Nivea Daily Protection Sun Lotion SPF 33 Pa +++
72/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Nivea Daily Protection Sun Lotion SPF 33 PA+++ is a chemical sunscreen on an older filter base of octocrylene, phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid and avobenzone with a bit of titanium dioxide. It has a balanced finish, a low white cast and a lightweight feel, with some chance of stinging near the eyes, and it works well under makeup. Scoring 72 out of 100 with good protection, it is a dependable daily lotion for face and body.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
75
- +16 Octocrylene at #2, UV filter
- +14 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #18, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- −3.6 UVB coverage saturated
- −1.5 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 33, PA rating)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10 Propylparaben at #21, endocrine-scrutinized preservative
🤧
Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −12 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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White cast
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #18
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #15
- +0.6 Coated minerals (Alumina)
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Eye sting
Medium
43
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −7 Ensulizole at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 Volatile alcohol at #10
- −8 Fragrance
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Heavy feel
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #18
- +0.5 Volatile silicone at #7, flashes off
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Fungal acne
Medium
75
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Trideceth-9)
- −2 1 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
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Fabric stains
High
28
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #2, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #18, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #10
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Distarch Phosphate)
- ← 5 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Glyceryl Glucoside)
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Distarch Phosphate)
- ← 4 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 1 Volatile alcohol at #10
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 5 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 2 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #10), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate)
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (37)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 14 UV protection
- ↑ 7 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
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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
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6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 5 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 4 volatile carrier, flashes off
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
pH adjuster
-
14 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Colorant or pigment
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 19.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
20 Ethylparaben
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
- ↓ 10 endocrine-scrutinized preservative
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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24 Alumina
Supporting ingredient
-
25 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
27 Ubiquinone
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
29 Citric Acid
pH adjuster
-
Botanical extract
-
31 Benzoic Acid
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
32 Trideceth-9
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Botanical extract
-
Botanical extract
-
35 Yellow 6
Colorant or pigment
-
36 FD&C Red 40
Colorant or pigment
-
37 Fragrance
Fragrance
Does the Nivea Daily Protection Sun Lotion leave a white cast?
No, it has a low white cast with a balanced, lightweight finish. It works well under makeup, though it may sting if it reaches the eyes.
Is the Nivea Daily Protection Sun Lotion SPF 33 Pa +++ mineral or chemical?
It is mainly chemical, built on an older filter base of octocrylene, phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid and avobenzone with a little titanium dioxide.
Is it a good sunscreen?
It scores 72 out of 100 with good protection at SPF 33, making it a dependable daily lotion for face and body.