Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock Spf 50+
58/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+ is a chemical sunscreen using older-generation filters including Homosalate, Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene, and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane. It has a balanced, dry-touch finish with low white cast and a lightweight feel, though its sting risk is rated high, so caution near the eyes is sensible. Protection is rated good. The 57.6/100 score reflects the older filter set rather than the wear, making it a middling overall pick.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
65
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +22 Benzophenone-3 at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #5, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- β9 UVB coverage saturated
- β6.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- β70 Oxybenzone at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #6, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- β10 Propylparaben at #28, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
- +8 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
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Allergens
Low
61
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- β9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
π₯
Eye sting
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Avobenzone at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β16 Oxybenzone at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
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Heavy feel
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- β6 Cera Alba at #10, wax film
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Fungal acne
Medium
63
- +100 Starting score
- β37 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Trideceth-6)
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Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- β45 Avobenzone at #6, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β20 Oxybenzone at #3, yellow stains on white cotton
- β15 Octocrylene at #5, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 6 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Stearate)
π
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Polyacrylate)
- β 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
π
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +10 2 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +4 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (33)
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.
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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
- β 12 UV protection
- β 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 22 UV protection
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 20 yellow stains on white cotton
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- β 7.6 UV protection
- β 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- β 15.2 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- β 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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7 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 6 sebum-absorbing powder
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 7 film former
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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10 Cera Alba
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- β 6 wax film
- β 4 wax water lock
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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13 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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20 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 3 film former
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 β dewy slippy emollient ester
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25 Fragrance
Fragrance
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- β 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
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29 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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31 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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32 Trideceth-6
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
Does the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock Spf 50+ sting the eyes?
Sting risk is rated high, so it may not be the best choice right around the eyes. Keep it away from the immediate eye area and consider a lower-sting option for that zone.
Is the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock Spf 50+ mineral or chemical?
It is a fully chemical sunscreen using older-generation filters including Homosalate, Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene, and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane.
What SPF is it?
It is SPF 50+. Protection is rated good, though the overall score of 57.6/100 reflects the older filter set.