is it true? Chemical Sunscreen must be applied to bare face?
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free skin care · Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:36 pm

hi there,

I just read in Allure Magazine (i think Dec '07 issue) that physical sunscreens can be applied last in one's routine, but that in the case of chemical sunscreens, they must be applied first, to "bare skin." Is this true?

Does this mean that my routine has been backwards, and possibly, ineffective for so long?

ARGH !!!!!

Sunscreens are generally thick and I can't imagine putting serums and stuff on AFTER my chemical sunscreen??!!

NOTE: I'm still altering between Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 55 with Helioplex, and Vichy Capitol Soleil with Meroxyl. I use these for the high PPD (UVA protection.) The crappy part? They are not as fresh smelling and nice to put on as physical blocks. I put mineral makeup on top, especially to cover the shine. Can't find a middle ground. If anyone can help, please provide recs!!!

thanks!
steffers

free skin care · Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:55 pm

This is what I've heard as well, years ago. This is why I switched to physical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens need to adhere to the skin to be effective while physical are well..just that, a physical barrier and can go on last.

Oops, didn't read about recs...right now I'm using Osmosis, there's also a great one from skincarecentral SVR 50. This ones great all physical & lightly tinted. It's thick but non-oily. You can samples of this fromwww.skincarecentral.biz

free skin care · Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:20 pm

Thank you for the info! I guess that means (sigh!) that i must go back to physical blocks.

Do you by any chance know the PPD of the one you use? (UVA protection).

And does anyone know how much is really ok for day to day use?

I know that Juice Beauty SPF 30 has a PPD of 4. Some say minimun 15 is best. I'm so confused.

free skin care · Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:28 pm

I'm not sure about the PPD but there are a few threads about SVR 50. I have no idea about the osmosis one but if you're looking for the high protection, SVR 50 is your best best. It's also tinted & many wear it instead of foundation..if you're fair anyway.

free skin care · Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:01 pm

what is the difference between chemical and physical sunscreens?

free skin care · Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:42 pm

I am not so sure about this info only because the Remergent SPF15 is chemical and the info from Remergent is to apply it last. I would have thought they would have known considering the research they have done.

free skin care · Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:51 pm

I'm not sure what "bare" skin means in this context. Chemical ss will most certainly adhere to skin that's been well-moisturized--the skin is still "bare," i.e. no foundation or powder makeup. I think this is the gist of the claim.

Many products placed over chemical ss can work to degrade them and render them less effective.

I put my ss over moisturizer, oils, and/or serums, but only of course after those products have well-absorbed into the skin.

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:18 am

bushy wrote:

I am not so sure about this info only because the Remergent SPF15 is chemical and the info from Remergent is to apply it last. I would have thought they would have known considering the research they have done.

I don't have the full ingredient list, but from EDS Remergent contains zinc & Titanium Dioxide as active sunscreen ingredients, both of which are physical blockers.

Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:28 pm

From what I recall, sunblocks (i.e. physical sunblock) are applied last over your skincare because they just sit on top of your skin and "reflect" the radiation so to speak. Sunscreens (i.e. the chemical sun protection variety) are meant to absorb the radiation before it affects the skin and they need to absorb into the skin a little before they start to work. This is why sunscreens should be applied 20 minutes BEFORE sun exposure whereas sunblocks are effective as soon as they are applied. That's how the difference has always been explained to me but I don't know more details behind this. HTH

free skin care · Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:58 am

Marina, Remergent has two sunscreens, an SPF15 which is chemical and an SPF30 which is physical.

free skin care · Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:34 am

I've been doing it wrong this whole time too, thanks for the explanation.

free skin care · Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:55 am

I also!! was doing it wrong?!! Brick wall

thanks for posting!

free skin care · Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:05 am

Steffers, the skincarecentral informs that it has PDD 20, which is nice:

SVR 50B Tinted All-Physical Sunscreen SPF 50/PPD 20.

free skin care · Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:20 am

i apply mine after i apply my moisturizer.......i cannot go without moisturizer.............and im sure if i apply my moisturizer after the SS il end up looking weird especially if the SS is tinted and i think it will also block pores and id have a breakout Shock

i think you have to put bare skin into context
is it skin free of makeup or skin free of any product including moisturizer and toner Laughing

free skin care · Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:22 pm

Ok, sorry but could someone please break it all down for me?

How do I know if I have a chemical v. physical sunblock/sunscreen? I'm more than a little confused at this point (but then again, it doesn't take much sometimes....). TIA!

free skin care · Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:39 pm

msaries1 wrote:

Ok, sorry but could someone please break it all down for me?

