Neutrogena Ultra Sheer® Liquid Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Spf 70
58/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid is a chemical broad-spectrum SPF 70 with Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Benzophenone-3, and Avobenzone. The liquid texture wears with a balanced finish, low white cast, and a lightweight feel, with a low breakout-trigger reading suiting most skin. It can sting if it reaches the eyes, so care near the eye area is commonly advised. Protection is rated good, while the score of 57.8 places it as a capable but unremarkable daily sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
65
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +20.9 Benzophenone-3 at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- −9.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −5.7 UVA2 coverage saturated
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 70)
☢️
Health safety
Low
0
- +100 Starting score
- −70 Oxybenzone at #4 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −14 Homosalate at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- +0 2 endocrine-scrutinized filters together
- −7 Retinyl Palmitate at #35, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
- +5 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
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Allergens
Low
61
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −9 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Benzophenone-3, Octocrylene)
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Eye sting
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −11 Oxybenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
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Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Steareth-100, Steareth-2)
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Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −20 Oxybenzone at #4, yellow stains on white cotton
- −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 6.5 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethyl Methacrylate)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 7 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethyl Methacrylate)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 3 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
🌊
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +13 3 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Full ingredient list (35)
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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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↓ 14 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
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 (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Oxybenzone)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
- ↑ 11 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 20 yellow stains on white cotton
-
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
-
6 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
7 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 6 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 7 film former
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
12 Steareth-100
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
16 Steareth-2
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
18 Polyester-7
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
21 Bisabolol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
23 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
26 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
27 Mannan
Supporting ingredient
-
28 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Botanical extract
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
Does the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer® Liquid Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Spf 70 leave a white cast?
No, white cast is low. The liquid SPF 70 texture has a balanced, lightweight finish that generally blends clear on most skin tones.
Will the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer® Liquid Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Spf 70 sting my eyes?
It can. It rates high for sweat and eye sting, so applying carefully away from the eye area is commonly advised.
Is it good?
It scores 57.8 out of 100 with good protection, making it a capable but unremarkable daily sunscreen.