Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 30
49/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 is a chemical sunscreen on an older filter set of avobenzone, homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate and octocrylene. It wears lightweight with a balanced finish, low white cast, and does not commonly sting, fitting its gentle daily positioning. Protection is rated weak and the overall score is 49.0/100, so it suits light everyday wear rather than intense sun exposure, and works as an okay base under makeup.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Weak
13
- +9 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #27, UV filter (UVA1 +4.8)
- +3.6 Homosalate at #28, UV filter
- +2.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #29, UV filter
- +4.8 Octocrylene at #30, UV filter
- Γ0.6 Almost no UVA1, poor aging protection
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #28 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #30, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #27, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
π€§
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
π₯
Eye sting
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- β3 Avobenzone at #27, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β2 Octocrylene at #30, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β1 Homosalate at #28, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β1 Octisalate at #29, migrates into eyes with sweat
π
Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- β32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Steareth-100, Steareth-2, Trideceth-6)
π
Fabric stains
Medium
47
- +100 Starting score
- β28 Avobenzone at #27, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #30, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
π§
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- β 9.5 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 11 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- β 6 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
- β 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Stearate)
π
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- β 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Polyacrylate)
- β 8 Powder overload over a film former, some pilling risk
π
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +19 3 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.
- β¨ Centella asiatica
- β¨ Bisabolol
Full ingredient list (56)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β 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 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 8 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 10 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 13 film former
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 β dewy emollient lipid
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
11 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
12 Steareth-100
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
-
13 Steareth-2
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
14 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
15 Mannan
Supporting ingredient
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 β dewy slippy emollient ester
-
18 Trideceth-6
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
20 Polyester-7
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 3 film former
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 3 film former
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
24 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 28 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
28 Homosalate
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 3.6 UV protection
- β 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 2.4 UV protection
- β 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
30 Octocrylene
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- β 4.8 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
31 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
32 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
38 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
41 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
42 Steareth-100
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
43 Steareth-2
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
44 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
45 Mannan
Supporting ingredient
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
48 Trideceth-6
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
50 Polyester-7
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
54 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
Is Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 good for sensitive skin?
It is positioned as a gentle daily moisturizer and does not commonly sting, with a lightweight, balanced finish and low white cast. Bear in mind its protection is rated weak.
Is Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen. It uses an older filter set of avobenzone, homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate and octocrylene.
Is Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 a good sunscreen?
It scores 49.0/100 with protection rated weak, so it suits light everyday wear rather than intense sun exposure. It does work as an okay base under makeup.