Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Dry Touch Spf#50 Sunscreen 3 Ounce (88ml)

Product Information

Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Sunscreen SPF 50 is slightly more expensive than its regular counterpart, though the regular version states that it is suitable for “face and body.” These products are very, very similar when you look at their ingredient lists. And both products are very similar to Aveeno Positively Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, which also contains the exact same concentration of zinc oxide (21.6%). Consider them all part of the 21.6 club, I guess. It’s not as surprising when you consider that Aveeno and Neutrogena are owned by the same company: Johnson & Johnson. It’s much less oily than Coppertone Pure & Simple Sunscreen SPF 50 (reviewed here), but that also makes it a bit more time-consuming to rub in. To ensure you are protected from harmful sunbeams at all times, choose a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and then keep these things in mind when you’re specifically looking for a mineral-based formula in the sunscreen aisle. The interesting takeaway here is that within the world of non-nano zinc oxide, particle sizes can differ, which may affect the cost of the material itself as well as the cosmetic elegance of a formula and how much of a white cast you end up with. So if you notice that the face version leaves less of a white cast than a similar product with the same percentage of zinc oxide and similar inactive ingredients (which is the case when it comes to the regular, non-face version), it could be due to the particle size of the zinc oxide included in the formula. So it sounds like my dad thinks that nanoparticles generally aren’t recommended for use in leave-in skin care products for safety reasons. Nanotechnology is probably also more expensive so it seems unlikely that most zine oxide-based sunscreens actually contain nano-sized zinc oxide even if they don’t explicitly state that they use “non-nano zinc oxide.” This is just a guess, of course. The FDA hasn’t taken an official stance on the safety of nanoparticles in cosmetics.

Dr. Debra Jaliman is a New York City board-certified dermatologist. She’s an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai and the author of " Skin Rules: Trade Secrets From a Top New York Dermatologist."

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We updated this article in July 2023 to add more information about each featured product, based on extensive research done by our team. While the above is, of course, very crucial for a sunscreen to be fully effective, Dr. Akhavan says that the most important thing he looks for in a zinc oxide sunscreen is that it has a comfortable, elegant feel to it. “Mineral sunscreens need to feel silky and luxurious and go on sheer. Otherwise, I find that my patients won’t use them regularly.”

If you have dry skin, here’s a word of warning: Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Sunscreen SPF 50 will exacerbate the flakiness of your skin. Make sure you’ve properly moisturized your skin before applying this sunscreen if you don’t want it to accentuate your face dandruff (if you have the dubious honor of being a member of this exclusive club). Miscellaneous notes I solemnly swear to research skin care and beauty products, ask my dad (the chemist) for advice, and share those findings with you! Learn More Not only does this sunscreen protect the skin from harmful UV rays, but it also has many skincare benefits, too. For instance, it’s enriched with vitamins, soothing chamomile, and antioxidants to keep your skin soft and hydrated. What’s not to like? The Neutrogena ® Norwegian Formula range was inspired by the harsh climate of Scandinavia and provides solutions for dry and chapped skin on both hand and body. Although this product is fragrance-free, its natural odor is virtually identical to the one I remember from Aveeno Positively Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50. I think it’s probably the chrysanthemum parthenium (feverfew) flower/leaf/stem juice. To me, it smells slightly like baby powder. Not my favorite smell in the world, but not terrible, either. Final thoughts on Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Sunscreen SPF 50

During our own Lab testing, we discovered (and loved) that the creamy consistency covers your entire face easily with a teaspoon-sized amount. As it is a mineral sunscreen, however, it does need quite a lot of rubbing in but once absorbed it leaves a non-greasy matte finish that works well beneath makeup. New York City board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman also counts this as one of her favorites, noting that the niacinamide can help combat dark spots and any redness, as well. What’s more, she says the formula’s ceramides restore and repair the skin’s natural barrier, and hyaluronic acid helps skin retain moisture—all without the lotion feeling too heavy. It’s no wonder the Skin Cancer Foundation awarded this affordable drugstore gem its Daily Use Seal of Approval, and the National Eczema Foundation endorsed it. One thing to note is that it has a light pink tint that leaves a subtle glow on the surface of the skin, but it also lightens it too. The downside to this is that on darker skin tones this could leave behind a white cast, so we’d advise testing this out before purchasing a full-size bottle.

