I suspect that this one will be a hit for many this summer! More in the Garnier Super UV Niacinamide SPF50+ review.
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.) Ambre Solaire is the sub-brand into which they pack all their sunscreens, while ‘Super UV’ is the specific line of fairly sophisticated sunscreens with L’Oreal patented filters.
Description
(…) developed for the face area and is formulated with 3,5% [Niacinamide + Salicylic Acid + Zinc PCA]. This formula helps fight against imperfections with a 12 hour mattifying effect*. Reduces the appearance of imperfections and pores look minimised. It is an ultra-light fluid that absorbs instantly and lets the skin breathe, with an invisible finish, no white marks, non-greasy and non-sticky.
Garnier
What it is
The Garnier Super UV Niacinamide Fluid is a very liquid sunscreen that’s supposed to have an ‘anti-imperfections’ formula with very high sun protection.
Ingredients
AQUA / WATER, ALCOHOL DENAT., DIISOPROPYL SEBACATE, SILICA, ISOPROPYLMYRISTATE , ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE, ETHYLHEXYL TRIAZONE, BIS-ETHYLHEXYLOXYPHENOL METHOXY PHEYLTRIAZINE, BUTYL METHOXYDIBENZOYLMETHANE, GLYCERIN, NIACINAMIDE, PROPANEDIOL, C12-22 ALKYL ACRYLATE/ HYDROXYETHYLACRYLATE COPOLYMER, DROMETRIZOLE TRISILOXANE, PERLITE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, TOCOPHEROL, HYDROXYACETOPHENONE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, SODIUM BENZOATE, TRIETHANOLAMINE, TRISODIUM ETHYLENEDIAMINE DISUCCINATE, SILICA SILYLATE, SALICYLIC ACID, ZINC PCA, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, TEREPHTHALYLIDENE DICAMPHOR SULFONIC ACID, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, SARCOSINE, CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE.
Garnier
Notable ingredients
I’m confused. Is it 3.5% niacinamide or is it a complex with niacinamide, zinc pca and salicylic acid that makes up 3.5% of the formula? Very ambiguously formulated on the UK website. The German says simply ‘with…’ and omits the 3.5%. It’s a mystery. Anyways. All three ingredients are great if you suffer from oily skin or impurities.
Aloe is for soothing, Tocopherol for its antioxidant properties (I’d love to see more antioxidants in an SPF, but we can’t have everything) and perlite and silica for their mattifying powers.
And, not to sugarcoat it: there’s alcohol denat. on the second place in the inci-list, which is high, and yes, you can absolutely smell (and feel that cooling sensation when you apply) it.
It has also been said in various places that this is basically Garnier’s Super UV Face Fluid SPF50 with Hyaluronic Acid with Niacinamide thrown in. Which is true – and then, absolutely not. Are the ingredient lists very similar? Yes. Are the filters the same? Yes. Is the texture different? Also yes. An ingredient list doesn’t tell you everything about a product!!!
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. |
| Ethylhexyl Triazone / Uvinul T 150 | chemical / organic | photostable UVB filter | oil soluble, odorless & colorless powder, available elsewhere except the US & Canada |
| Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine / Tinosorb S | chemical / organic | broad spectrum (UVA & UVB, 280-400 nm, peak at 310-345 nm) | very photostable, available elsewhere but the US |
| Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane / Avobenzone | chemical / organic | full UVA protection | not photostable |
Drometrizole Trisiloxane / Mexoryl XL | chemical / organic | broad spectrum,with peak absorbance at 303 nm (UVB) and at 344 nm (UVA) | L’Oreal patented, oil soluble |
| Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid / Mexoryl SX | chemical / organic | UVA, peak absorbance at 345 nm | L’Oreal patented, water soluble |
A word on UVA protection: apparently, this has a 3* Boots rating (more here), which would translate in an SPF50+ formula to a PPD between 30 and 40. You can’t truly adequately translate the star system into PPD, so take that with a grain of salt. The Garnier’s Super UV Face Fluid SPF50 with Hyaluronic Acid had supposedly a PPD 48, which people openly questioned, with a, as we already established, very similar ingredient list. Between 30 and 40 is a very good guess, and likely as close as we’re going to get.
With that, it’s better than Super UV Invisible Serum SPF50+ I loved so much last year and that had a PPD28.
Sustainability
On the German site, Garnier has a little feature where you can check the sustainability rate of their products.
Otherwise, Garnier seems very committed to become a sustainable brand, and you can get a lot of info on their site about packaging and production. They’re either truly committed, or they’re very committed in looking good. Less-animal derived products, Leaping Bunny certified, recycling plastic, responsible farming – it’s all there.
Texture
Christ on a bike, that’s runny. The super liquid formula makes it quite hard to gauge the correct amount you’re using, which is aggravated by a formula that sinks in very, very quickly. I think I tend to overapply this, just to be sure that every inch of my skin is covered properly. That’s the reason I don’t like those super runny fluids that much.
Application
I’ve used this on the two days we had with 30C yet, and used it over toner and serum, and then applied makeup. On a regular day with the 12C we have right now (oh, April!) I’d use a moisturizer underneath.
With my skin somewhat more sensitive than usual due to Tretinoin, I absolutely have to pamper my skin in the evening when I’ve used it, and using it more often than two days in a row make for a lot of burning when I apply this.
Finish
Oh, the finish is nice. SO NICE!!1 If you want a true velvet-like finish, this is for you. There’s nothing sticky or shiny once you applied it. It’s an absolute dream for people like me who can’t stand anything sticky or glowy. I wouldn’t call it skin-like, because my skin in its natural state is more glowy than this. It’s still not dead matte. In the pic above you can see the finish especially well on my nose, while all glow comes from the light that’s hitting me from the right.
There’s just one downside to it: it gets more glowy as the day gets on, and I suspect that’s my skin’s reaction to the drying properties – it produces more oil consequently. It doesn’t make my eyes sting, though, after I’ve applied it.
Makeup Application
Unsurprisingly, makeup of all kinds can be applied over this one without any problems whatsoever. Nothing pills, pools in fine lines, etc. It’s the most uncomplicated base I’ve ever seen. (Although right now, in this April weather, I do find it too matte on me when I wear foundation. SHOCK HORROR.)
Comparison
Of all the Super UV sunscreens I’ve tried, this comes second. I like the Face Fluid with Hyaluronic Acid the least: it’s very glowy, but similarly fluid in texture. Last year’s Invisible Serum (in the glass bottle) is still my favourite (and the most expensive, with its measly 30ml): skin-like finish, uncomplicated wear. I’m curious to test it this year and see how I’m getting on with it and its high amount of alcohol with my more sensitive skin (same with my perennial fave Eucerin – I’ve the sneaking suspicion that it’ll be less great than I hope). In texture it’s also similar to the La Roche-Posay UVMune, although the finish is much more matte.
Checklist
Rating
I like it a lot due to its finish. I’ve to admit though, that its not made for my current skintype. Hey, Garnier: us combo type people want that velvet finish, too! Get on to it!!!
If you’ve got a similar skintype to mine, you could be happy with it. Generally, it’s not made for dry or sensitive skintypes. Oily skin will be happy with it as it is.
Still, I’ll happily use it up when it’s summer.
Availability & Price
40ml will be yours for 12,95€ at dm, my local drugstore. It’s 14£ at Boots in the UK, while it’s not officially be available in the US.
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