Cosmed Sun Essential - Ultrasense Cream Gel SPF 50+
86/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Cosmed Sun Essential Ultrasense Cream Gel is an SPF 50+ formula that combines mineral and modern chemical filters, including Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, and Ethylhexyl Triazone. It has a balanced finish and a medium weight, but the mineral content can leave a high, more visible white cast, while sting and breakout risk stay low. With a score of 85.7/100 and excellent protection, it is a strong performer for those who do not mind a more noticeable cast.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +36 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +22)
- +41 Zinc Oxide at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +18)
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +20.9 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #6, UV filter
- +26.4 Titanium Dioxide at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +4)
- +7.2 Polysilicone-15 at #17, UV filter
- −37 UVB coverage saturated
- −25.9 UVA2 coverage saturated
- −14.2 UVA1 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
👻
White cast
High
28
- +100 Starting score
- −55 Zinc Oxide at #3
- −15 Titanium Dioxide at #8
- −10 Zinc Oxide + Titanium Dioxide together
- +8 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
🪨
Heavy feel
Medium
51
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Zinc Oxide at #3
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #8
- −3 Hydrogenated Polyisobutene at #12, heavy oil
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Glycine Soja Oil at #35, moderate comedogenic signal
- −1 Palmitic Acid at #21, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
53
- +100 Starting score
- −27 3 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isoceteth-10, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
Low
65
- +100 Starting score
- −15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #2, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −15 Zinc Oxide at #3, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- −5 Both minerals present, heavier deposit
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 5 Zinc Oxide at #3, mild sebum absorbent
- → 1 Glycerin at #14, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Ectoin)
- → 3 3 emollient lipids (Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Caprylyl Methicone)
- → 6 4 emollient lipids (Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, …)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate)
- ← 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
- ← 15 High mineral load at #3 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →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.
- ✨ Niacinamide
Full ingredient list (47)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / → shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
-
1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 36 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 41 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light ← 5 mild sebum absorbent
- pills ← 15 High mineral load greys under foundation
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 26.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
10 Niacinamide
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 3 heavy oil
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
14 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Polysilicone-15), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 7.2 UV protection
-
18 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
19 Undecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
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22 Tridecane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
26 Ectoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
27 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
29 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
32 Isoceteth-10
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
37 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
44 Hydroxide K
pH adjuster
-
45 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Botanical extract
Does Cosmed Sun Essential Ultrasense leave a white cast?
Yes, it is rated high for white cast, so it can leave a more noticeable film, due to its Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide content. The finish is balanced and the weight is medium.
Is the Cosmed Sun Essential - Ultrasense Cream Gel SPF 50+ mineral or chemical?
It combines mineral and modern chemical filters, including Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, and Ethylhexyl Triazone. That mix supports broad-spectrum coverage.
Is Cosmed Ultrasense SPF 50 any good?
Yes, it scores 85.7/100 with excellent protection, making it a strong performer for those who do not mind a more visible cast. Sting and breakout risk are both low.