Inactive ingredients: water, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, octyldodecyl citrate crosspolymer, styrene/acrylates copolymer, phenyl trimethicone, cetyl peg/ppg- 10⁄ 1 dimethicone, dimethicone, polyhydroxystearic acid, glycerin, ethyl methicone, cetyl dimethicone, silica, colloidal oatmeal, tocopheryl acetate, chrysanthemum parthenium (feverfew) flower/leaf/stem juice, glyceryl behenate, phenethyl alcohol, caprylyl glycol, cetyl dimethicone/bis-vinyldimethicone crosspolymer, acrylates/dimethicone copolymer, sodium chloride, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin I’ve noticed certain brands like Thinksport label their zinc oxide as “non-nano” so I wondered if there were only two types of zinc oxide: nano-sized and non-nano. According to my dad, most products are probably using non-nano zinc oxide, even if they don’t state this explicitly on the label. Neutrogena ® T/Gel ® everyday range of shampoos are specially designed to help clear your dandruff from first use, and with daily use go on working to keep your scalp flake-free. Sun Protection Measures. Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. To decrease However, if the Face version is appearing less white, then must be the particle size of Zinc Oxide, the Face version may contain same amount of Zinc Oxide with finer(smaller) particle size. the smaller size the less whiter, but may cost slightly more.Inactive ingredients: water, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, styrene/acrylates copolymer, octyldodecyl citrate crosspolymer, phenyl trimethicone, cetyl peg/ppg- 10⁄ 1 dimethicone, dimethicone, polyhydroxystearic acid, glycerin, ethyl methicone, silica, cetyl dimethicone, triethoxycaprylylsilane, phenoxyethanol, glyceryl behenate, sodium chloride, acrylates/dimethicone copolymer, chlorphenesin, phenethyl alcohol, avena sativa (oat) kernel flour, caprylyl glycol, cetyl dimethicone/bis-vinyldimethicone crosspolymer, chrysanthemum parthenium (feverfew) flower/leaf/stem juice Dr. Akhavan is a fan of this 100 percent mineral-based sunscreen—which uses a combination of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide—and recommends it to all of his patients, especially those with acne-prone skin. “It feels super lightweight and has anti-inflammatory niacinamide added into the formula, as well,” he says.

Our favorite water-resistant formulas include Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 50 for the face and Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Milk Sunscreen SPF 50 for the body—both of which are good for up to 80 minutes of splashing or sweating. It’s definitely still not perfect, though. I do look slightly Caspery after applying this sunscreen, but I think it’s worth it because of the other benefits it provides. It also does The face version says that it “won’t sting eyes.” The face version also claims that it is designed to layer under makeup. Ingredients-wise, the face version lists colloidal oatmeal and tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) slightly earlier in the ingredients list, but I’m not sure if that means anything. My dad’s review of Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50: Face vs. body versionMany experts feel that mineral sunscreens are safer than chemical formulations, says Angela Casey, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and skin cancer specialist at the Center for Surgical Dermatology in Ohio. Both types are approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but last year, the FDA called for more research to look into the safety of specific chemical sunscreen ingredients being absorbed into the skin. Mineral sunscreens don’t come with that same baggage. For reference, let’s take a look at how similar this list is to the Aveeno Positively Mineral Sunscreen (also SPF 50). The only difference I noticed was that polyhydroxystearic acid and glycerin swapped places in these lists. Aveeno Positively Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 ingredients Despite these shortcomings, I think I’ll continue using this product enthusiastically and will definitely be trying out the non-face version to see if I notice any difference in terms of white cast and ease of application. I’m hoping that the non-face version will perform just as well, so I can save a little money and just spring for that product instead, since it’s not quite as pricey. Related reading Take a look at the following series of pictures to see how it looks when I initially apply Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50 to my hand: If used as directed with other sun protection measures (see Directions), decreases the risk of skin cancer and early