Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 versus Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on November 22, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain SPF
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Sunscreen
Sunscreens help absorb or reflect UV radiation and protect skin against skin damage. Sunscreens may come in the form of lotion, gel, foam, spray, or solid-stick.
Sunscreen
Sunscreens help absorb or reflect UV radiation and protect skin against skin damage. Sunscreens may come in the form of lotion, gel, foam, spray, or solid-stick.
Price
Ingredient Info
Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 26 ingredients
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ 34 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 26 ingredients
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ 34 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 26 ingredients
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ 34 ingredients
Alcohol Denat. • Homosalate • Octocrylene • Ethylhexyl Salicylate • Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Ethylhexyl Triazone • Drometrizole Trisiloxane • Dicaprylyl Ether • Tocopherol • Polyamide-8 • Limonene • Linalool • Benzyl Salicylate • Benzyl Alcohol • Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate • Isopropyl Palmitate • Isopropyl Myristate • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract • Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone • Acrylates Copolymer • Citronellol • Citral • Water • Coumarin • Parfum
Water • Alcohol Denat. • Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate • Ethylhexyl Triazone • Isopropyl Palmitate • Peg-Crosspolymer • Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate • Hydrogenated Polyisobutene • Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine • Palmitic Acid • Butylene Glycol • Xylitol • Dimethicone • C16-17 Alkyl Benzoate • Glycerin • Glyceryl Stearate • Propanediol • Glyceryl Behenate • Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer • Heptanol • Agar • Sorbitan Distearate • Isoceteth-20 • Polyvinyl Alcohol • Stearoyl Glutamic Acid • Arginine • Potassium Hydroxide • Sodium Hydroxide • Royal Jelly Extract • Hyaluronic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • EDTA • BHT • Parfum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.
Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.
One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.
Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 1.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 2.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneGarnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 7.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 4.
Isopropyl Palmitate is a texture enhancer and emollient. It is an ester of isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
Palmitates are emollients. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier that traps moisture in.
When added to cosmetics, Isopropyl Palmitate creates a silky texture and improves spreadability.
Isopropyl Palmitate may not be fungal acne safe. It can worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitateGarnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 17.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 5.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGarnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 24.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 1.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumGarnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 contains this as ingredient number 26.
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ contains this as ingredient number 36.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 26 ingredients
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ 34 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 26 ingredients
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ 34 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30 26 ingredients
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ 34 ingredients
imyourdorito
I'll start by saying that yes, this feels like practically nothing on the skin, and it's very similar to a primer as far as texture goes.
BUT...
I'll start by saying that yes, this feels like practically nothing on the skin, and it's very similar to a primer as far as texture goes.
BUT once applied, I didn't feel the same level of protection as with the European SPFs I used to use. I even applied half of each on my face to compare:
With the European one I experienced a cooling effect and didn't feel any heat touching my skin, it was like being hugged by icecream (a weird comparison, but it's the closest I can think of). Meanwhile, with this one, I didn't feel anything? I felt the heat touching my skin as much as on my non-protected areas, and there was no cooling effect whatsoever.
Is it cosmetically elegant? Yes. Is it cheaper than any European SPF? Yes. But I prefer not to play around with sun protection knowing the damage it can cause, and I don't feel 100% safe using this one.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Refresh SPF30.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++.
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