Sunscreen Recommendations!
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free skin care · Sun Apr 14, 2013 6:37 pm

I really love my BareMinerals SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen.It's weightless,invisible and easy to reapply if necessary.It comes in a self- contained tube with a very soft,non-shedding brush at the opposite end.

free skin care · Mon May 13, 2013 1:37 pm

cabrita wrote:

I recently discovered Andalou Naturals All in One Beauty Balm (I think it's on sale for under $15 at vitacost atm) & I really like it. It does have a tint & is slightly too dark for me (I am fair)so I mix it with a touch of Pratima's (which is way more expensive)& it goes on nicely & appears natural. It is very protective at 20% Zinc Oxide. I have dry sensitive skin & was breaking out with the Burnout. (which I thought was due to the Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides - but apparently not since this product also has them)

HTH's! Smile

There is actually an un-tinted version if you want to try it. Here are the ingredients for it:

Andalou Naturals Oil Control Beauty Balm Un-Tinted with SPF 30

Active Ingredients:
Zinc Oxide 20.0%

Ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Juice*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) and Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oils*, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Fruit Stem Cell and BioActive 8 Berry Complex*, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Hyaluronic Acid, Salvia Officinalis (Sage), Serenoa Rapens (Saw Palmetto) and Salix Alba (Willow Bark) Extracts*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Oil*, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Algae Extract, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Sulfate, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos), Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis and Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extracts*†, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) and Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oils*

free skin care · Mon May 13, 2013 2:05 pm

Do you use the untinted? I had thought about trying it but had seen several reviews about it being quite thick & therefore difficult to spread. And that the tinted had a much better texture.

Love to hear how the texture of the 2 compare if you have tried them both. Thanks! Smile

Tue May 14, 2013 11:33 am

Hi, I like SkinCeuticals Sheer Physical SPF50 as it is very light and is not oily.

free skin care · Tue May 14, 2013 2:29 pm

Cabrita,

I have used the un-tinted version but never tried the tinted. I had read reviews of the tinted looking orangy on fair skin.

The un-tinted is not too bad, to me the texture is okay and it is not hard to spread on the skin in my opinion, it is actually easier to put on than some other high zinc ones I have tried. It can leave a little white cast depending on how much you put, but I find it more flattering than with other natural zinc only sunscreens. I have been fine with not putting powder on top, and it doesn't leave oily feeling on me.

If you like the tinted I say you may as well try the un-tinted and see if you might like it. Maybe it will be a better match for your skin Smile

Everyone is different.

free skin care · Wed May 15, 2013 4:28 pm

Indium,

Thank you so much for your opinion. I will try the untinted on your rec. A friend of mine uses the tinted (she tried mine & loved it). On her it is a perfect match & makes her skin look great. Go figure ! Smile

free skin care · Wed May 15, 2013 4:56 pm

LRP spf 60 from Walgreens. I'm oily and sweaty in the summer and it's both light & mattifying.

free skin care · Thu May 16, 2013 12:30 am

No Problem Cabrita. Razz

Let us know if you have success with the un-tinted on your skin. I hope you do!

Wed May 22, 2013 4:55 am

LondonJamie wrote:

I'm loving Invisible Zinc's Environmental Skin Protector spf 30. 18% micronized zinc. I use CE ferulic and prevage underneath for extra protection.

I'm looking at adding Loreal's UV Perfect spf 50 underneath to boost UVA protection. It has both the mexoryl's without avobenzone or octocrylene.

HTH.

Do you happen to have the ingredients list for the L'Oreal to hand? I've read posts elsewhere recommending certain sunscreens, saying that they don't contain avobenzone, but upon further investigation have discovered that they do contain avobenzone but it is listed in the ingredients under its INCI name - Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane.

I'm trying to find a replacement for my LRP Anthelios. I've suspected for some time that it wasn't working. I use MMU and now I know that the LRP does contain avobenzone I'm desperately searching for a replacement. I'm using Tretinoin and am so frustrated to learn that I've probably been undoing all my hard work by plastering on an avobenzone sunscreen under my MMU. Sad

I'm in the UK and am having trouble finding some of the recommended sunscreens.

ETA:

Found this info at http://www.cosdna.com/eng/cosmetic_28c127710.html. According to that page, you're quite right and it doesn't contain avobenzone. Will order a bottle from Amazon and hope for the best!

Thanks for the tip about this product. Very Happy

Fri May 24, 2013 5:54 am

LondonJamie wrote:

I'm loving Invisible Zinc's Environmental Skin Protector spf 30. 18% micronized zinc. I use CE ferulic and prevage underneath for extra protection.

