Review: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50

So I’ve been trying to find a sunscreen with a high SPF that my skin likes. I was really impressed with Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 that I went out picked up the SPF 50. Yay! I finally have it now. I’ve only used it for a few days, but it feels very similar to the 30 even though it doesn’t contain the same ingredients. But it does have the same fragrance and same blue dye in it. Once again, if you’re allergic to fragrance or dyes, this is not for you. I don’t know why Neutrogena needs to add fragrance to the Hydro Boost line (majority of the products), but it’ll be better without it. I’m getting really tired of the fragrance, lol. It gets annoying after some time. I just want a bland product now, haha. I’m sure most people would prefer a product without fragrance or dyes. If the fragrance and dye was removed from this product (and other hydro boost products), more people would be able to use and enjoy the product also. It’s a win-win. Neutrogena just gotta ruin it for some people. I’m done ranting about that. I’m fortunate enough to not have an allergy towards fragrance and dyes. lol. Still, it would be better without them. So after testing out the SPF 50, here’s my experience with this sunscreen.

My experience

This sunscreen looks identical to the SPF 30 version. Same overpowering fragrance. Just take a whiff of it when you open the cap, lmao. Or not. Same blue coloring to it. It looks very pretty. Darn that Blue 1 dye. ha! Also, it contains alcohol too. I can smell the alcohol in the SPF 50 a little more compared to the SPF 30. Just like the 30, I’m happy to say that it didn’t dry out my skin. This sunscreen is definitely for dry skin. It’s very moisturizing and keeps my skin soft, supple, and hydrated throughout the day. And it’s really good at moisturizing flaky, dry patches. I still can’t believe how fast it heals those areas on my face. It has helped calm down and keep those flakes away. I’m really happy for this product. It has done wonders for my skin. But…there’s something I need to talk about. It’s very important. Here it goes…

I didn’t notice any breakouts while using this sunscreen during the first application. So when I apply this sunscreen in the morning, everything is good. My skin is fresh. I get a new, clean, fresh application of the SPF 50 sunscreen. My skin feels good, since my skin isn’t oily, no dirt or debris, or any gunk at this point. But when I try to reapply this sunscreen, that’s when everything goes downhill. And this happens each time I reapply the sunscreen throughout the day. I noticed clogged pores. This is very disheartening because I truly loved what this product has done for my skin, and it’s SPF 50! It hasn’t only happened with the SPF 50 but also with the SPF 30 as well. So I think this sunscreen is too hydrating for my skin for reapplication. It leaves my skin feeling dirty and grimy. Like there’s a thick layer of product sitting on top of my face. The more I reapply, it just piles on top of each other. When this happens, it traps sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and other gunk from the day within my pores, and I end up with a bad breakout. This sunscreen is also water-resistant. Just like Neutrogena Sport Face Oil-Free Lotion Sunscreen SPF 70+ (review here), where I had issues with the sunscreen being too occlusive. I think the same thing is happening here. Yeah, I had to stop using it because of this. Bummer.

The sunscreen tends to separate (as shown in the photo), so make sure to shake it up first before using. This hasn’t happened to me with the SPF 30. I’ll take note if it does.

Overall, the sunscreen looks identical to the SPF 30 version when mixed properly. It just smells a little bit more like alcohol, but it didn’t dry my skin out at all. It’s a very moisturizing sunscreen.

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Contains SPF 50 (Avobenzone 2.7%, Homosalate 9%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 9%, Oxybenzone 4.5%)
• Affordable
• Soft and creamy texture
• Very moisturizing
• Comes in a 3. fl. oz. tube
• Water-resistant (80 minutes)
• Non-greasy
• No breakouts with initial application

❌ Cons

• Overpowering fragrance
• Contains dye
• Stings the eyes. Avoid the eye area with this sunscreen.
• Contains alcohol. I can smell it. I think it contains fragrance to *try to* hide the alcohol smell.
• Breakouts occur with reapplication (same with the SPF 30)

Conclusion

Hmmm, well, this is unfortunate. I really liked the hydro boost sunscreen. I just can’t use it to reapply. So I don’t think I’m going to continue to use this sunscreen on my facial skin. I wanted a sunscreen that I can use often and reapply throughout the day if necessary. This isn’t doing it. I think it’s a good sunscreen but perhaps it’s too heavy for my skin to handle. It is for dry skin after all. Even with oily skin, I do deal with skin dryness from time to time, and this sunscreen felt really good on my skin while it lasted. I thought it could help with the dryness and flaky skin, which it did. The first application feels absolutely wonderful on the skin. It works. Skin is left feeling hydrated and flakes healed and came off effortlessly. But with reapplication, it just gets really nasty. It’s tough to give this one up, but I have to. I’ll use the rest on my body when it’s dry or to tame those dry patches. After this experience, I won’t repurchase. I’m so disappointed.

Check out my reviews on Neutrogena skin care products

Check out my reviews on more sunscreens