Nivea Sun Ultra Sport Cooling SPF 50+ Sunscreen Spray
71/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Nivea Sun Ultra Sport Cooling SPF 50+ is a sprayable hybrid sunscreen using homosalate, avobenzone, octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, and Tinosorb S. It is lightweight with low white cast, a balanced finish, and a low pore-clogging profile, and it works okay under makeup. The filters can be irritating near the eyes, so it rates high on sting and should be kept away from the eye area. With excellent protection and a 71.2 score, it is a practical sport and reapplication spray.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
88
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #2, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #5, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- −16.7 UVB coverage saturated
- −8.3 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
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Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #2, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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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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Eye sting
High
19
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −8 Fragrance
- −12 Cooling agents (Menthol, Menthyl Lactate)
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Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-40 Stearate)
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Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #2, 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
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- → 1 Glycerin at #15, the anchor humectant
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 7 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 2 Occlusives/waxes float the foundation
🌊
Water resistance
Resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +4 1 water-locking waxes
- +12 Label claims water resistance (sport / 40-80 min)
Full ingredient list (23)
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
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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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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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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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
7 BHT
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 → dewy emollient lipid
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Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- ↑ 6 wax film
- ↑ 4 wax water lock
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
14 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
15 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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16 Menthol
Supporting ingredient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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pH adjuster
-
23 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
Will Nivea Sun Ultra Sport spray sting my eyes?
It scores high on stinging, which is common for spray sunscreens with filters like avobenzone and octocrylene. Keep it away from the eye area and avoid spraying directly onto the face.
Is the Nivea Sun Ultra Sport Cooling SPF 50+ Sunscreen Spray good for sports and sweat?
It is designed for active use as a cooling sport spray with excellent measured protection. It is lightweight with a balanced finish, though its high sting rating means careful application around the eyes.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid leaning chemical, using homosalate, avobenzone, octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, and Tinosorb S. The modern filter Tinosorb S adds broad-spectrum support.