Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Expert SPF 50+
73/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Garnier's Ambre Solaire Sensitive Expert SPF 50+ is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid blend that combines classic filters like avobenzone, homosalate and octocrylene with newer Uvinul T 150 and Tinosorb S. It wears balanced with low white cast and a low pore-clogging profile, sitting okay under makeup. At 73 out of 100 with excellent protection, it is a capable high-SPF everyday option aimed at sensitive skin, with the older filters in the mix keeping the overall score in the middle range.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
89
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #7, UV filter
- +17.6 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #10, UV filter
- +38.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #11, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +8.4 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #16, UV filter
- +12 Drometrizole Trisiloxane at #25, UV filter (UVA1 +4.2)
- −43 UVB coverage saturated
- −9.5 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 #7, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
43
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Ensulizole at #16, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −10 Volatile alcohol at #6
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
68
- +100 Starting score
- −32 Isopropyl Palmitate at #3, heavy comedogenic ester
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Palmitate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
20
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #7, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Mexoryl XL at #25, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 13 Volatile alcohol at #6
- ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Oxidized Starch Acetate, Talc)
- → 4 Glycerin at #8, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Talc, Oxidized Starch Acetate)
- ← 3 Volatile alcohol at #6
- → 6 1 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Palmitate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 6 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #6), fast, even canvas
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer)
- ← 3 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (30)
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 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
- ↑ 32 heavy comedogenic ester
- 6 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 36 feeds malassezia
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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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
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
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
-
8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 17.6 UV protection
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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pH adjuster
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
14 Talc
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 8.4 UV protection
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
-
19 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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24 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
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
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Is Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Expert mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid blend, combining classic filters with newer ones for SPF 50+ coverage aimed at sensitive skin.
Does the Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Expert SPF 50+ leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. It wears balanced with a low pore-clogging profile and sits okay under makeup.
Is it a good sunscreen?
It scores 73 out of 100 with excellent protection. It is a capable high-SPF everyday option, with the older filters in the mix keeping the overall score mid-range.