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Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 ingredients: is it worth it?
This is a competent, old-school chemical sunscreen with decent UV coverage, but the fragrance and dated filter set keep it from being truly elegant.
This is a competent, old-school chemical sunscreen with decent UV coverage, but the fragrance and dated filter set keep it from being truly elegant.
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The efficacy score is driven by a full four-filter system that covers UVA and UVB, with avobenzone protected by octocrylene, but the formula loses points for relying on older filters rather than a more modern, photostable blend and for using fragrance in a leave-on sun product; overall, it should protect well when applied correctly, but it is not a standout formula.
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DemythSkin rates Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 3.9/5 for efficacy and 4.0/5 for safety.
CONTAINS COMMON SENSITISERS⌄
Fragrance components and essential oils that more often cause reactions in sensitive skin: Fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol. Most people tolerate them; patch test if your skin reacts easily.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER
Gold Standards
High clinical proof | Skin-transformativeReliable
Proven resultsPotent
Developing evidenceOverhyped | Marketing
Hype | Limited dataDocumented Irritants
Evidence-backed flagFORMULATION BASE (19)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (10%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (10%). Inactive Ingredients: Water, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Silica, Dimethicone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Benzyl Alcohol, Beeswax, Caprylyl Methicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Behenyl Alcohol, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Chlorphenesin, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Fragrance, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Trideceth-6, Jojoba Esters.
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (24)⌄
- Avobenzone
- UVA sunscreen filter
- Homosalate
- UVB sunscreen filter
- Octisalate
- UVB sunscreen filter
- Octocrylene
- UV filter stabilizer
- Water
- solvent base
- Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
- film former
- Silica
- oil-absorbing texture aid
- Dimethicone
- skin-smoothing emollient
- Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
- emulsifier
- Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- Beeswax
- texture structuring wax
- Caprylyl Methicone
- lightweight emollient
- Glyceryl Stearate
- emollient emulsifier
- PEG-100 Stearate
- emulsifier
- Cetyl Dimethicone
- slip and spread aid
- Caprylyl Glycol
- humectant preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- preservative booster
- Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
- oil-absorbing powder
- Behenyl Alcohol
- fatty alcohol thickener
- Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
- film former
- Xanthan Gum
- thickener
- Sodium Polyacrylate
- viscosity modifier
- Chlorphenesin
- preservative
- Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
- texture enhancer
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Avobenzone: Broad-spectrum UVA filter used in sunscreen formulas.
Octocrylene: Photostabilizing UV filter that helps support avobenzone performance.
Fragrance: Declared fragrance in the published ingredient list.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
A cheaper sunscreen with a similar formula
A partial ingredient match (45%), not a close dupe.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55: common questions
Is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 worth it?
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 scores 3.9 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Effective) and 4.0 out of 5.0 for safety (Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. This is a competent, old-school chemical sunscreen with decent UV coverage, but the fragrance and dated filter set keep it from being truly elegant.
What are the key active ingredients in Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55?
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 contains no gold-standard actives. Its formula is built on supporting and base ingredients rather than clinically transformative actives.
Does Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin flags these ingredients in Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 as documented irritants: Fragrance. This product does contain fragrance.
How is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 55 scored?
DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.
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