Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen for oily skin
Helioplex Technology
Octocrylene
Avobenzone
Oxybenzone
Titanium DioxideHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best sunscreens for oily skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers high suitability for your oily skin due to the presence of silica and dimethicone, which provide a mattifying effect and emollient action without being overly heavy.
- The formula also offers excellent protection against UV rays, addressing your need for sun protection.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Apply this sunscreen during your AM routine every single day. Reapply every two hours if you are staying outdoors.
- Apply the sunscreen as the final step of your morning skincare routine after your moisturizer. Allow your moisturizer to absorb fully before putting it on.
- Squeeze a generous amount and pat it gently all over your face and neck. Avoid rubbing the product harshly into your skin.
- Apply the sunscreen directly onto dry skin to ensure it forms an even and protective layer against the sun.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop using it if any irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 11.1k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users frequently praise this sunscreen for its reliable broad-spectrum protection and unique dry-touch matte finish that avoids a greasy residue. However, a significant number of reviewers with darker skin tones report a visible white cast, and others note issues with the formula pilling under makeup or stinging sensitive eyes.
Highlights
Matte finish Mostly Mentioned
- “dries down completely matte”
- “doesn't leave me looking like an oil slick”
- “feels like nothing on my skin”
- “perfect for humid weather”
Reliable sun protection Often Mentioned
- “never burned once in Hawaii”
- “great for fair skin”
- “blocks sun effectively at the beach”
- “trusted by my dermatologist”
Eye irritation Often Mentioned
- “burns my eyes terribly”
- “makes eyes water when sweating”
- “can't use it on my forehead”
- “stings for hours”
Visible white cast Often Mentioned
- “leaves a purple/blue tint”
- “makes me look like a ghost”
- “takes forever to rub in”
- “not sheer on brown skin”
Lightweight texture Sometimes Noted
- “goes on like a lotion”
- “breathable on the face”
- “doesn't clog my pores”
- “easy to spread”
Pilling or flaking Sometimes Noted
- “balls up under foundation”
- “pills if you rub it too much”
- “flakes off like eraser dust”
- “doesn't layer well”
Mild scent Rarely Noted
- “smell is not overpowering”
- “light fresh scent”
- “doesn't smell like chemicals”
- “fragrance fades quickly”
Stains clothing Rarely Noted
- “ruined my white collar”
- “left yellow stains on my swimsuit”
- “transferred onto my car seat”
- “hard to wash out of clothes”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, target.com, walmart.com, makeupalley.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Neutrogena Ultra Sheer a great fit for oily skin?
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen is a great fit for oily skin because it contains silica and dimethicone, which leave a matte finish without feeling heavy. It also has an excellent safety profile with no harsh ingredients, meaning it is unlikely to irritate your skin while providing strong sun protection.
Which ingredients make this sunscreen a good fit for oily skin?
Silica and dimethicone make this sunscreen a great fit for your oily skin by giving it a mattifying finish and soft feel without feeling heavy. It is very safe and unlikely to cause irritation.
What does Helioplex do for oily skin?
Helioplex provides broad-spectrum sun protection that is unlikely to feel heavy on oily skin, helping shield you from UV rays without clogging pores. Because oily skin needs lightweight sunscreens that control shine and absorb quickly, this product type works well when it is oil-free and non-greasy.
What does Octocrylene do for oily skin?
Octocrylene is a UV filter that helps protect your skin from sun damage without disrupting normal skin bacteria or causing breakouts. It is generally safe for daily use on oily skin, though it can occasionally act as an allergen for some people.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
Where does this sunscreen go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This sunscreen goes as the last step of your morning skincare routine, right after your moisturizer. It is a great fit for oily skin because ingredients like silica and dimethicone give it a non-heavy, shine-free finish while protecting against UV rays.
Can I use this sunscreen with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this sunscreen in the morning as the final step of your skincare routine, after applying your moisturizer. It is safe to use alongside retinol applied in the evening, as this sunscreen has an excellent safety profile and is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin.
How often should I use this sunscreen?
