bareMinerals Mineral Makeup vs Even Better Brightening Moisturizer SPF 20: which is safer?

bareMinerals Mineral Makeup is the clear pick. Clinique Even Better Brightening Moisturizer SPF 20 carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Our pick

bareMinerals Mineral Makeup

Bare Minerals

bareMinerals Mineral Makeup

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 88/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

not stated

Confidence

100%

PossibleHeavy metals in mineral pigments (lead, cadmium, chromium)

PossibleFragrance allergens and skin irritation

PossibleBismuth oxychloride sensitivity

Clinique Even Better Brightening Moisturizer SPF 20

Clinique

Even Better Brightening Moisturizer SPF 20

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 57/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Water, glycerin, silicones, emollients, SPF filters

Confidence

45%

PossibleFragrance allergens

Possible1,4-Dioxane contamination

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Heavy metals in mineral pigments (lead, cadmium, chromium), Fragrance allergens and skin irritation and Bismuth oxychloride sensitivity on the Bare Minerals and not on the Clinique.
  • We flag Fragrance allergens and 1,4-Dioxane contamination on the Clinique and not on the Bare Minerals.
  • The gap is 35 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Bare Minerals is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Clinique grade, at 45% confidence against 100%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

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