Garnier Ambre Solaire Ambre Solaire Sensitive Sun Gel Cream SPF50+
79/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Sun Gel Cream is an SPF 50+ chemical sunscreen using a hybrid blend of modern filters including Ethylhexyl Triazone and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine alongside classic ones. It keeps white cast low, finishes matte, and stays lightweight, with a low tendency to clog pores, though it carries a medium chance of stinging. With a strong 79/100 and excellent protection, it is a capable high-SPF pick for daily wear, best patch-tested by those prone to eye-area irritation.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
92
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +20.9 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #5, UV filter
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #8, UV filter
- +12 Drometrizole Trisiloxane at #31, UV filter (UVA1 +4.2)
- −39.2 UVB coverage saturated
- −11 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #8, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
55
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Volatile alcohol at #10
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
73
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Lecithin)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Oleate, PEG-8 Laurate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
20
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #8, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Mexoryl XL at #31, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #10
- ← 4.5 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Oxidized Starch Acetate, Perlite)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Sodium Hyaluronate at #24, hyaluronic family
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 3 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Perlite, Oxidized Starch Acetate)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 1 Volatile alcohol at #10
- ← 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Ether)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #10), fast, even canvas
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +6 2 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (36)
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
11 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
15 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
16 Perlite
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
17 Dimethiconol
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
18 Ci 42090
Colorant or pigment
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
20 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
21 Lecithin
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
pH adjuster
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Mexoryl XL), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
33 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
Does Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Sun Gel Cream sting the eyes?
Its stinging tendency is rated medium, so some people may feel mild irritation near the eyes. Patch-testing first is sensible if your eye area is easily irritated.
Is the Garnier Ambre Solaire Ambre Solaire Sensitive Sun Gel Cream SPF50+ mineral or chemical, and what SPF?
It is a chemical sunscreen using a hybrid blend of modern and classic filters, rated SPF 50+. So it is not a mineral formula despite the sensitive positioning.
Is this a good high-SPF sunscreen?
With a score of 79 out of 100 and excellent protection, it is a capable high-SPF pick, staying lightweight and matte with low white cast and a low tendency to clog pores. The medium stinging rating is the main thing to watch.