Cetaphil Sun SPF 50+ Light Gel
88/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Cetaphil Sun SPF 50+ Light Gel is a hybrid sunscreen built on a modern filter system of octinoxate, Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150 and Tinosorb M. It wears very lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast, does not commonly sting, and is low for pore-clogging, so it generally suits acne-prone skin. With excellent protection and a top score of 88.3/100, it is one of the best-rated picks in this group.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +18 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate at #1, UV filter
- +48 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +36 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +22)
- +20.9 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #4, UV filter
- +45.6 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +17.1)
- β40.1 UVB coverage saturated
- β18.3 UVA2 coverage saturated
- β10.1 UVA1 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
High
64
- +100 Starting score
- β36 Octinoxate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
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White cast
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- β12 Tinosorb M at #5, may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
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Eye sting
Low
84
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Octinoxate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Fabric stains
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- β15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #3, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate moisture β
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate makeup base β
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance βFull ingredient list (5)
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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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 48 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 36 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150)
- β 20.9 UV protection
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M)
- β 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 12 may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
Is Cetaphil Sun SPF 50+ Light Gel good?
Yes, it scores 88.3/100 with excellent protection, one of the best-rated picks here. It uses a modern filter system including Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus and Tinosorb M.
Is the Cetaphil Sun SPF 50+ Light Gel mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid, built on modern chemical filters octinoxate, Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150 and Tinosorb M.
Is it good for acne-prone skin?
It rates low for pore-clogging and does not commonly sting, so it is generally suitable for acne-prone skin. It is very lightweight with a balanced finish.