CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream With Broad Spectrum Spf 30 Sunscreen
69/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream is an SPF 30 daytime moisturizer that pairs an older-generation chemical filter, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, with Zinc Oxide for broad-spectrum cover. The finish is balanced and the cream stays lightweight with a medium white cast, so a little blurring on application is common before it settles. It is low-sting and generally low for pore-clogging, which suits sensitive routines. With good protection and a score of 69.2/100 it is a reasonable everyday face cream, though the dated filter pair holds it back from the top tier.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
60
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
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Health safety
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- β36 Octinoxate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β5 Retinol at #26, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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Eye sting
Low
83
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β1 Volatile alcohol at #36
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Heavy feel
Low
66
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Zinc Oxide at #2
- β5 Cetearyl Alcohol at #7, rich gel-network thickener
- +11.3 Volatile silicone at #4, flashes off
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Fungal acne
High
35
- +100 Starting score
- β24 2 polysorbate/sorbitan emulsifiers that feed Malassezia (Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60)
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- β32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate)
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Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- β15 Zinc Oxide at #2, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 2 Volatile alcohol at #36
- β 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 5 Zinc Oxide at #2, mild sebum absorbent
- β 4 Glycerin at #10, the anchor humectant
- β 2 Hyaluronic Acid at #25, hyaluronic family
- β 1 Humectant polyols
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
- β 1.5 2 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol)
- β 8 Ceramide barrier lipids with cholesterol/phytosphingosine partners
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- β 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #36
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 6 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 1.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer)
- β 15 High mineral load at #2 greys under foundation
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βSkincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- β¨ Ceramides
Full ingredient list (43)
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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Legacy UV filter (Octinoxate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 18 UV protection
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light β 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills β 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
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3 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light β 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte β 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 β nourishing humectant polyol
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- β 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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10 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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14 Ceramide NP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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15 Ceramide AP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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16 Ceramide EOP
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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18 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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20 Cholesterol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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21 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Supporting ingredient
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 12 feeds malassezia
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 β nourishing hyaluronic family
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26 Retinol
Supporting ingredient
- β 5 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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28 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Botanical extract
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30 Ceteareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 12 feeds malassezia
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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36 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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pH adjuster
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42 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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43 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
Does CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream SPF 30 leave a white cast?
It carries a medium white cast, since the formula includes Zinc Oxide. A little blurring on application is common, but it generally settles with a balanced finish on most skin tones.
Is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream With Broad Spectrum Spf 30 Sunscreen good for oily or acne-prone skin?
It can suit oily and acne-prone skin reasonably well. The finish is balanced rather than greasy, it stays lightweight, and it is generally low for pore-clogging.
Is this sunscreen mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid. It combines the chemical filter Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate with mineral Zinc Oxide for broad-spectrum cover at SPF 30.