Garnier BB Cream Spf 50
77/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Garnier BB Cream SPF 50 is a hybrid tinted sunscreen pairing mineral Titanium Dioxide with chemical filters including Octocrylene, Avobenzone (Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane), Drometrizole Trisiloxane and Ethylhexyl Triazone. It wears matte and lightweight, keeps white cast low, and works well as a makeup base, though it may sting slightly during sweat. Protection is excellent. With a score of 77.2/100 it is a strong tinted option for everyday face wear.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +31.4 Titanium Dioxide at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +6.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #8, UV filter
- +32 Drometrizole Trisiloxane at #11, UV filter (UVA1 +11.2)
- +13.2 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #14, UV filter
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #19, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- +8.4 Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid at #35, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- −35.2 UVB coverage saturated
- −30.7 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −9 5 declared fragrance allergens
- −3 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
89
- +100 Starting score
- −35 Titanium Dioxide at #5
- −5 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #12
- +28 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
- +0.8 Coated minerals (Aluminum Hydroxide)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
33
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Octisalate at #8, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −10 Volatile alcohol at #6
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 4 declared fragrance allergens
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Palmitic Acid at #27, moderate comedogenic signal
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
78
- +100 Starting score
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate)
- −4 2 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
0
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Mexoryl XL at #11, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #15, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −10 Titanium Dioxide at #5, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- +30 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 13 Volatile alcohol at #6
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- → 16 Glycerin at #2, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- ← 3 Volatile alcohol at #6
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Diisopropyl Sebacate)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 6 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #6), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer)
- ← 3.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
- ← 3 High mineral load at #5 greys under foundation (tinted)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (43)
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
-
2 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 16 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
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
-
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
-
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 (tinted)
-
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.4 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
10 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
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
-
Colorant or pigment
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 13.2 UV protection
-
15 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
16 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
-
17 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
18 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
21 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
25 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
pH adjuster
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
28 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
29 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
32 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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33 Tromethamine
pH adjuster
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
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)
-
36 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
40 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
43 Fragrance
Fragrance
Does Garnier BB Cream SPF 50 work under makeup?
It is rated good as a makeup base and is itself a tinted BB cream, so it doubles as light coverage. It wears matte and lightweight with low white cast.
Is the Garnier BB Cream Spf 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid tinted sunscreen, pairing mineral Titanium Dioxide with chemical filters like Octocrylene, Avobenzone and Drometrizole Trisiloxane. It blends both filter types.
Is it a good sunscreen?
It scores 77.2/100 with excellent protection. It is a strong tinted option for everyday face wear, though it may sting slightly during sweat.