What damages are we trying to protect against when we use sunscreens?
Sunscreens contain UV filters. I like the EU definition which is, ‘UV-filters’ means substances which are exclusively or mainly intended to protect the skin against certain UV radiation by absorbing, reflecting or scattering UV radiation
Happy Skin Days’ sunscreen test
I apply this very basic test to all sunscreens that I test on this blog.
1) Are harmful chemicals present?
The harmful chemicals that I look for are specifically BHT, Oxybenzone, Formaldehyde releasing preservatives and parabens. This sunscreen has none of these.
2) This product is at least a SPF 30.
3) What are the UVA and UVB filters present in this product?
The product has only one filter present: 20% 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.
Aesthetics of the product
Smell: it smells somewhere between chalk and a bit of fragrance. It blends in with absolutely no whitecast and is not drying at all and it is a moisturising sunscreen. You may find you don’t need to wear a moisturiser beneath this product.
Also, its a much lighter sunscreen to wear then other non-nano and non-micronised mineral sunscreens. The skin feel is better than comparable mineral sunscreens from the Ordinary, the Inkey List and REN.
Finally, this sunscreen does come off with a normal cleanser – I didn’t feel the need to double cleanse – which is great!
Available for sale on cultbeauty. It does feel expensive at £ but remember its 90ml, so its a decent value for money sunscreen (despite being from a semi-luxurious skincare brand).
Would I buy this sunscreen again?
Yes, I would.
See also