Garnier Ambre Solaire Uv Ski Spf 50
83/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
Garnier Ambre Solaire UV Ski SPF 50 is a hybrid sunscreen pairing titanium dioxide with modern and classic chemical filters including bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine and avobenzone. It has a balanced finish with no visible white cast and a lightweight feel, though it can sting somewhat. Pore-clogging risk is low and it works well as a makeup base. Excellent protection and a strong score of 82.6/100 make it a dependable high-altitude and everyday choice.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
98
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #5, UV filter
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #9, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +38.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #11, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +12.8 Octocrylene at #12, UV filter
- +16.8 Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid at #16, UV filter (UVA1 +6)
- +13.2 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #18, UV filter
- +12 Drometrizole Trisiloxane at #28, UV filter (UVA1 +4.2)
- −31.6 UVB coverage saturated
- −29 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #12 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #9, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
83
- +100 Starting score
- −17.5 Titanium Dioxide at #7 (nano)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
56
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #9, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Octocrylene at #12, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −18 Volatile alcohol at #3
- −5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Titanium Dioxide at #7
- −2 Synthetic Wax at #17, wax film
- +7.2 Volatile alcohol at #3, evaporating texture
- +1.6 Volatile hydrocarbon at #4, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate)
- +0 Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil at #26, jojoba wax ester, fungal-acne exception (not penalized)
👕
Fabric stains
High
17
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #9, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #12, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Mexoryl XL at #28, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #7, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 22 Volatile alcohol at #3
- ← 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 Glycerin at #13, the anchor humectant
- → 1 Humectant polyols
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #3
- → 10 2 emollient lipids (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 12 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #3), fast, even canvas
- → 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate)
- ← 3 High mineral load at #7 greys under foundation (nano)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
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
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 9 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
- ↑ 5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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 ← 3 High mineral load greys under foundation (nano)
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
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
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
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)
-
12 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 12.8 UV protection
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
13 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Mexoryl SX), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 16.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 2 wax film
- ↑ 2 wax water lock
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 13.2 UV protection
-
19 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
20 Dodecene
Supporting ingredient
-
pH adjuster
-
22 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Supporting ingredient
-
24 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Botanical extract
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Supporting ingredient
-
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
-
Supporting ingredient
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
Is Ambre Solaire UV Ski mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid. It pairs the mineral filter titanium dioxide with modern and classic chemical filters, including bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine and avobenzone.
Does the Garnier Ambre Solaire Uv Ski Spf 50 work under makeup?
Yes. It works well as a makeup base, with a balanced finish, no visible white cast and a lightweight feel.
Is the Garnier Ambre Solaire Uv Ski Spf 50 good?
It scores 82.6/100, a strong result. With excellent SPF 50 protection it is dependable for high-altitude and everyday use, though it can sting somewhat.