Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz vs Invisible Gel Face Sunscreen SPF 40: which is safer?

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz is the clear pick. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Invisible Gel Face Sunscreen SPF 40 carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Our pick

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz

Goddess Garden

Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 92/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes

Confidence

78%

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components

PossibleSkin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Invisible Gel Face Sunscreen SPF 40

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer

Invisible Gel Face Sunscreen SPF 40

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 4/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 5

Material

gel sunscreen with water-resistant silicone polymers

Confidence

45%

Possible1,4-dioxane (likely impurity)

PossibleFragrance allergens

ReportedHomosalate and other organic UV filters (systemic absorption)

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components and Skin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils on the Goddess Garden and not on the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer.
  • We flag 1,4-dioxane (likely impurity), Fragrance allergens, Homosalate and other organic UV filters (systemic absorption) and Silicone polymer bioaccumulation concerns on the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer and not on the Goddess Garden.
  • The Goddess Garden is mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes where the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer is gel sunscreen with water-resistant silicone polymers, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 70 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Goddess Garden is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More sunscreen: see the full ranking