Clear Zinc · Zinc without the white
Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50+ Transparent zinc oxide sun cream
4.7Zinc oxide protection that rubs in clear. SPF 50+ broad spectrum, 80 minutes water resistant and moisturising, with avocado oil. Rich in the tube, clear on your skin.
£14.99
Free UK delivery on every order
- SPF 50+Broad spectrum UVA and UVB
- Rubs in clearZinc protection, no white cast
- 80 minutesWater resistant. Reapply after towelling
- Avocado oilMoisturising and paraben free
- Free UK deliveryon every order
- 60-day returnson unopened products
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Pair it with
Light Skin Tone Zinc Stick · 12gSkin-tone SPF 50+ for your nose, ears and cheekbones, the bits that burn first.
£10.99
How to use
Apply generously to dry skin before you go out. It's a rich lotion: squeeze some onto your fingertips, rub them together to warm it, then smooth it on until it turns clear.
Reapply at least every 2 hours, and straight after swimming, towelling or sweating. Avoid the eye area. Keep babies under 6 months out of direct sun.
Full ingredients
Water (Aqua), Octocrylene, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Isopropyl Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Magnesium Sulfate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA.
Contains avocado oil and coconut fruit extract. What each ingredient does
Delivery and returns
Free UK delivery on every order.
Changed your mind? Send back unopened products within 60 days for a full refund. If anything arrives damaged, faulty or wrong, we'll replace or refund it. Read our refund policy
Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50+ · Single
- SPF 50+ broad spectrum
- Rubs in clear
- Zinc oxide protection
- 80 minutes water resistant
- With avocado oil
- Made in Australia
The facts
Clear Zinc SPF 50+ at a glance
Sun Zapper Clear Zinc SPF 50+ is a clear zinc oxide sun cream that rubs in transparent, with no white cast. It pairs zinc oxide with three modern UV filters for very high, broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, and it's 80 minutes water resistant.
It's a moisturising lotion with avocado oil, for your face and body. It's free from oxybenzone, octinoxate, parabens and added fragrance, and it's made in Australia, where Sun Zapper has made zinc sunscreen since 1995.
Product facts
- Product
- Clear zinc oxide sun cream (lotion)
- SPF
- 50+ (very high protection)
- Protection
- Broad spectrum, UVA and UVB
- UV filters
- Zinc oxide, octocrylene, avobenzone (butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane) and ethylhexyl triazone
- Water resistance
- 80 minutes. Reapply after swimming, towelling or sweating, and at least every 2 hours
- Finish
- Rich in the tube, rubs in clear with a slight sheen
- Sizes
- 100ml tube. Twin pack (2 × 100ml) and family pack (3 × 100ml)
- Best for
- Face and body, every day, and under make-up
- Free from
- Oxybenzone, octinoxate, parabens and added fragrance
- Good to know
- Contains avocado oil and coconut fruit extract
- Made in
- Australia
- Ingredients
- Water (Aqua), Octocrylene, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Isopropyl Myristate, Zinc Oxide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Magnesium Sulfate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA.
Always read the label before use.
Why Clear Zinc
Zinc protection, without the white.
Zinc oxide is brilliant at blocking UVA and UVB, but on its own it can leave skin looking white. Clear Zinc pairs zinc oxide with three modern UV filters, so you get SPF 50+ broad spectrum protection that rubs in clear.
The lotion is rich, with avocado oil to keep skin soft, so lots of people use it as their daily moisturiser with SPF.
- SPF 50+, broad spectrum UVA and UVB
- Rubs in clear, no white cast
- 80 minutes water resistant
- Moisturising, with avocado oil
- No parabens or added fragrance
How to apply
Thick in the tube, clear on your skin.
Clear Zinc is a rich lotion, so it can feel thick at first. These four steps make it glide on and disappear.
-
Step 1: Step 1
Warm it up
Squeeze some onto your fingertips and rub them together for a few seconds. Warm lotion spreads much more easily.
-
Step 2: Step 2
Be generous
NHS advice suggests about 2 teaspoons for your head, arms and neck, and 2 tablespoons for your whole body in swimwear.
-
Step 3: Step 3
Smooth until clear
Work in small areas and keep going until it turns clear. Give it a minute or two to settle: any sheen fades as it sinks in.
-
Step 4: Step 4
Top it up
Reapply at least every 2 hours, and straight after swimming, towelling or sweating.
What's inside
Clear zinc sun cream ingredients
What's in it
- Zinc oxideA mineral UV filter that protects against UVA and UVB
- Octocrylene, avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazoneModern UV filters that keep it clear on skin
- Avocado oilSoftens and moisturises
- Coconut and Scots pine extractsBotanical extracts
- A rich lotion baseHelps it stay put in the water
What's not
- No Oxybenzone
- No Octinoxate
- No Parabens
- No Added fragrance
Contains avocado oil and coconut fruit extract. Full ingredient list in the fact sheet above.
Which zinc?
Clear Zinc or Pure Zinc?
