Calming Day Lotion SPF 30 vs Daily Sun Serum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen: which is safer?
Daily Sun Serum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Burt's Bees
Calming Day Lotion SPF 30
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 67/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
water-in-oil emulsion base; mineral/mica filters (SPF 30 active)
Confidence
72%
PossibleFragrance allergens (essential oils)
PossibleEmulsifier or preservative sensitivities
Our pick
Derma E
Daily Sun Serum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen
PFAS grade
Excellent 100/100
Overall grade
Excellent 92/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Mineral sunscreen, zinc oxide base
Confidence
88%
Possible1,4-dioxane (non-intentional contaminant from surfactants/emulsifiers)
PossibleFragrance allergens (if fragrance is present)
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Fragrance allergens (essential oils) and Emulsifier or preservative sensitivities on the Burt's Bees and not on the Derma E.
- We flag 1,4-dioxane (non-intentional contaminant from surfactants/emulsifiers) and Fragrance allergens (if fragrance is present) on the Derma E and not on the Burt's Bees.
- The Burt's Bees is water-in-oil emulsion base; mineral/mica filters (SPF 30 active) where the Derma E is Mineral sunscreen, zinc oxide base, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Derma E is the one to buy.
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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