Apply this sunscreen every morning as the final step in your daytime routine to protect against UV rays. It is well-suited for oily skin and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Can this sunscreen clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This sunscreen is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin because it has an excellent safety profile without harsh ingredients. Silica and dimethicone help keep your face feeling smooth and matte without feeling overly heavy.
Is this sunscreen fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
What the research says
Solid lipid nanoparticles bearing 5% oxybenzone incorporated into a cream base showed slower drug release, enhanced sun protection factor above 25, and prolonged retention in the stratum corneum compared to a plain cream base containing 5% oxybenzone.
Journal of Microencapsulation, 2010Incorporating rosmarinic acid into sunscreens enhanced the in vivo SPF of octocrylene by over 157% and reduced lipid peroxidation in the human stratum corneum.
Antioxidants, 2025Encapsulating avobenzone in low-porosity TiO2-embedded mesoporous silica (TiO2/SBA-S) reduced cutaneous avobenzone absorption from 0.76 to 0.50 nmol/mg while providing effective pollutant adsorbability, UVA protection, and a two- to three-fold reduction in photoaged skin cytokines/chemokines compared to the non-treatment control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023Sunscreen products formulated with 1-6% oxybenzone yielded a mean rate of dermal irritation or sensitization of 0.26% and a contact allergy rate of 0.07% in participants from the general population.
Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 2008Topical application of sunscreen agents in human volunteers resulted in significant skin penetration of all agents and systemic absorption of oxybenzone and its metabolites.
Journal of Chromatography. B, Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences, 2004Combined use of the insect repellent DEET and the sunscreen oxybenzone significantly enhanced percutaneous penetration percentages by 36% to 108% and increased their in vivo AUCP/MRT compared to separate applications.
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2007The application of a sunscreen formulation containing ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, and octocrylene does not significantly affect critical acne-related species such as Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, refuting the induction of facial dysbiosis in men.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024Early application of sunscreen after ablative fractional skin resurfacing significantly increased the sensitization rate of the UV-filter, octocrylene, and the sunscreen compared to intact skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2015Dermal sunscreen exposure in 20 healthy volunteers led to plasma concentrations of avobenzone, octocrylene, and its metabolite CDAA reaching up to 11 μg/L, 25 μg/L, and 1352 μg/L, respectively.
Environment International, 2019Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011Microencapsulation of the BMDBM/HP-beta-CD complex in lipid microparticles significantly decreased the percutaneous penetration of the UV filter into the stratum corneum of human volunteers compared to the non-encapsulated sunscreen agent.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 2011Following human skin application of an O/W emulsion containing 2% BMDBM loaded in lipospheres, 15% of the sunscreen accumulated in the uppermost layers of the stratum corneum without remarkably modifying skin permeation compared to unencapsulated sunscreen.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008Daily whole-body topical application of sunscreens benzophenone-3, octyl-methoxycinnamate, and 3-(4-methylbenzylidene) camphor results in systemic absorption in healthy human volunteers but does not alter endogenous reproductive hormone levels.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2004Benzophenone-3 loaded starch microsponges provided improved photoprotection, higher sun protection factor, and reduced cutaneous penetration compared to raw benzophenone-3 cream.
Materials Science & Engineering. C, Materials for Biological Applications, 2019Benzophenone-3 applied via commercial sunscreen is percutaneously absorbed and excreted in urine, with an average total excreted amount of 11 mg in eleven volunteers.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2002Microfine titanium dioxide does not penetrate human skin when formulated in an oil-in-water emulsion with the pigment dispersed in the aqueous phase, compared to oily dispersions and liposomal encapsulation which allow deeper skin penetration.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2000Replacing microsized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide with nanoparticles in sunscreens eliminates opaqueness and alters UV protection balance while inducing (photo)cyto- and genotoxicity and penetrating viable skin layers during long-term exposures.
Nanotechnology, Science and Applications, 2011Microfine zinc oxide and titanium dioxide do not penetrate the stratum corneum of porcine skin in vitro, indicating that their use in sunscreens does not pose a health risk from internal exposure.
Toxicology in Vitro, 2006
Ingredients
Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Oxybenzone, Water, Silica, Dimethicone, Styrene Acrylates Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates Dimethicone Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Bht, Disodium Edta, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Polyester-8, Sodium Polyacrylate, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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