I'm looking at adding Loreal's UV Perfect spf 50 underneath to boost UVA protection. It has both the mexoryl's without avobenzone or octocrylene.

HTH.

Oh my goodness - this product is amazing!!!!! It arrived yesterday. I bought the Transparent Skin version. It is heaven in a bottle. I've been using LRP Anthelios for about three years and have never really been happy with it. I didn't like the way it made my skin look. The UV Perfect is utterly blissful. It's a thicker consistency but there is absolutely no trace of oiliness, even on my combination skin. It leaves my skin looking flawless. It's even easy to apply makeup afterwards! It smells like sunscreen (if you know what I mean) but to be honest I really couldn't care less; after all, it's only on my face so I'm not going to reek of sunscreen the way I would if I were applying it all over my body.

Joy, joy, joy! I've been looking for a new sunscreen for quite a while now and am so glad I found out about this product.

I emailed L'Oreal UK today to ask why this is only distributed in Asia. I bought my bottle from Amazon.co.uk but it would be nice if it were a little easier to find. I told L'Oreal that I used to be a fan of their Solar Expertise SPF 50 sunscreen and was bitterly disappointed when it was discontinued. Now I've found UV Perfect I just pray they'll keep making it.

Endless thanks to LondonJamie for the tip.

free skin care · Mon May 27, 2013 5:32 pm

I've recently went on a sunscreen binge to try out a few new ones.

As for past history, I've preferred MVO face screen on my face and Pratima for my body. MVO remains a favorite of mine, but I ran out of Pratima and they are out of stock so I needed to find something new.

I tried two new body sunscreens and one new face version. Here are my impressions.

Body Sunscreen #1: Suntegrity Natural Mineral Sunscreen for Body SPF 30 $24 for 3oz
http://www.amazon.com/Suntegrity-Natural-Mineral-Sunscreen-Body/dp/B003O9KGMG/ref=sr_1_3?m=A3A9KDAX878IJW&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1369700202&sr=1-3

Suntegrity was orange scented and smooth going on. Zinc-based. Suitable for both face and body. Was highly rated last year by EWG, but for some reason the 2013 results don't include it at all.

Body Sunscreen #2: Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 $9 for 4 oz!
http://www.amazon.com/Banana-Boat-Natural-Reflect-Sunscreen/dp/B0063A42GE/ref=sr_1_8?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1369700443&sr=1-8

This one was a real winner! At $2.25/oz it's a steal compared to most other physical sunblocks. It's a mix of zinc and titanium. It's not greasy at all! Yay!! Plus it's water resistant. This is my new fav body sunscreen. No pricy shipping charges and it's cheap. Plus it works nice on the face too. I WILL buy this one again.

Face Sunscreen: Uriage Bariésun SPF 50+ Gold Tinted Cream $27 for 50ml
http://www.amazon.com/Uriage-Bari%C3%A9sun-Gold-Tinted-Cream/dp/B007NM2J66/ref=sr_1_3?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1369700687&sr=1-3&keywords=uriage+sunscreen

I tried this one based on fawnie's recommendation on another thread. It's quite nice and I've always wanted to try a sunscreen with tinsorb. I expected the "gold" to be a fairly light tinting, but it looks like foundation coming out of the tube. It had quite a bit of coverage to it. Non-greasy. Has a bit of a scent, but didn't linger too long. Very nice for the face, but a bit pricey (cheaper than the MVO I like though).

For those of you looking for a Devita alternative, take a look at these. I've not used them in heavy duty sun yet, but an hour or so this weekend and no pink color at all (I'm fair and burn very easy, always got color with Devita).

free skin care · Tue May 28, 2013 4:12 pm

Did you guys read about the High SPF on EWG?

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/whats-wrong-with-high-spf/

While one of the main points is that high SPFs are inherently misleading I find these points much more worrying:

"The chemicals that form a product’s sun protection factor are aimed at blocking ultraviolet B rays, which are the primary cause of sunburn and non-melanoma skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma (von Thaler 2010). Ultraviolet A rays penetrate deeper into the skin and are harder to block with sunscreen ingredients approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for use in U.S. sunscreens. Scientists know less about the dangers of UVA radiation, but the general consensus is that it is less obvious than UVB damage but possibly more serious.

