Calming Primer SPF 20

Colorescience

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Colorescience Calming Primer SPF 20 is a misc. Our analysis of its 25 ingredients (21 low-risk) rates it Excellent (98/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone, dry, and sensitive skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Misc
Ingredients
25
Low-risk
21
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
United States
SPF
20 · blocks 95.0% UVB
Data updated
May 2026

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 6/4
Good for dry skin
Dimethiconol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Dimethicone Cyclopentasiloxane
Caution for dry skin
Dimethicone Crosspolymer Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 1/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Sensitive Skin 5/5
Good for sensitive skin
Zinc Oxide Palmaria Palmata Extract Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Dimethicone
Caution for sensitive skin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Benzoic Acid Phenoxyethanol

Ingredients list

25 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (4)
All25 Skin Conditioning11 Skin Protecting6 Cosmetic Colorant5 Fragrance5 Emollient5 Solvent4 Hair Fixing4 Colorant3
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
3
Titanium/Titanium Dioxide
(Cosmetic Colorant, Opacifying)
2
3
Zinc Oxide
(Bulking Agent, Cosmetic Colorant, Skin Protecting, Sunscreen Agent)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
3
A
Cyclopentasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent)
Silicone
Silicone
1
A
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
1
A
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Hair Fixing, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Viscosity Increasingagent Nonaqueous, Viscosity Controlling)
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Water
(Solvent)
1
A
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
(Viscosity Controlling)
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient)
1
SpiruLina Maxima Extract
(Smoothing)
1
B
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
1
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Palmaria Palmata Extract
(Skin Protecting)
1
Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates
(Hair Conditioning, Hair Fixing, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Cleansing Agent, Antistatic Agent, Foaming)
Citrus Paradisi Seed Extract
(Fragrance, Perfuming)
ASCORBIC ACID
(Antioxidant, Buffering, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Dimethiconol
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Moisturising)
Silicone
Silicone
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
1
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
(Binding Agent, Binding)
3
A
Benzoic Acid
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Preservative, Bulking Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Dehydroacetic Acid
(Preservative)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
2
CI 77491
(Colorant, Cosmetic Colorant)
1
CI 77492
(Colorant, Cosmetic Colorant)
2
CI 77499
(Colorant, Cosmetic Colorant)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

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Key ingredients

Mineral UV Filter
Reflects UV rays using mineral barriers.
Antioxidants
Shields skin from free radical damage.
Vitamin C
Brightens, evens tone, and supports collagen.

Benefits

HydratingBoosts hydration and relieves dry, tight skin.
Reduces IrritationEases discomfort and supports skin resilience.
Scar HealingImproves the look of marks and scars.
Anti-AgingSoftens lines and helps skin look youthful.
BrighteningRestores radiance to dull, tired skin.
Good For Oily SkinBalances oil and helps reduce shine.
Redness ReducingSoothes visible redness and calms irritation.
Barrier RepairStrengthen and restore your skin's natural barrier.

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe

Ingredients explained

Titanium/Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic colorant, Opacifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–3 Cosmetic colorantOpacifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientMaskingPerfumingSkin conditioningSolvent
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion stabilising, Hair fixing
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingHair fixingSuspending agent - nonsurfactantViscosity increasingagent - nonaqueousViscosity controlling
Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Viscosity controlling
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Viscosity controlling
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin conditioning, Skin conditioning emollient
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioningSkin conditioning emollient
SpiruLina Maxima Extract
Smoothing
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Smoothing
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin protecting
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin protecting
Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates
Hair conditioning, Hair fixing
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Hair conditioningHair fixingSkin conditioningSurfactant -cleansing agentAntistatic agentFoaming
Citrus Paradisi Seed Extract
Fragrance, Perfuming
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragrancePerfuming
ASCORBIC ACID
Antioxidant, Buffering
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A AntioxidantBufferingFragranceSkin conditioning
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Binding agent, Binding
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Binding agentBinding
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Preservative
CI 77491
Colorant, Cosmetic colorant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–2 ColorantCosmetic colorant
+ 2 more — see the full ingredients list above
Zinc Oxide
Bulking agent, Cosmetic colorant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 2–3 Bulking agentCosmetic colorantSkin protectingSunscreen agent Good for Oily Skin
Cyclopentasiloxane
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningEmollientSolvent Silicone
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B AntimicrobialAntioxidantAstringentEmollientHumectantMaskingOral care agentSkin conditioningSkin protectingTonicUv absorber Good for Oily Skin
Dimethiconol
Antifoaming agent, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin conditioningEmollientMoisturising Silicone
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Benzoic Acid
Fragrance, Ph adjuster
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A FragrancePh adjusterPreservativeBulking agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

ASCORBIC ACID

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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