Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive Skin SPF 50 UVA UVB Sunscreen
80/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive Skin SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen with a hybrid blend including Ethylhexyl Triazone and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine for excellent broad-spectrum protection. It dries to a matte finish, wears lightweight, and keeps white cast low, making it an excellent makeup base. It is generally low risk for breakouts but may sting a little in heavy sweat. Scoring 80/100, it is a strong daily face SPF for most skin types.
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
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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
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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
Is the Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive Skin SPF 50 UVA UVB Sunscreen mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen. The hybrid blend includes Ethylhexyl Triazone and Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine for broad-spectrum SPF 50 coverage.
Is the Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive Skin SPF 50 UVA UVB Sunscreen good for oily skin?
Yes, it dries to a matte finish and is generally low risk for clogging pores, so it works well for oily and combination skin.
Does it work under makeup?
Yes, it is rated excellent as a makeup base. The matte finish and low white cast make it a smooth primer step under foundation.