Versus

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen Versus Nivea Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++

Sunscreen
Sunscreen
Japanese Brand Japan
German Brand Germany

Overview

What they are

These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain SPF and Vitamin E

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 common allergens, oils or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, parabens and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone
BHT
Antioxidant, Masking

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.

As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.

The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.

However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.

Learn more about BHT
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.
  • It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Preservative

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben

When to use

105 Routines
100% use in am
0% use in pm
96% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
275 Routines
99% use in am
1% use in pm
96% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen 45 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Broke Me Out (1) Expensive (1) Heavy (1)
yow's avatar

yowcza

1 month ago
Review

not a bad sunscreen, works pretty good but very thick. i would only recommend if u have dry and aren’t acne prone since i feel my skin did get small bumps on my forehead. the fragrance didn’t irritate my skin which was surprising and didn’t burn my eyes or nose area. i used on my arms which was very thick and left me greasy but did protect me from the sun! it’s decent sunscreen but there are Show more

#expensive
#broke me out
#heavy
#oily
littleblue03's avatar

littleblue03

1 year ago
Review

Greasy
Feels super greasy and gross on my face.

Nivea Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++ 19 ingredients

3.8 /5
from 9 ratings
Works Well (2) Great Value (2) Irritating (2)
SupTi_59's avatar

SupTi_59

1 year ago
Review

Nivea uv super watery gel spf 50
Good for oily skin! Watery base... absorbs quickly ..... ingredients are on point! But not waterproof!

P_55's avatar

P_55

2 years ago
Review

Too much alcohol. Very drying.
Applies really nicely but at the end of the day I find my skin really dry and irritated.