Nivea Sun UV Face BB Cream SPF 50+
74/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Nivea Sun UV Face BB Cream SPF 50+ is a chemical-leaning hybrid using avobenzone, ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, Tinosorb S, Uvinul T 150, and Ensulizole. It wears as a lightweight, matte tinted base with low white cast and layers well under makeup, with low pore-clogging risk, but it can sting if it gets into the eyes. Scoring 74.4 with excellent rated protection, it is a strong daily face option for those who like a tinted matte finish.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
88
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #3, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +11.4 Homosalate at #5, UV filter
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +17.6 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #8, UV filter
- +8.4 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #14, UV filter
- −30.1 UVB coverage saturated
- −4.3 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
57
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
69
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −13 7 declared fragrance allergens
👻
White cast
Low
99
- +100 Starting score
- −5 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #6
- +3.5 Tinted formula, pigment masks the cast
🔥
Eye sting
High
24
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Homosalate at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Ensulizole at #14, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −18 Volatile alcohol at #2
- −5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
- −8 Fragrance
- −8 5 declared fragrance allergens
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
👕
Fabric stains
High
10
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #3, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #36, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 22 Volatile alcohol at #2
- ← 4.5 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Distarch Phosphate)
- → 4 Glycerin at #9, the anchor humectant
- → 0.5 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 4 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Distarch Phosphate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate)
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #2
💄
Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 10 Quick-setting carrier (alcohol at #2), fast, even canvas
- → 3 1 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 (38)
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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Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
- ↑ 5 Alcohol high up speeds filter migration
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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 (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate)
- ↑ 11.4 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Colorant or pigment
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S)
- ↑ 45.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul T 150), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 17.6 UV protection
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9 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
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Legacy UV filter (Ensulizole), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 8.4 UV protection
- ↑ 1 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
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20 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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21 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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23 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
pH adjuster
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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28 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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29 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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32 Geraniol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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33 Citronellol
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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34 Coumarin
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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35 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
36 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
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37 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
-
38 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
Does Nivea Sun UV Face BB Cream SPF 50+ leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low and the finish is matte. It is a hybrid leaning chemical formula with filters like avobenzone, Tinosorb S, and Uvinul T 150.
Does the Nivea Sun UV Face BB Cream SPF 50+ work under makeup?
Yes, it layers well as a makeup base, sets matte, and stays lightweight, with low pore-clogging risk.
Does it sting the eyes?
Its sting risk is rated high, so take care around the eye area as it may cause stinging if it migrates.