Nivea Sun UV Face Soothing Sensitive Sun Cream SPF 50
80/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Nivea Sun UV Face Soothing Sensitive Sun Cream SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid filter set spanning Homosalate, Avobenzone, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone and Tinosorb S. It wears lightweight with a matte finish and keeps white cast low, though it may sting slightly so keep it clear of the eyes. It is generally low in pore-clogging risk and works excellently under makeup. Protection is excellent and the overall score is 80/100.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
85
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #5, UV filter
- +20.9 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #7, UV filter
- +38.4 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +11.2 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #10, UV filter
- −34.1 UVB coverage saturated
- −1.5 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
44
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −2 Ensulizole at #10, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −18 Volatile alcohol at #3
- −5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
55
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 22 Volatile alcohol at #3
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Tapioca Starch)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 1 Glycerin at #16, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Tapioca Starch)
- ← 2 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #3
💄
Makeup base
Excellent
PillsPrimer
- → 2 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 10 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #3), fast, even canvas
- → 6 2 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, 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 (28)
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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Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
- ↑ 5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
-
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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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150)
- ↑ 20.9 UV protection
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 38.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Volatile silicone, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 2 volatile carrier, flashes off
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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 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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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
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
16 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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20 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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21 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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pH adjuster
-
25 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
Does Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive SPF 50 leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. The hybrid filter set generally absorbs to a matte finish.
Does the Nivea Sun UV Face Soothing Sensitive Sun Cream SPF 50 work under makeup?
Yes, its makeup compatibility is rated excellent and the finish is matte, so it generally makes a good base under foundation. It may sting slightly, so keep it clear of the eyes.
Is it mineral or chemical, and what SPF?
It is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid filter set including Avobenzone, Ethylhexyl Triazone and Tinosorb S. It is rated SPF 50.