Sunscreen Ranker Independent ranker
CE
Cetaphil

Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Drops SPF 50

SPF 50+ Tone-up Brightening veil from mineral & tone-up formulas; evens skin tone. US United States us-fda Formulation variant: us-fda. Region-specific reformulations are tracked as separate products.

ZnO-only with PEG-10 and silicone elastomers for sheer finish; niacinamide and bisabolol soothe. Phenoxyethanol present.

△ MIN Mineral filters Mineral filters — Physical filters (ZnO, TiO2) sit on skin and reflect UV. Reef-safer; very gentle. ((· BS Broad spectrum Broad spectrum — Blocks UVA + UVB across the full sun-damage spectrum. F F-FREE Fragrance-free Fragrance-free — No added fragrance or perfume — lower irritation risk for reactive skin. A A-FREE Alcohol-free Alcohol-free — No drying short-chain alcohols (denatured / SD alcohol).
78.0
Composite
Composite score · independent
Ranks #433 of 1558 in the current catalogue. ZnO-only with PEG-10 and silicone elastomers for sheer finish; niacinamide and bisabolol soothe. Phenoxyethanol present.
Composite is a weighted blend: UV 25% · Modernity 10% · Sensitivity 15% · Environment 10% · Elegance 15% · Health 25%.
Verdict Should you buy it?

A zinc-oxide-only mineral fluid built on PEG-10 and silicone elastomers, with niacinamide and bisabolol on board. The sheer drop format blends thin and pairs broad-spectrum mineral coverage with a non-occlusive feel.

Pros
  • ZnO-only broad-spectrum filter with strong UVA reach
  • Niacinamide and bisabolol soothe and even tone
  • Silicone elastomers give a sheer, near-invisible finish
  • Fragrance-free and free of denatured alcohol
Cons
  • Contains phenoxyethanol, a preservative some shoppers limit
  • PEG-10 may bother shoppers avoiding ethoxylates
  • Lightweight fluid needs careful measuring to hit full SPF dose

Who it's for: Suits normal-to-combination skin that wants a near-invisible all-mineral fluid layerable under makeup.

01 Score breakdown
UV protection How well the product blocks UVA + UVB across the spectrum at the stated SPF/PA. 82
Filter modernity Penalises legacy filters (octinoxate, oxybenzone); rewards photostable next-gen filters. 80
Sensitivity safety Risk for reactive skin — fragrance, alcohol, known sensitisers. 68
Reef / env. safety Reef toxicity, biodegradability of UV filters and surfactants. 100
Cosmetic elegance Spread, finish, white-cast, comfort on skin. 75
Health safety Endocrine concerns, systemic absorption signals across the formula. 72
02 Composition · key UV filters 1 filters resolved
UVB 290–320nm UVB (290–320nm) — covered UVA-II 320–340nm UVA-II (320–340nm) — covered UVA-I 340–400nm UVA-I (340–400nm) — covered
Zinc Oxide Mineral Physical filter — sits on skin and reflects UV. Reef-safer.
03 At-a-glance facts
Protection
Filter type Mineral filters (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) sit on skin and reflect UV. Chemical filters absorb UV. Hybrid blends both.
Mineral
Broad spectrum Protects across both UVA and UVB ranges. UVA causes aging and deeper damage; UVB causes burns.
Yes
Formulation & feel
Texture How the formula feels at application — milk, gel, cream, spray, stick, essence, lotion, powder, or cushion.
Cream
Finish How the formula looks on skin once dry: matte, natural, dewy, or glowy.
Natural
Tinted Adds sheer pigment (iron oxides) that masks the white cast common to mineral filters and gives a skin-tone finish.
No
Fragrance-free No synthetic perfume added. Not FDA-defined in the US; the EU requires 'Parfum' + the 26 named allergens on the label. 'Unscented' differs — may contain masking fragrance. Botanical oils still scent.
Yes
Alcohol-free No drying short-chain alcohols (alcohol denat., SD alcohol, ethanol). Does not refer to fatty alcohols like cetyl or stearyl alcohol, which are emollients.
Yes
04 Full ingredient list (INCI) 26 ingredients
MODERN FILTER 0 LEGACY FILTER 1 MINERAL FILTER 1 ADDED FRAGRANCE 0 NATURAL FRAGRANCE 0 ALCOHOL 0 WATCH 0 ACTIVE 4
Zinc Oxide Mineral UV filter — physical block; reef-safer. · Allantoin Soothing; barrier-supportive. ·Bisabolol· Butyloctyl Salicylate Salicylate-class booster; supports avobenzone. ·C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate·Caprylyl Glycol·Caprylyl Methicone·Dimethicone·Dimethiconol/Propylsilsesquioxane/Silicate Crosspolymer· Ethylhexylglycerin Humectant — the workhorse hydrator. ·Hexylene Glycol·Isododecane·Lauryl Peg-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone·Lauryl Peg-8 Dimethicone· Niacinamide Vitamin B3 — barrier + brightening. ·Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate·Peg-10·Phenoxyethanol·Polymethylsilsesquioxane·Propanediol·Sodium Chloride·Sodium Hydroxide·Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate· Tocopherol Vitamin E — antioxidant. ·Trilaureth-4 Phosphate·Water
Source: brand-published INCI. Last verified 19 Jun 2026. Show in detail
01 Zinc Oxide MINERAL FILTER Mineral UV filter — physical block; reef-safer.
02 Allantoin ACTIVE Soothing; barrier-supportive.
03 Bisabolol Bisabolol
04 Butyloctyl Salicylate LEGACY FILTER Salicylate-class booster; supports avobenzone.
05 C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
06 Caprylyl Glycol Caprylyl Glycol
07 Caprylyl Methicone Caprylyl Methicone
08 Dimethicone Dimethicone
09 Dimethiconol/Propylsilsesquioxane/Silicate Crosspolymer Dimethiconol/Propylsilsesquioxane/Silicate Crosspolymer
10 Ethylhexylglycerin ACTIVE Humectant — the workhorse hydrator.
11 Hexylene Glycol Hexylene Glycol
12 Isododecane Isododecane
13 Lauryl Peg-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)silylethyl Dimethicone
14 Lauryl Peg-8 Dimethicone Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone
15 Niacinamide ACTIVE Vitamin B3 — barrier + brightening.
16 Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
17 Peg-10 PEG-10
18 Phenoxyethanol Phenoxyethanol
19 Polymethylsilsesquioxane Polymethylsilsesquioxane
20 Propanediol Propanediol
21 Sodium Chloride Sodium Chloride
22 Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Hydroxide
23 Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
24 Tocopherol ACTIVE Vitamin E — antioxidant.
25 Trilaureth-4 Phosphate Trilaureth-4 Phosphate
26 Water Water