A sunscreen lotion’s SPF rating has little to do with the product’s ability to shield the skin from UVA rays. As a result of the FDA’s restrictions on ingredients and concentrations, U.S. sunscreens offer far less protection against UVA than UVB, particularly those producrts with the highest SPF. Because UVA and UVB protection do not harmonize, high-SPF products suppress sunburn but not other types of sun damage."

"4. High-SPF products have greater risks to health – High-SPF products require higher concentrations of sun-filtering chemicals than low-SPF sunscreens. Some of these ingredients may pose health risks when they penetrate the skin, where they have been linked to tissue damage and potential hormone disruption. Some may trigger allergic skin reactions. If studies showed that high-SPF products were better at reducing skin damage and skin cancer risk, that extra chemical exposure might be justified. But they don’t, so choosing sunscreens with lower concentrations of active ingredients – SPF 30 instead of SPF 70, for example – is prudent."

What SPF do you guys usually go for?
I'm currently using Neutrogen clear face liquid lotion SPF 55. Do you guys think that's an okay product?
I was looking to switch to Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer SPF 20. I always wear a sunhat and I never sunbathe. According to EWG SPF 20 might be sufficient but it seems low to me. Any thoughts?
I'm all worried about high SPFs now.

free skin care · Tue May 28, 2013 4:59 pm

If you are looking for using a natural zinc based sunscreen, I try to look for one that has at least 18% Zinc. Zinc is the only non-chemical sun filter that blocks both UVA & UVB rays. The higher the Zinc percent the better the UV coverage.

Wed May 29, 2013 11:22 am

My luxury favourite is Kanebo Sensai silky bronze face cream (SPF30), and I use Jane Iredale pressed powder that is SPF20 too. For my body I usually just use whatever drugstore spray one is on sale at Walmart haha

free skin care · Wed May 29, 2013 8:44 pm

Penta wrote:

Did you guys read about the High SPF on EWG?

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/whats-wrong-with-high-spf/

While one of the main points is that high SPFs are inherently misleading I find these points much more worrying:

"The chemicals that form a product’s sun protection factor are aimed at blocking ultraviolet B rays, which are the primary cause of sunburn and non-melanoma skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma (von Thaler 2010). Ultraviolet A rays penetrate deeper into the skin and are harder to block with sunscreen ingredients approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for use in U.S. sunscreens. Scientists know less about the dangers of UVA radiation, but the general consensus is that it is less obvious than UVB damage but possibly more serious.

A sunscreen lotion’s SPF rating has little to do with the product’s ability to shield the skin from UVA rays. As a result of the FDA’s restrictions on ingredients and concentrations, U.S. sunscreens offer far less protection against UVA than UVB, particularly those producrts with the highest SPF. Because UVA and UVB protection do not harmonize, high-SPF products suppress sunburn but not other types of sun damage."

"4. High-SPF products have greater risks to health – High-SPF products require higher concentrations of sun-filtering chemicals than low-SPF sunscreens. Some of these ingredients may pose health risks when they penetrate the skin, where they have been linked to tissue damage and potential hormone disruption. Some may trigger allergic skin reactions. If studies showed that high-SPF products were better at reducing skin damage and skin cancer risk, that extra chemical exposure might be justified. But they don’t, so choosing sunscreens with lower concentrations of active ingredients – SPF 30 instead of SPF 70, for example – is prudent."

What SPF do you guys usually go for?
I'm currently using Neutrogen clear face liquid lotion SPF 55. Do you guys think that's an okay product?
I was looking to switch to Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer SPF 20. I always wear a sunhat and I never sunbathe. According to EWG SPF 20 might be sufficient but it seems low to me. Any thoughts?
I'm all worried about high SPFs now.

I did see this too. Made me stop and think. I usually go for SPF 30, but have recently bought some SPF 50. I usually go for physical sunscreens to reduce the chemical impact.

EWG did have some good info on their sunscreen reviews about how well each product performed against UVA and UVB.

Wed May 29, 2013 9:22 pm

how about kiehls or shiseido?

Wed May 29, 2013 11:38 pm

These are some good sun screen which is commonly used...

Pratima Neem SPF
Burnout SPF
Eminence Bright Skin SPF
Eminence Persimmon & Cantaloupe SPF

free skin care · Thu May 30, 2013 4:28 am

jacksonbird03 wrote:

These are some good sun screen which is commonly used...

Pratima Neem SPF
Burnout SPF
Eminence Bright Skin SPF
Eminence Persimmon & Cantaloupe SPF

Commonly used where? By who?

free skin care · Thu May 30, 2013 5:35 am

I love Suntegrity Natural Mineral Sunscreen, it's good for sensitive oily/combination skin. It works as a primer and has good ingredients. White cast disappears after massaging it into the skin.

