Our new sunscreen. Now 100% mineral.
We took our sunscreen back to the lab and rebuilt it from the ground up — now 100% mineral filters, broad-spectrum SPF 50, and a sheer tint that leaves a luminous finish.
Brandefy’s Tinted Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen
- 16.5% zinc oxide
- Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid in the same bottle
- No retail markup, sold direct
- 30-day money-back guarantee
What’s new
Good SPF protects your skin. Great SPF is the one you actually reach for every morning.
Ours is a 100% mineral, broad-spectrum SPF 50 with a light, breathable texture, packaging designed for smoother application, and a subtle signature scent.
100% mineral
16.5% zinc oxide, and nothing else doing the filtering.
Lighter texture
Breathable enough to wear under makeup, or as the only thing on your face.
Sheer tint
A sheer wash that melts into skin and leaves a luminous finish.
Niacinamide (vitamin B3) and hyaluronic acid carry over from the original formulation — the first helps soften the look of visible pores and fine lines, the second holds water in the skin, so your SPF step hydrates as well as protects.
Why daily, and not just at the beach
In a randomized trial of 903 adults published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, people who used a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day showed measurably less skin aging over four and a half years than people who used it when they thought of it.
less skin aging in the daily-sunscreen group than in the group who used it at their own discretion. The daily group showed no detectable increase in skin aging at all over the four and a half years.
That trial tested the habit, not any particular sunscreen, and it ran in subtropical Australia in the 1990s. What it measured was the difference between every day and most days.
What our tinted mineral SPF actually looks like on
Zinc oxide is a white mineral — it is the same thing that makes mineral sunscreen visible on skin. Tinting it is what solves that, which is why this one is tinted rather than clear.
That’s one application, photographed straight away — the tint doing its job.
Mineral or chemical?
A lot of mineral sunscreens are a mineral-chemical combo, which is totally fine — but we prefer mineral-based.
Mineral filters are the two the American Academy of Dermatology defines the category by:
“If the active ingredient in your sunscreen is titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or both, you have a physical sunscreen.”
The AAD also defines broad spectrum as protection from “both types of harmful UV rays, ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays,” and recommends SPF 30 or higher. This is SPF 50.
And there are only two mineral filters, as the AAD says above — titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or both. Many tinted mineral sunscreens use both, splitting the work between them. This one uses one. The whole of its SPF 50 comes from a single mineral: zinc oxide, at 16.5%.
And on who they suit:
“Dermatologists recommend physical sunscreen, also called mineral sunscreen, for people with sensitive skin.”
That is the whole argument for mineral. Zinc oxide is gentle enough to be the standard recommendation for reactive skin.
What’s in it
The only UV filter in the formula. Broad-spectrum SPF 50, 100% mineral.
Vitamin B3. Helps soften the look of visible pores and fine lines.
Holds water in the skin, so an SPF step doubles as a hydrating one.
Also in there: vitamin C, polyglutamic acid, aloe, acerola, cloudberry and vitamin E.
The original, outdone
We built this against SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense — same job, same size bottle, same SPF.
| Specification | Brandefy Tinted Defense | SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $31 | $45 |
| Size | 1.69 fl oz / 50 mL | 1.7 fl oz / 50 mL |
| SPF | 50, broad spectrum | 50, broad spectrum |
| 100% mineral | Yes | Yes |
| Sheer tint | Yes | Yes |
| Niacinamide | Yes | — |
| Returns | 30 days, any reason | 30 days |
Same SPF, same 100% mineral approach, the same 50 mL — for $14 less, with niacinamide on top.
Tinted Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen
- 1.69 fl oz / 50 mL
- 16.5% zinc oxide, 100% mineral
- Broad-spectrum SPF 50, sheer tint
- 30-day returns, any reason
Pairs well with
Sunscreen is the last step of the morning. Here is what we would put before it. Orders totaling $70+ get free shipping.
Superfood Nourish Cleanser
A fresh, lightweight cleanser that washes away sweat and buildup without stripping skin.
Clinical Vit C + E + Ferulic Defend Serum
15% L-ascorbic acid with vitamin E and ferulic acid — the antioxidant layer that goes on before your sunscreen.
Questions
Will it leave a white cast?
No — that is the whole reason it’s tinted. Untinted zinc oxide is what leaves a white cast; the sheer tint offsets it, so this reads as an even, slightly luminous finish rather than a film. The before-and-after above is one application, photographed immediately.
What does it smell like?
There’s a light scent, added on purpose as part of the reformulation. Our first reviewer said it reminded her of a beach vacation. If you prefer your skincare unscented, this one isn’t it.
Can I wear it under makeup?
Yes. The texture is light enough to layer under foundation, and sheer enough that plenty of people wear it instead.
How often do I reapply?
The FDA’s guidance: “Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, and more often if you’re sweating or swimming.” They also recommend applying it 15 minutes before you go out.
Where does it go in my routine?
Last thing in the morning, after your serum and moisturizer, before makeup.
Anything else?
Shake it before you use it.
SkinCeuticals price and ingredients verified 2026-07-29 at bluemercury.com, an authorized retailer. Prices are set by that brand and subject to change.
SkinCeuticals is a trademark of its respective owner, is not affiliated with Brandefy, and does not endorse Brandefy. The comparison refers to published price, size, SPF rating and ingredient lists only.
The American Academy of Dermatology and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are quoted for general sun-protection guidance. Neither is affiliated with Brandefy, and neither endorses Brandefy or any product.
Skin-aging figure from Hughes MC, Williams GM, Baker P, Green AC, “Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial,” Annals of Internal Medicine 2013;158(11):781–90 — a randomised controlled trial of 903 adults in Nambour, Australia, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. It compared daily with discretionary use of broad-spectrum sunscreen and did not evaluate any Brandefy product.