Clear Zinc pairs zinc oxide with modern UV filters so it rubs in clear. Pure Zinc uses zinc oxide as its only UV filter. All four are made in Australia.
| Product | Clear Zinc SPF 50+From £14.99 | Pure Zinc SPF 50From £17.99 | Tinted Face SPF 30From £17.99 | Kids SPF 50From £17.99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Zinc protection that rubs in clear | Mineral only, face and body | Every day, under make-up | Kids from 6 months |
| SPF | 50+ | 50 | 30 | 50 |
| Water resistance | 80 minutes | 80 minutes | – | 80 minutes |
| Finish | Rubs in clear, slight sheen | Light tint, rubs in | Light tint | Rubs in clear |
| Sizes | 100ml tube, twin pack, family pack | 100g tube, 2 × 100g, 240g | 100g pump, twin pack | 100g pump, twin pack |
| Good to know | Zinc oxide plus three modern UV filters | Zinc oxide is its only UV filter | Mineral only, make-up friendly | Mineral only, fragrance free |
| Shop | You're looking at it | Shop: Pure Zinc SPF 50 | Shop: Tinted Face SPF 30 | Shop: Kids SPF 50 |
Reviews
Zinc, minus the white
4.7
-
Impressed
“The cream has a pleasantly thick consistency but is easy to rub in and definitely doesn't leave the awful deathly white residue other brands leave. We will buy this again.”
Andrea CallowVerified buyer -
Very pleased
“It's a thick consistency that looks like it'll never absorb, but it does. It absorbs into the skin once you've gently applied it and left it for a minute or two… Good protection, I'll buy it again!”
Cora DentonVerified buyer -
My new moisturiser
“I have found this product to be a great moisturiser with the bonus of being a sun cream. A quick rub between hands loosens it up and it applies very evenly.”
Charlie TudballVerified buyer
FAQs
Clear zinc sunscreen FAQs
Is Clear Zinc a mineral sunscreen?
Not entirely. It's a hybrid: zinc oxide, a mineral UV filter, plus three modern UV filters (octocrylene, avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazone). That combination is what lets it rub in clear. If you'd rather use mineral only, Pure Zinc SPF 50 uses 25% non-nano zinc oxide as its only UV filter.
Will it leave a white cast?
It's made to rub in clear. It's a rich lotion, so it can look white for a moment: warm it between your fingertips, keep smoothing, and give it a minute or two to settle. A slight sheen can stay at first.
Why is it so thick?
It's a rich, moisturising lotion with avocado oil, made to stay put in the water. Warm it between your fingertips before you apply it and it spreads much more easily.
Can I wear it under make-up?
Yes. Let it settle for a few minutes first, then apply your make-up as usual.
Can I use it on my face and body?
Yes, it's made for both. Avoid the eye area.
How water resistant is it?
80 minutes. Reapply straight after swimming, towelling or sweating, and at least every 2 hours. No sunscreen is waterproof.
How much should I apply?
More than most people think. NHS advice suggests about 2 teaspoons for your head, arms and neck, and 2 tablespoons for your whole body in swimwear.
Does it protect against UVA?
Yes. It's broad spectrum, so it protects against UVA and UVB. Zinc oxide and avobenzone both filter UVA, and SPF 50+ is the highest SPF rating for UVB.
Is it reef safe?
We don't call Clear Zinc reef safe. It's free from oxybenzone and octinoxate, but it contains octocrylene, which many reef safe lists avoid. For snorkelling and reef trips, choose Pure Zinc SPF 50.
Does it contain fragrance or parabens?
No parabens and no added fragrance. The plant extracts can give it a very faint natural scent.
Is it good for sensitive skin?
It's paraben free with no added fragrance, but everyone's skin is different, so patch test a small area first. If you'd rather avoid chemical UV filters altogether, try Pure Zinc SPF 50.
Can children use it?
For children, we recommend Kids SPF 50: mineral only, fragrance free and made for kids from 6 months. Keep babies under 6 months out of direct sun.
Which pack should I buy?
A single tube is right for a holiday or your bag. The Twin Pack and Family Pack cost less per tube, and the Family Pack is the best value per 100ml.
Where is it made?
In Australia. Sun Zapper started on the Aussie coast in 1995 and is still Australian made and owned.
Guide
Clear sunscreen: a quick guide
What clear zinc sunscreen is, why zinc can look white, and how to choose and wear a clear sun cream.
What is clear zinc sunscreen?
Clear zinc sunscreen uses zinc oxide for protection but rubs in transparent, without the white stripe people expect from zinc. Most clear zinc sun creams, including ours, get there by pairing zinc oxide with other UV filters.
Why does zinc look white?
Zinc oxide protects your skin partly by scattering light, and that includes visible light, which is why thick zinc creams can look white. Pairing zinc oxide with UV filters that don't show on skin is how a zinc sun cream can rub in clear and still reach SPF 50+.
Mineral, chemical or hybrid?
Mineral sunscreens use only zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Chemical sunscreens use synthetic UV filters such as octocrylene or avobenzone. Hybrids like Clear Zinc use both. If you want mineral only, Pure Zinc SPF 50 is our choice.
Water resistant, not waterproof
No sunscreen is waterproof. Water resistance is tested in minutes in the water, and Clear Zinc is rated for 80 minutes. Towelling rubs sunscreen off, so reapply straight after drying off, and at least every 2 hours.
How much sunscreen do you need?
Most people use about half the amount they need. NHS advice suggests around 2 teaspoons for your head, arms and neck, and 2 tablespoons for your whole body if you're wearing a swimming costume.
Choosing SPF and UVA protection in the UK
The NHS recommends a sunscreen with SPF 30 or more and at least 4-star UVA protection, or the UVA circle logo. SPF measures protection from UVB, the rays that cause sunburn. UVA goes deeper and causes skin ageing. A broad spectrum sun cream like Clear Zinc SPF 50+ protects against both.
Keep exploring
More from Sun Zapper
Choose size: Pure Zinc SPF 50 Choose size: Tinted Face SPF 30 Choose size: Kids SPF 50