How do I know if I have a chemical v. physical sunblock/sunscreen? I'm more than a little confused at this point (but then again, it doesn't take much sometimes....). TIA!

This is what the Allure article says. If your sunscreen contains avobenzone, Helioplex or Mexoryl (chemical sunscreens) apply to bare skin (i.e. before moisturizer). If your sunscreen contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (Physical sunscreens) apply over moisturizer.

free skin care · Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:51 pm

Ahh...nice and simple. Thanks, Jom!!

free skin care · Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:39 pm

Also, if you use MMU you should not use a sunscreen that has avobenzone in it as the ingredients in MMU cancel out the effects of the avobenzone, making the sunscreen ineffective.

free skin care · Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:19 pm

I rarely use sunscreen, choosing instead to just stay out of the sun,I do use one tinted light foundation with spf already in it occasionally.I dont believe that sunscreen gives you that much protection..thats why I just avoid the sun.

free skin care · Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:33 pm

I somehow don't see myself putting moisturizer on top of sunscreen...

Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:14 pm

bushy wrote:

Marina, Remergent has two sunscreens, an SPF15 which is chemical and an SPF30 which is physical.

Remergent AM Moisture SPF 15
Ingredients: Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylhexyl 2, 6-Napthalate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Laureth-7, Lecithin, Micrococcus Lysate, Plankton Extract, Polyacrylamide, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate

Remergent High Intensity SPF 30
Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 5.1%, Octinoxate 5%, Oxybenzone 3%, Zinc Oxide 0.97%
Inactive Ingredients: Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Alumina, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate/Triethoxycarpylylsilane, Crosspolymer, Lecithin, Micrococus Lysate, Plankton Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Xanthan Gum

Is the High Intensity still considered a physical sunscreen when it also includes Octinoxate and Oxybenzone? hmm

free skin care · Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:46 pm

Chemical Sunscreens Include:

Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone)

PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB, glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid, padimate-O or octyl dimethyl PABA)

Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate)

Salicylates (ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate)

Digalloyl trioleate

Menthyl anthranilate

Avobenzone [butyl-methyoxydibenzoylmethane; Parsol 1789] - This is the only chemical sunscreen currently allowed by the European Community. However, its safety is still questionable since it easily penetrates the skin and is a strong free radical generator.

I would say that any sunscreen that has any of these ingredients in it, even if it also has titanium dioxide or zinc oxide in it, should be considered a chemical sunscreen.

The sunscreen you listed also has very low amounts of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide so I definitely think it is a chemical sunscreen.

free skin care · Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:00 pm

Chemical sunscreens absorb UV radiation while physical sunscreens act by physically blocking it. Chemical sunscreens can be UVA or UVB absorbers. Many sunscreens have a combination of ingredients and may contain both physical and chemical sunscreens.

Physical sunscreens are good blockers of both UVA and UVB radiation. The two most common physical blockers of UV radiation are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Here is a table with sunscreen ingredients and whether or not it provides UVA/UVB Protection

Ingredient UVB Protection UVA Protection
Chemical Absorbers
Avobenzone(Parsol 1789) No Yes
Cinnamates Yes No
Octocrylene Yes No
Oxybenzone
(Benzophenones) No Yes
PABA
(para-aminobenzoic acid)Yes No
Padimate-O
(Octyl dimethyl paba) Yes No
Salicylates Yes No
Physical Blockers
Titanium Dioxide Yes Yes
Zinc oxide
(including transparent) Yes Yes

free skin care · Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:50 am

I don't know about you people, but I put moisturizers FIRST before sunscreen which is the last step in my skin care regime.... and wait at least 30 minutes before exposure to sun....

steffers wrote:

hi there,

I just read in Allure Magazine (i think Dec '07 issue) that physical sunscreens can be applied last in one's routine, but that in the case of chemical sunscreens, they must be applied first, to "bare skin." Is this true?

Does this mean that my routine has been backwards, and possibly, ineffective for so long?

ARGH !!!!!

Sunscreens are generally thick and I can't imagine putting serums and stuff on AFTER my chemical sunscreen??!!

NOTE: I'm still altering between Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 55 with Helioplex, and Vichy Capitol Soleil with Meroxyl. I use these for the high PPD (UVA protection.) The crappy part? They are not as fresh smelling and nice to put on as physical blocks. I put mineral makeup on top, especially to cover the shine. Can't find a middle ground. If anyone can help, please provide recs!!!

thanks!
steffers

free skin care · Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:33 am

Jeeeez! Why does everything have to be so damn complicated?

Everytime I think I've figured something out, a monkey wrench gets thrown in the mix.. Brick wall

I miss the days when I didn't know any better, and the only choice I had to make was; Noxema, Ponds or Vaseline....

K

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