Nivea Sun UV Face Soothing Sensitive Cream Spf50+
83/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Nivea Sun UV Face Soothing Sensitive Cream SPF50+ is a chemical face sunscreen using a hybrid lineup of modern triazine filters (Tinosorb S, Uvinul T 150) alongside avobenzone and homosalate for excellent broad-spectrum protection. It wears matte with low white cast, stays lightweight, and rates excellent as a makeup base. With a low breakout-trigger score it is generally suited to sensitive and combination skin. A strong all-rounder at 83 out of 100.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
100
- +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
- +45.6 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #7, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +17.6 Ethylhexyl Triazone at #8, UV filter
- +11.2 Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid at #10, UV filter
- +21.6 Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate at #13, UV filter (UVA1 +13.2)
- −33.5 UVB coverage saturated
- −12 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
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- −7 Isopropyl Palmitate at #9, heavy comedogenic ester
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Fungal acne
Low
77
- +100 Starting score
- −23 2 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Isopropyl Palmitate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate)
👕
Fabric stains
Medium
40
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Uvinul A Plus (DHHB) at #13, oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
💧
Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 22 Volatile alcohol at #3
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Tapioca Starch)
- → 1 Glycerin at #17, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Tapioca Starch)
- ← 5 Volatile alcohol at #3
- → 2 1 slippy emollient esters (Isopropyl Palmitate)
💄
Makeup base
Excellent
PillsPrimer
- → 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 (29)
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
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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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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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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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 7 heavy comedogenic ester
- 2 → dewy slippy emollient ester
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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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
-
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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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Uvinul A Plus), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 21.6 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 15 oil-soluble UVA filter, fabric stains
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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
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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17 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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21 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
22 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
pH adjuster
-
26 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
Does Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive Cream SPF50+ leave a white cast?
No, it rates low for white cast and wears matte. The chemical filter blend should disappear into most skin tones.
Can I wear makeup over this Nivea sunscreen?
Yes, it rates excellent as a makeup base and wears matte, so it should sit well under foundation. Its low breakout-trigger rating is generally friendly to combination and sensitive skin.
Is Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive Cream SPF50+ good?
Yes, it scores 83 out of 100 with excellent broad-spectrum protection from a modern hybrid filter set. It is a strong all-round face sunscreen.