1 / 10GarnierGarnier Super UV Cooling Watergel Sunscreen : Ingredients & Skin Analysis.
Excellent broad-spectrum UV protection
Skin Type Match
Protective · Irritating · Comedogenic
- Strong UV protection
- Contains Vitamin C
- No white cast
- High irritation risk
- Pore clogging potential
- Very drying alcohol
Performance Scores
SPF Level
Excellent
SPF Level
The SPF 50+ label claim is supported by a potent combination of UVB filters, including Uvinul T 150 and Octinoxate, prominently positioned in the active ingredient list.
Broad Spectrum
Excellent
Broad Spectrum
DHHB (Uvinul A Plus) provides peak absorption at 354 nm for strong UVA I protection, while Bemotrizinol (Tinosorb S) offers broad-spectrum coverage spanning 280-400 nm.
Sweat Resistance
Poor
Sweat Resistance
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer is listed near the end of the ingredient list (position 38), indicating a trace concentration primarily used for SPF boosting rather than durable water resistance.
Photo Stability
Excellent
Photo Stability
Cosmetic science literature confirms that Bemotrizinol (Tinosorb S) acts as an effective triplet-state quencher to stabilize the inherently photolabile Octinoxate under UV exposure.
Visible Light
Poor
Visible Light
The ingredient list contains zero iron oxide color indices or pigmentary-grade non-white minerals; the included dye (CI 42090) provides only aesthetic color.
Irritation Risk
High Risk
Irritation Risk
Dermatological literature thoroughly documents denatured alcohol as a barrier disruptor and menthol as a sensory irritant and potential contact allergen.
Pore Clogging
High Risk
Pore Clogging
Dermatological rabbit ear and human clinical assays consistently rate Isopropyl Palmitate as 4/5 and Isocetyl Stearate as 5/5 for pore-clogging potential.
White Cast
Low Risk
White Cast
Chemical UV filters absorb rather than scatter visible light, eliminating the risk of particulate reflectance on deeper Fitzpatrick skin types.
Ingredients Analysis
Active Filters
Octinoxate UVB
Studies indicate potential estrogenic and thyroid disrupting activity in animal models and human cell lines.
Uvinul A Plus UVA II / UVA I
Not approved by the US FDA as a sunscreen active and subject to strict EU impurity limits for the reproductive toxicant di n hexyl phthalate.
Bemotrizinol Broad Spectrum UV
Identified in recent dermatological literature as a rare but emerging cause of allergic contact dermatitis.
Octyltriazone UVB
Approved for use in the EU and Australia up to 5 percent but currently not authorized by the US FDA as an active sunscreen ingredient.
Key Inactive Ingredients
Denatured Alcohol Solvent
Can strip natural lipids and disrupt the skin moisture barrier which may lead to dryness and contact dermatitis in sensitive skin types [1.5].
Isopropyl Palmitate Emollient
Widely recognized as highly comedogenic (typically rated 4 out of 5), posing a significant risk of clogging pores and exacerbating acne breakouts, especially at higher concentrations.
Cetearyl Alcohol Emollient
Historically rated as mildly comedogenic in animal models but modern dermatological consensus indicates it is unlikely to clog pores in typical cosmetic formulations.
Hydroxyacetophenone Antioxidant
Whilewidelyconsideredsafeandnon-sensitizingbytheCIR, rarecasereportsofallergiccontactdermatitisfromcosmeticproductshavebeendocumented[1.1].
Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate Surfactant
Exhibits concentration dependent skin and eye irritant properties similar to other strong detergents, requiring careful formulation to minimize barrier disruption.
Phenoxyethanol Preservative
Generally well tolerated but can cause contact dermatitis or skin irritation in rare cases, particularly in sensitive individuals.
PEG-20 Solvent
PEG compounds may contain trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide, which are probable human carcinogens generated during the ethoxylation manufacturing process.
PEG-8 Laurate Emulsifier
Polyethylene glycol compounds may contain trace amounts of 1 4 dioxane and ethylene oxide which are probable carcinogens linked to the ethoxylation manufacturing process.
Limonene Fragrance
When exposed to air, it oxidizes into limonene hydroperoxides which are potent skin sensitizers and frequent causes of allergic contact dermatitis [1.7].
Menthol Fragrance
Menthol is a recognized skin aggravator that can cause redness, dryness, and barrier disruption, which may paradoxically trigger excess oil production in acne-prone skin [2.2].
Linalool Fragrance
Linalool oxidizes upon exposure to air to form hydroperoxides which are potent skin sensitizers and a frequent cause of allergic contact dermatitis [1.8].
Isocetyl Stearate Emollient
Stearate esters have been associated with pore-clogging potential, prompting the CIR Expert Panel to advise formulators to evaluate comedogenicity when developing products.
Fragrance Fragrance
Undisclosedfragranceblendsareamongthemostcommoncausesofcontactdermatitisandskinsensitizationincosmeticproducts[1.6].
Geraniol Fragrance
Autoxidizes upon air exposure to form highly sensitizing compounds leading to contact dermatitis and requiring regulatory restrictions.
Cetearyl Glucoside Emulsifier
Alkyl glucosides were named the American Contact Dermatitis Society Allergen of the Year in 2017 due to an increasing number of allergic contact dermatitis cases despite being weak sensitizers.
Lemon Fruit Extract Skin Conditioning
Contains naturally occurring furocoumarins such as 5 methoxypsoralen which are known to cause severe phytophotodermatitis upon exposure to UV light.
Butylated Hydroxytoluene Antioxidant
Suspected by some agencies of potential endocrine disrupting activity based on high dose animal studies though regulatory bodies currently consider it safe at low cosmetic concentrations [1.10].
Citral Fragrance
A well-documented skin sensitizer and contact allergen that requires mandatory disclosure on cosmetic labels in the EU when exceeding specific concentrations.
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer Film Former
May contain trace amounts of unreacted styrene monomer, a possible human carcinogen, although cosmetic grades are highly purified to keep residual levels negligible.