Neutrogena ® Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Face Lotion Sunscreen SPF50 Pa++++
76/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Face Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ is a hybrid lotion built on Homosalate, Octocrylene, and Avobenzone alongside modern filters Tinosorb M and Ethylhexyl Triazone. It has a balanced, dry-touch finish, stays lightweight, and leaves a low white cast, though it may sting somewhat near the eyes. It is low on the pore-clogging scale with okay makeup compatibility. Protection rates excellent and the overall score is 76.3/100, a reliable everyday face lotion.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #5, UV filter
- +45.6 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +17.1)
- +20.9 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #7, UV filter
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #19, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- +9.9 Titanium Dioxide at #23, UV filter (UVA1 +1.5)
- −51.3 UVB coverage saturated
- −19.6 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
85
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Titanium Dioxide at #23 (nano)
- −12 Tinosorb M at #6, may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
39
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
🍄
Fungal acne
Medium
64
- +100 Starting score
- −36 4 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Ceteth-20)
👕
Fabric stains
High
28
- +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 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #23, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 4.5 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- → 4 Glycerin at #8, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 4 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica)
- ← 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Diisopropyl Adipate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (33)
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
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 12 may look bluish-grey on deeper skin tones
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
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8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
18 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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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)
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 9.9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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24 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
-
27 Ceteth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
28 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
29 Steareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
pH adjuster
Does Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch leave a white cast?
No, it is rated low for white cast and dries to a balanced, dry-touch finish. As a hybrid formula it has no mineral residue.
Is the Neutrogena ® Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Face Lotion Sunscreen SPF50 Pa++++ mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid sunscreen, built on Homosalate, Octocrylene, and Avobenzone alongside modern filters Tinosorb M and Ethylhexyl Triazone.
Is it good for oily skin, and does it sting?
The dry-touch finish and low pore-clogging rating suit oily skin well. It carries a medium sting rating, so take care near the eyes. It scores 76.3/100 with an excellent protection rating.