UV Clear Facial Sunscreen SPF 46 Tinted vs Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz: which is safer?

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz is the clear pick. EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen SPF 46 Tinted carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen SPF 46 Tinted

EltaMD

UV Clear Facial Sunscreen SPF 46 Tinted

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 2/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Water-resistant sunscreen formulation (avobenzone, octinoxate, titanium dioxide)

Confidence

35%

ReportedOctinoxate (endocrine disruption potential)

PossibleAvobenzone photodegradation

PossibleVolatile organic compounds (alcohols/solvents)

Our pick

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz

Goddess Garden

Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 92/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes

Confidence

78%

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components

PossibleSkin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Octinoxate (endocrine disruption potential), Avobenzone photodegradation, Volatile organic compounds (alcohols/solvents) and PFAS in water-resistant emulsion system on the EltaMD and not on the Goddess Garden.
  • We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components and Skin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils on the Goddess Garden and not on the EltaMD.
  • The EltaMD is Water-resistant sunscreen formulation (avobenzone, octinoxate, titanium dioxide) where the Goddess Garden is mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 70 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Goddess Garden is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the EltaMD grade, at 35% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric: 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 →

More sunscreen: see the full ranking