Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face & Body Dry Touch Sunscreen Lotion Spf 50
57/100 overall score
Sign in to see this product's score for your skin.
About this sunscreen
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face & Body Dry Touch Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen using an older filter blend of Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3. It has a balanced, lightweight finish with a low white cast, but it has a high chance of stinging the eyes, so care is needed near the face. It is generally acne-friendly and works okay under makeup. Protection is good, while the dated filters keep the score at 57.4/100.
Ingredient & SPF scores
βοΈ
UV protection
Good
66
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #5, UV filter
- β8.9 UVB coverage saturated
- β6.2 UVA2 coverage saturated
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
β’οΈ
Health safety
Low
2
- +100 Starting score
- β70 Oxybenzone at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β14 Homosalate at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
π€§
Allergens
Low
61
- +100 Starting score
- β18 Fragrance
- β1 1 declared fragrance allergens
- β11 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- β9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
π₯
Eye sting
High
24
- +100 Starting score
- β24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β11 Oxybenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β8 Fragrance
πͺ¨
Heavy feel
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- β12 Cera Alba at #7, wax film
π
Fungal acne
Medium
73
- +100 Starting score
- β27 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Trideceth-6)
π
Fabric stains
High
5
- +100 Starting score
- β50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β20 Oxybenzone at #5, yellow stains on white cotton
- β15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
π§
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 1.5 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Behenyl Alcohol)
β¨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 1 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- β 1 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Caprylyl Methicone)
- β 1 1 slippy emollient esters (Ethylhexyl Stearate)
π
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 8 1 velvet elastomer fillers, blur and grip
- β 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Sodium Polyacrylate)
- β 4 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
π
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +13 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +7 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (30)
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.
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 8 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- β 20.9 UV protection
- β 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 13 film former
-
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- β 12 wax film
- β 7 wax water lock
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
10 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
16 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 1 β dewy slippy emollient ester
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
21 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
26 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light β 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte β 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
28 Trideceth-6
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
29 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
30 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
Does Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sting the eyes?
It has a high chance of stinging, so take care when applying near the eyes and keep it away from the eye area.
Is the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face & Body Dry Touch Sunscreen Lotion Spf 50 mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen, using an older filter blend of Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene and Benzophenone-3.
Does it leave a white cast?
No. It has a low white cast and a balanced, lightweight finish.