Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Protect
72/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Protect is a chemical (hybrid) sunscreen built on a broad filter mix including Homosalate, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Drometrizole Trisiloxane and Ethylhexyl Triazone. It has a matte finish, leaves little white cast, feels lightweight and works well as a makeup base, with low pore-clogging risk. The exact SPF is not listed here, but protection is rated good. It scores about 72 out of 100 and suits oily skin that wants a dry, matte feel.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
79
- +12 Homosalate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #5, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #6, UV filter
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +32 Drometrizole Trisiloxane at #10, UV filter (UVA1 +11.2)
- +6.6 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #23, UV filter
- −15.2 UVB coverage saturated
- −3.2 UVA2 coverage saturated
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #8, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
64
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −15 7 declared fragrance allergens
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 6 declared fragrance allergens
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Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, PEG-8 Laurate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
27
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #8, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Mexoryl XL at #10, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 6 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Nylon-12)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 5 3 sebum-absorbing powders (Nylon-12, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Ether)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (39)
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.
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1 Butane
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
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2 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
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 7 film former
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Mexoryl XL), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 32 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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12 Nylon-12
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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18 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
20 Dodecene
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.6 UV protection
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Supporting ingredient
-
26 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
29 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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30 Isododecane
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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35 Citral
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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36 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
38 Coumarin
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
39 Fragrance
Fragrance
Is Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Protect good under makeup?
Yes. It has a matte finish, leaves little white cast and is rated as a good makeup base, so it commonly layers well under foundation.
Is the Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Protect mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical (hybrid) sunscreen using filters such as Homosalate, Octocrylene and Ethylhexyl Triazone, with no mineral filters.
Is Garnier Ambre Solaire Dry Protect good for oily skin?
It generally suits oily skin thanks to its dry, matte finish and low pore-clogging rating. Protection is rated good and it scores about 72 out of 100.