Galénic Aqua Urban Invisible Shield SPF30
75/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Galenic Aqua Urban Invisible Shield is an SPF 30 daily sunscreen with a hybrid filter system pairing Titanium Dioxide with chemical filters including Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Octocrylene and Avobenzone. It wears with a balanced finish, a low white cast and a lightweight feel, and is a good makeup base with a low pore-clogging profile. Protection is excellent; the score of 75.4 reflects a well-rounded, invisible-wearing urban daily sunscreen.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
82
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #7, UV filter
- +26.4 Titanium Dioxide at #8, UV filter (UVA1 +4)
- +24 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #11, UV filter (UVA1 +12.8)
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #14, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- −11.2 UVB coverage saturated
- −10.2 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #3 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #11, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
67
- +100 Starting score
- −18 Fragrance
- −3 1 declared fragrance allergens
- −9 Opaque "Fragrance", hidden allergens that can't be checked from the label
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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White cast
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- −7.5 Titanium Dioxide at #8 (nano)
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #27
- +4.8 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
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Eye sting
Medium
53
- +100 Starting score
- −8 Avobenzone at #11, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −6 Octisalate at #7, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −1 Volatile alcohol at #13
- −8 Fragrance
- −2 1 declared fragrance allergens
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Fungal acne
Low
86
- +100 Starting score
- −14 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate)
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Fabric stains
High
0
- +100 Starting score
- −38 Avobenzone at #11, 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
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #22, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −5 Titanium Dioxide at #8, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- +8 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
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Moisture
Light
LightNourishing
- ← 2 Volatile alcohol at #13
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- → 1 Glycerin at #15, the anchor humectant
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 6 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate)
- ← 0.5 Volatile alcohol at #13
- ← 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Dicaprylyl Carbonate)
- → 9 1 emollient lipids (C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Good
PillsPrimer
- → 3 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 6 2 soft-focus powders in moderation
- → 5 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
🌊
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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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 9 → dewy emollient lipid
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 16 UV protection
- ↑ 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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4 PEG-8
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- ↑ 7.6 UV protection
- ↑ 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 26.4 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 5 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
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10 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 24 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 8 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 38 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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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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13 Alcohol
Volatile alcohol, a drying solvent that can sting eyes
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Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
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15 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 1 → nourishing the anchor humectant
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Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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17 Benzoic Acid
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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20 Fragrance
Fragrance
-
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
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22 Iron Oxides
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
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23 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Botanical extract
-
Colorant or pigment
-
28 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
Does the Galénic Aqua Urban Invisible Shield SPF30 leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low, in line with its invisible-shield positioning. It wears with a balanced finish and a lightweight feel.
What SPF is the Galénic Aqua Urban Invisible Shield SPF30?
It is SPF 30 with excellent protection, suited to daily urban use.
Is it mineral or chemical?
It is a hybrid, pairing Titanium Dioxide with chemical filters including Tinosorb S, Octocrylene and Avobenzone.