Nivea Protect & Light Feeling Spf 50
73/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Nivea Protect & Light Feeling is an SPF 50 hybrid sunscreen combining homosalate, octocrylene, and avobenzone with the modern filter Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine. It is lightweight with a matte finish and low white cast, and it works well as a base under makeup, though it carries a high chance of stinging if it reaches the eyes. It is generally low risk for clogging pores. With excellent protection and a score of 73.3, it is a capable everyday choice for those who do not mind the sting risk near the eyes.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
87
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #6, UV filter
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +11.2 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #10, UV filter
- −27.9 UVB coverage saturated
- −7.6 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #5, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
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)
🔥
Eye sting
High
27
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Ensulizole at #10, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −10 Volatile alcohol at #4
- −8 Fragrance
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Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #5, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 13 Volatile alcohol at #4
- ← 4.5 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Tapioca Starch)
- → 4 Glycerin at #11, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 4 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Tapioca Starch, Silica Dimethyl Silylate)
- ← 3 Volatile alcohol at #4
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 6 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #4), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Full ingredient list (26)
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
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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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
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4 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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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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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 11.2 UV protection
- ↑ 2 migrates into eyes with sweat
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11 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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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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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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15 Fragrance
Fragrance
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Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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17 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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19 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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pH adjuster
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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26 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
Does Nivea Protect & Light Feeling SPF 50 leave a white cast?
No, it rates low on white cast and has a matte finish, so it blends in cleanly and works well under makeup.
Does the Nivea Protect & Light Feeling Spf 50 sting the eyes?
It carries a high chance of stinging if it reaches the eyes, so apply it carefully and keep it away from the eye area.
Is Nivea Protect & Light Feeling SPF 50 good?
It scores 73.3 out of 100 with excellent protection. It is lightweight and matte with a good makeup base, a capable choice for those who do not mind the sting risk near the eyes.