Garnier Ambre Solaire High SPF 50
68/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Garnier Ambre Solaire High SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen pairing Octocrylene and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane with the modern filter Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid and some Titanium Dioxide. It has a balanced finish, stays lightweight, and shows low white cast, with low stinging and low pore-clogging ratings. That makes it a generally easy daily pick for most skin types. With good rated protection and a score of 68.0/100, it is a solid everyday option without standing out.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
73
- +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #9, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +8.4 Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid at #24, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- −9 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Low
27
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #9, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −40 Isobutylparaben at #23, EU-banned paraben
- −12 Butylparaben at #29, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- −10 Propylparaben at #22, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- +22 Shelf-chemistry block capped
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −35 Titanium Dioxide at #5
- +2.4 Coated minerals (Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Low
70
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #9, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
87
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Titanium Dioxide at #5
- −2 Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit at #27, butter/occlusive fat
- +4.5 Volatile silicone at #7, flashes off
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Glycine Soja Oil at #32, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
59
- +100 Starting score
- −18 2 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Glycine Soja Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- −5 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
27
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #9, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #5, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 16 Glycerin at #3, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 2 2 emollient lipids (Glycine Soja Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 6 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 8 3 emollient lipids (Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit, Glycine Soja Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 1 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 3.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 6 High mineral load at #5 greys under foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for 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.
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (32)
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 (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
3 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing humectant polyol
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide)
- ↑ 31.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- pills ← 6 High mineral load greys under foundation
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Supporting ingredient
-
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
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
12 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 5 minor malassezia feeder
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
14 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
17 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
20 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
21 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 40 EU-banned paraben
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Mexoryl SX), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 8.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Botanical extract
- ↑ 2 butter/occlusive fat
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
29 Butylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 12 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
Is Garnier Ambre Solaire High SPF 50 mineral or chemical?
It is mainly a chemical sunscreen, using Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, and the modern filter Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, with some Titanium Dioxide.
Does the Garnier Ambre Solaire High SPF 50 leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast. It has a balanced finish and stays lightweight, so it is generally easy to wear.
Is it good?
It scores 68.0/100, which is solid if unremarkable. Protection is rated good, and it is rated low for both stinging and pore-clogging.