Aveeno Ultra Calming Spf 20 Anti Redness Cream
67/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Aveeno Ultra Calming SPF 20 Anti-Redness Cream is a mostly chemical sunscreen using homosalate, octocrylene and avobenzone alongside a touch of mineral titanium dioxide. It feels lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, and is an okay base under makeup. It is gentle in that it does not commonly sting. Protection is good but the SPF 20 rating is lower than most, and the overall score is 66.5/100, suiting calmer everyday wear.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
59
- +12 Homosalate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #25, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #6, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
π€§
Allergens
Low
89
- +100 Starting score
- β8 Sensitizing preservatives (DMDM Hydantoin)
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
π»
White cast
Low
92
- +100 Starting score
- β6 Titanium Dioxide at #25
- β2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #38
π₯
Eye sting
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Avobenzone at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Heavy feel
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- β2 Titanium Dioxide at #25
- β5 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #8, butter/occlusive fat
π΄
Comedogenic
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- β7 Ethylhexyl Palmitate at #9, heavy comedogenic ester
π
Fungal acne
High
6
- +100 Starting score
- β30 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate)
- β14 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- β50 5 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sucrose Cocoate, PEG-8 Laurate)
π
Fabric stains
High
28
- +100 Starting score
- β45 Avobenzone at #6, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- β2 Titanium Dioxide at #25, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
π§
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- β 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 16 Glycerin at #2, the anchor humectant
- β 2 1 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
- β 3 1 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- β 2 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Palmitate)
π
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- β 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- β 7 Humectant syrup tackiness
π
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +10 2 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (38)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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2 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- β 15.2 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- β 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 24 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
- β 5 butter/occlusive fat
- 2 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 3 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 7 heavy comedogenic ester
- 2 β dewy slippy emollient ester
- β 14 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 7 film former
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 18 feeds malassezia
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12 Steareth-21
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
-
Botanical extract
-
14 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 12 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
21 Linseed Acid
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 3 film former
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24 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 9.9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
28 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
pH adjuster
-
31 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
33 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Colorant or pigment
What SPF is the Aveeno Ultra Calming Anti-Redness Cream?
It is SPF 20, which is lower than most sunscreens in this catalog. Protection is still rated good, but the SPF figure suits calmer everyday wear over intense sun exposure.
Is Aveeno Ultra Calming SPF 20 mineral or chemical?
It is mostly chemical. It uses homosalate, octocrylene and avobenzone alongside a small amount of mineral titanium dioxide.
Does Aveeno Ultra Calming SPF 20 leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast and wears lightweight with a balanced finish, so it absorbs without a noticeable mineral tint.