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CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Face Lotion With Sunscreen Spf 30

CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Face Lotion With Sunscreen Spf 30

68/100 overall score

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About this sunscreen

CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Face Lotion With Sunscreen is an SPF 30 chemical sunscreen built on older-generation filters including homosalate, octocrylene and avobenzone (butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane). It gives a balanced finish and feels lightweight with low white cast and a low pore-clogging profile. Protection is rated good. With a score of 68.1/100, it is a reasonable lightweight daily moisturizer with sun protection, best suited to those comfortable with SPF 30.

Ingredient & SPF scores

β˜€οΈ

UV protection

Good 58
  • +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
  • +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
  • +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
  • +15.2 Octocrylene at #7, UV filter
  • Γ—0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
  • +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
How we rate uv protection β†’
☒️

Health safety

Medium 46
  • +100 Starting score
  • βˆ’40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
  • βˆ’10.5 Octocrylene at #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
  • βˆ’3.5 Avobenzone at #6, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
How we rate health safety β†’
🀧

Allergens

Low 97
  • +100 Starting score
  • βˆ’3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
How we rate allergens β†’
πŸ‘»

White cast

Low 100
  • +100 Starting score
How we rate white cast β†’
πŸ”₯

Eye sting

Medium 51
  • +100 Starting score
  • βˆ’16 Avobenzone at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
  • βˆ’15 Octocrylene at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
  • βˆ’9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
  • βˆ’9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
How we rate eye sting β†’
πŸͺ¨

Heavy feel

Low 100
  • +100 Starting score
How we rate heavy feel β†’
πŸ”΄

Comedogenic

Low 91
  • +100 Starting score
  • βˆ’9 Glyceryl Stearate SE at #5, moderate comedogenic signal
How we rate comedogenic β†’
πŸ„

Fungal acne

Medium 67
  • +100 Starting score
  • βˆ’33 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate SE, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate)
How we rate fungal acne β†’
πŸ‘•

Fabric stains

High 30
  • +100 Starting score
  • βˆ’45 Avobenzone at #6, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
  • βˆ’15 Octocrylene at #7, co-stains alongside avobenzone
  • βˆ’10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
How we rate fabric stains β†’
πŸ’§

Moisture

Hydrating
LightNourishing
  • ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer)
  • β†’ 4 Glycerin at #9, the anchor humectant
  • β†’ 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #17, hyaluronic family
  • β†’ 8 Ceramide barrier lipids with cholesterol/phytosphingosine partners
How we rate moisture β†’
✨

Finish

Balanced
MatteDewy
  • ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer)
  • β†’ 6 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
How we rate finish β†’
πŸ’„

Makeup base

Okay
PillsPrimer
  • β†’ 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
  • β†’ 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
  • ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer)
How we rate makeup base β†’
🌊

Water resistance

Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant

Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.

How we rate water resistance β†’

Skincare extras

Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.

  • ✨ Ceramides

Full ingredient list (26)

What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / β†’ shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.

  1. 1 Water

    Solvent base, the water phase

  2. 2 Homosalate

    Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter

    • ↑ 12 UV protection
    • ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
  3. 3 Ethylhexyl Salicylate

    Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter

    • ↑ 8 UV protection
    • ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
  4. Emollient, softens and smooths skin

    • 6 β†’ dewy emollient lipid
  5. 5 Glyceryl Stearate SE

    Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

    • ↑ 9 moderate comedogenic signal
    • ↑ 24 feeds malassezia
  6. Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)

    • ↑ 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
    • ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
    • ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
    • ↑ 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
  7. 7 Octocrylene

    Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)

    • ↑ 15.2 UV protection
    • ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
    • ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
    • ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
  8. Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish

    • light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
    • matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
  9. 9 Glycerin

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

    • 4 β†’ nourishing the anchor humectant
  10. 10 Pentylene Glycol

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

  11. 11 Ceramide NP

    Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  12. 12 Ceramide AP

    Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  13. 13 Ceramide EOP

    Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  14. 14 Carbomer

    Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  15. Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  16. Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended

    • ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
  17. 17 Sodium Hyaluronate

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

    • 2 β†’ nourishing hyaluronic family
  18. 18 Cholesterol

    Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  19. 19 Phenoxyethanol

    Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling

  20. 20 Disodium EDTA

    Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable

  21. Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin

  22. 22 Citric Acid

    pH adjuster

  23. 23 Phytosphingosine

    Soothing, skin-conditioning active

  24. 24 Xanthan Gum

    Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream

  25. 25 T-Butyl Alcohol

    Supporting ingredient

  26. 26 Ethylhexyl-Glycerin

    Humectant, pulls water into the skin

Is CeraVe Ultra-Light Face Lotion SPF 30 good?

It scores 68.1/100 with protection rated good, making it a reasonable lightweight daily option. Its filters are older generation and it is SPF 30 rather than 50.

Does the CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Face Lotion With Sunscreen Spf 30 leave a white cast?

White cast is rated low and it is a chemical sunscreen, so it should not leave a noticeable cast. The finish is balanced.

Is it mineral or chemical?

It is a chemical sunscreen, using homosalate, octocrylene and avobenzone with no mineral filters.

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