My Garnier Super UV Invisible Serum SPF50+ review: I liked it so much I immediately went and bought a second bottle. Read on for the tea!
The Brand
Garnier was actually founded in 1904. Its first product was a hair tincture/lotion, and it released the first at-home hair dye in the 1960s. Today, it’s owned by L’Oreal. (Which is the reason we find Mexoryl filters in Garnier SPFs, as Mexoryl was patented by L’Oreal.)
Description
Our NEW Super UV Invisible Serum offers daily comfortable wear with very high SPF 50+ protection against UVB, UVA & long UVA. Developed for the sensitive face area, it helps fight against external aggressions and skin pollution.
Garnier
Claims
- provides instant skin barrier function protection
- more lightweight than a classical face sunscreen
- invisible on the skin immediately after application on all skin tones
- suitable as a base under make-up
- non-greasy, non-sticky and leaves no white marks
- approved by Cruelty Free International (Leaping Bunny certified)
- vegan formula
- bottle is made of 40% recycled glass.
Garnier Invisible Serum SPF50+ review: What it is
A drugstore sunscreen from Garnier who has been making very, very good SPFs in the last years. Former releases made it into my best of sunscreen lists in 2022!
The name ‘Serum’ implies not only a lightweight texture, but also added skincare benefits. We’ll see about that!
Ingredients
AQUA / WATER • ALCOHOL DENAT. • DIISOPROPYL SEBACATE • SILICA • ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE • ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE • BIS-ETHYLHEXYLOXYPHENOL METHOXYPHENYL TRIAZINE • ETHYLHEXYL TRIAZONE • BUTYL METHOXYDIBENZOYLMETHANE • GLYCERIN • PHENYLBENZIMIDAZOLE SULFONIC ACID • PROPANEDIOL • C12-22 ALKYL ACRYLATE/HYDROXYETHYLACRYLATE COPOLYMER • TRIETHANOLAMINE • DROMETRIZOLE TRISILOXANE • CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE • TOCOPHEROL • HYDROXYACETOPHENONE • HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE • SODIUM BENZOATE • TRISODIUM ETHYLENEDIAMINE DISUCCINATE • SILICA SILYLATE • CELLULOSE • ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL • ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER • CERAMIDE NP • CITRIC ACID • POTASSIUM SORBATE (F.I.L. Z70017303/1).
Garnier
First: yes, it contains alcohol denat. Second, while it does contain some skincare goodies like Tocopherol (antioxidant), Aloe Juice (soothing) and Ceramide NP (barrier-strengthening), I do think it’s far-fetched to think you’re going to get lots of skincare goodies from this serum sunscreen. I’m also baffled to somehow combine the claims of ‘helps fight against external aggressions and skin pollution’ from the ingredient list. While it’s true that ceramides generally strengthen the skin barrier and antioxidants fight the free radicals that come from pollution, that’s a tall order for the skimpy ingredient list. Take it with a grain of salt and layer an antioxidant serum underneath.
Filters
| Sunscreen Filter | Type | Spectrum | Remarks |
| Ethylhexyl Salicylate / Octisalate | chemical / organic | UVB (280-320 nm) with peak at 306 nm | not a strong filter, used with other filters to solubilize. |
| Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine / Tinosorb S | chemical / organic | broad spectrum (UVA & UVB, 280-400 nm, peak at 310-345 nm) | very photostable, available everywhere but the US |
| Ethylhexyl Triazone / Uvinul T 150 | chemical / organic | photostable UVB filter | oil soluble, odorless & colorless powder, available everywhere except the US & Canada |
| Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane / Avobenzone | chemical / organic | full UVA protection | not photostable |
| Ensulizole / Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid | chemical / organic | strong UVB protection (280-320nm) range with its peak protection at 306 nm | Not oil but water soluble, ideal to create light, oily skin compatible formula. Fairly photostable and can be used to protect other less stable UV filters (eg. avobenzone). Approved worldwide and can be used up to 4% in the US and up to 8% in the EU. |
| Mexoryl XL | chemical / organic | broad spectrum,with peak absorbance at 303 nm (UVB) and at 344 nm (UVA) | L’Oreal exclusive, oil soluble |
UVA protection: Garnier claims that it’s ‘very high’. Its PPD 28 (confirmed by Garnier DE on Instagram). (Which is actually kinda low when you think that SPF50+ means that its UVB protection is over 60 and the UVA is meant to be a third of that. Why then does Garnier say its ‘very high’ when its other SPFs actually do reach PPDs of over 40? Baffling.
Sustainability
Garnier has a little feature on its site where you can check the sustainability rate of their products. I’m unsure of how helpful that is in reality – is that a feature you like?
Keep in mind that glass bottles are a hot topic and not automatically more sustainable than plastic, mainly because of their high weight that leads to more emissions when shipped.
Application
First thing I like: it’s super easy to measure the right amount of this sunscreen as one pump is exactly 0,25g. I use around 1,5g for my face (I have a large face, ok?), which also means I go through one bottle in about three weeks. That’s less good.
What is good (again), though: my face tends to be sensitive towards alcohol denat., and there aren’t many SPFs I can use with such a high alcohol amount. This is one of them. Obviously, you can smell it when you first apply it, but it doesn’t sting, and my eyes don’t start to water immediately.
Texture
It has a very rich, liquid, lotion-like appearance. From texture alone, it’s similar to my 2022 favourite, the Garnier Super UV Face Fluid. The finish, though, is different.
Finish
This is the main selling point of Garnier’s new Invisible Serum SPF: it truly is invisible. It feels and looks like moisturized skin; skin that you used moisturizer on in the morning and then forgot about it, because it sank in so quickly. For me, that’s a great daily sunscreen because it’s just so easy to use: no waiting time, no babying. I can just throw it on my face and go.
I’ve absolutely no problems in applying it, and no problems with any kind of greasiness, tackiness or stickiness. NONE. (Also no pilling.)
Now, I haven’t worn it on days that are 30C+. I think I’d like this one maybe ten percent less then than my hot weather holy grail, Eucerin’s Oil Control SPF.
Makeup Application
Works like a dream. You don’t need to blot anything, it doesn’t pill, there’re no annoying white streaks, no white residue in fine lines and pores. I’ve to reiterate: its finish. Is. Just. Like. Skin. It’s so easy to wear, it’s ridiculous.
Comparison
Last year’s Garnier Super UV Face Fluid is both a bit more liquid, but then glowier, with a richer feel. The Invisible Serum feels a bit richer than Eucerin’s Oil Control. If you can’t wear Eucerin’s, because your skin is on the drier side, this would be a good alternative. Generally, I feel this is suitable for a wide range of skin types. Very oily people might not enjoy it, though, while dry-skinned people might want to layer a richer base underneath.
Garnier Invisible Serum SPF50+ review: Checklist
Garnier Invisible Serum SPF50+ review: Rating
From the new 2023 crop, this is my fave so far?! Still, there’re a lot of things I don’t like: the outrageous skin benefit claims and the price which I do find very high. I can’t fault the performance, though.
I mean – I ran out of it and then repurchased it immediately!
Availability & Price
I bought my bottle of 30ml for 12,95€ at drugstore dm. In the UK, it’s around £14 at Boots. Due to its filters, it’s not officially available in the USA.
Please note that this post is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods or money for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
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