I’ve been reviewing sunscreens for some time, and there is tremendous online scepticism about new brands, such as Re’equil.
I get it: Lotus Organics launch a Vitamin C serum, and the skin whitening effect comes from Niacinamide (LOLOL!).
Also, the controversy around South Korean sunscreens has left many consumers sceptical.
My view is that outside a laboratory it is virtually impossible to accurately measure the SPF of a product. I have a healthy dose of scepticism about the published SPFs on products, but this does not mean
ALL SUNSCREENS ARE USELESS. Sunscreen plays a vital role in protecting against skin cancer and photoaging….to remind you, damages are we trying to protect against when we use sunscreens are serious:
Therefore, scepticism = good, fearmongering for the sake of it = bad.
Happy Skin Days’ sunscreen test
I apply this very basic test to all sunscreens that I test on this blog.
Note: the harmful chemicals that I look for are specifically BHT, Oxybenzone, Formaldehyde releasing preservatives and parabens (and none of these are present in this product). The product is at least an SPF 30 and it does provide UVA protection.
3) What UVA and UVB filters are present in the sunscreen?
This sunscreen only has one filter: 25% Zinc Oxide in a micronized form, which essentially means nano-Zinc Oxide.
Zinc Oxide has a long track record of safe use when topically applied: it is photostable (does not breakdown as soon as it comes out of the tube) and essentially “sits” on the skin (not absorbed by skin). Even if de minimis penetration of (e.g.) Zinc Oxide occurs, there are no adverse health effects, given the high levels of endogenous Zinc already present in the body.
Zinc Oxide is a broadspectrum filter, providing protection against both UVA and UVB radiation (over 290nm-400nm), but it is without doubt a UVA filter.
This is the protection against UV radiation that 25% Zinc Oxide provides
Aesthetics of this product
This is a tinted sunscreen, and as all things with colour in it, it is an acquired taste.
Texture: The texture reminds me of supergoop and La Shield’s mineral sunscreen. The gel-like texture is very similar to La Shield, except its heavier (presumably because of the colour pigments).
Tint: The product blends in leaving a slight tint, which actually works for my skin tone. It does not take long to blend in the product.
Fragrance: This sunscreen is not fragranced, but oddly does not have that chalky Zinc Oxide smell. I am not complaining – I am just not sure why I can’t smell whitewash/chalk
Drying? For me, this is not a drying sunscreen, which is what I would expect from chalky, Zinc Oxide. Instead as you can see from the blow below (taken t+2hrs later), the oil ring is of a reasonable size.
Would I use this sunscreen or buy it again.
Of course, I don’t think an SPF 50 is possible with Zinc Oxide, but that is my personal opinion based on reviewing hundreds of sunscreens as well as having a healthy dose of scepticism about published SPF values vs. what they are in reality.
However, there is no reason for me not to treat this as an SPF 30 with slightly lower UVA protection than as advertised and use this product!
I wouldn’t buy this product because I am not a fan of tints. BUT if you are looking for a tinted sunscreen because you hate the whitecast of Zinc Oxide then this is a good sunscreen to opt for. Also, its not a shabby sunscreen to have on for all your Zoom calls.
The tint makes the sunscreen slightly more expensive, than were it not tinted. Available for sale at Nykaa. MRP is INR 795 for 50g.