I would love to give a try Pratima but they do not ship internationally Sad

Burnout Kids version was to oily, BurnOut Eco-Sensitive Sunscreen was too dry. And none of them are as elegant as Suntrity, IMHO.

Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF 40: very elegant, but has more white cast then Suntegrity.

free skin care · Thu May 30, 2013 6:36 pm

I've been using obagi mineral zinc oxide 19% for about 5 years now. It's light and feels my skin absorbs it well...

free skin care · Fri May 31, 2013 9:59 am

Angy wrote:

I've been using obagi mineral zinc oxide 19% for about 5 years now. It's light and feels my skin absorbs it well...

Angy, which one: Sunguard, NuDerm Healthy Skin protection SPF 35, NuDerm Physical UV SPF 32 or Sun Shield SPF 50?

free skin care · Tue Jun 04, 2013 3:26 pm

EGW says that European sunscreens are better:

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/europes-better-sunscreens/

Can someone recommend a good European sunscreen to me? I'm in Europe right now and would love to grab one.

free skin care · Wed Jun 05, 2013 4:39 pm

ubar wrote:

LondonJamie wrote:

I'm loving Invisible Zinc's Environmental Skin Protector spf 30. 18% micronized zinc. I use CE ferulic and prevage underneath for extra protection.

I'm looking at adding Loreal's UV Perfect spf 50 underneath to boost UVA protection. It has both the mexoryl's without avobenzone or octocrylene.

HTH.

Oh my goodness - this product is amazing!!!!! It arrived yesterday. I bought the Transparent Skin version. It is heaven in a bottle. I've been using LRP Anthelios for about three years and have never really been happy with it. I didn't like the way it made my skin look. The UV Perfect is utterly blissful. It's a thicker consistency but there is absolutely no trace of oiliness, even on my combination skin. It leaves my skin looking flawless. It's even easy to apply makeup afterwards! It smells like sunscreen (if you know what I mean) but to be honest I really couldn't care less; after all, it's only on my face so I'm not going to reek of sunscreen the way I would if I were applying it all over my body.

Joy, joy, joy! I've been looking for a new sunscreen for quite a while now and am so glad I found out about this product.

I emailed L'Oreal UK today to ask why this is only distributed in Asia. I bought my bottle from Amazon.co.uk but it would be nice if it were a little easier to find. I told L'Oreal that I used to be a fan of their Solar Expertise SPF 50 sunscreen and was bitterly disappointed when it was discontinued. Now I've found UV Perfect I just pray they'll keep making it.

Endless thanks to LondonJamie for the tip.

I'm so glad you like it Ubar! It is a great sunscreen. The only concern I have is that Loreal only appears to list the manufacture date and not the expiry date. I've researched online and there are two conflicting views- the first is that a bottle of unopened sunscreen remains active for three years, while others say it is only a year. Very frustrating...

Fri Jun 07, 2013 4:38 am

Penta wrote:

I know the forum is flooded with sunscreen questions right now so I apologize if I'm being redundant.
I'd love to find a good light-weight zinc sunscreen. Obviously I would like one that is cosmetically elegant and doesn't leave an oily shine or too much of a white cast etc. But I also have really sensitive, dry skin so I would like to avoid any irritating ingredients such as Retinyl Palmitate, Avobenzone, or Oxybenzone etc.

Any recommendations would be very very much appreciated. Thanks!

free skin care · Fri Jun 07, 2013 1:51 pm

Here is a very long 5 part series about different sunscreens that is worth reading about if you get the chance.

The author ends up liking physical sunscreen/inorganic best but this is a quote I have a question about.

"However, in terms of UVB protection, TiO2 is significantly better than ZnO! This study (5) suggests that ZnO can’t achieve an SPF of higher than 10, while TiO2 reached an SPF of 38. While these numbers aren’t absolute, they do support the above mentioned claim."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18271305

Does anyone have full access to this study instead of the Abstract? I have been using some sunscreens with only ZO and some with TI and ZO mixed. It would seem from this study that the mixed sunscreens would provide better overall (both UVA and UVB) protection then just ZO alone.
This might explain why I can tan while wearing some ZO only sunscreens. Thanks.

http://www.futurederm.com/2012/09/06/are-inorganic-sunscreens-better-than-organic-ones-part-iv-level-of-protection-and-practicality/

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