Neutrogena Ultra Sheer® Water-Light® Daily Face Sunscreen Spf 60
58/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Water-Light Daily Face Sunscreen is an SPF 60 formula with older chemical filters: homosalate, octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, benzophenone-3 and avobenzone. It is lightweight with a balanced finish and low white cast. Pore-clogging risk is low, but it tends to sting, so it may not suit sensitive eyes. Protection is good, though the dated filter set and lower overall score temper its standing.
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 60)
☢️
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 #29, disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
- +5 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
🤧
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)
🔥
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
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- −18 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Steareth-100, Steareth-2)
👕
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
💧
Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Polymethyl Methacrylate)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Polymethyl Methacrylate, Silica)
- ← 1 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 3 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
🌊
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.
- ✨ Vitamin C
- ✨ Bisabolol
Full ingredient list (36)
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.
-
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
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 13 film former
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
8 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Botanical extract
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 1 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Filter booster, photostabilizes the UV filters or lifts their SPF
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
20 Mannan
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Supporting ingredient
-
23 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
26 Polyester-7
Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Botanical extract
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↓ 7 disputed vitamin-A sunlight signal, under review
-
30 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
31 Steareth-100
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
32 Steareth-2
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
35 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
36 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
What SPF is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Water-Light?
It is SPF 60, giving good protection, though the dated filter set and lower overall score temper its standing.
Does the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer® Water-Light® Daily Face Sunscreen Spf 60 sting the eyes?
It tends to sting, so it may not suit sensitive eyes. White cast is low and the finish is balanced.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is chemical, using older filters: homosalate, octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, benzophenone-3 and avobenzone.