryl-3 Ricinoleate

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Propanediol

Isopropyl Isostearate

Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

Methylpropanediol

Niacinamide

Sodium Chloride

Lecithin

Caprylyl Glycol

Silica

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Bisabolol

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Allantoin

Phenylpropanol

Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Aluminum Hydroxide

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

CI 77491

CI 77492

CI 77499

CI 77891

Zinc Oxide 12%, Water, Squalane, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Isoamyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Ricinoleate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Propanediol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, Sodium Chloride, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Phenylpropanol, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891

Zinc Oxide 9.3%

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%

Cyclopentasiloxane

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer

Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Methacrylamidolauric Acid Copolymer

Caprylyl Methicone

Phenoxyethanol

Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Cetearyl Dimethicone

Polyisobutene

Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Panthenol

Polysorbate 20

Disodium EDTA

Erythritol

Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract

PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Homarine Hcl

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Micrococcus Lysate

Plankton Extract

Ergothioneine

Phospholipids

Zinc Oxide 9.3%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Methacrylamidolauric Acid Copolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Cetearyl Dimethicone, Polyisobutene, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Hexyl Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Erythritol, Lecithin, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Homarine Hcl, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Plankton Extract, Ergothioneine, Phospholipids

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.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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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