This sunscreen is No. 10 on the #Sephora bestselling sunscreen list (USA).
I am super excited to write about this formulation because it took a while to figure out what the sunscreen was. Then, it was great!
I have not figured out how so many other ingredients fit in but that’s OK.
1) What are the sunscreen filters?
The only sunscreen filter is Zinc Oxide, present at a hefty 21.7%. This is a non-nano version and the high % indicates that (1) its unlikely that any SPF boosters are present (2) unless this formula does something clever (which it does), there will be whitecast.
Note that Zinc Oxide has a long track record of safe use when topically applied. Its photostable, is not easily absorbed into the 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 but is a better UVA filter.
2) What’s the product
- This is the first sunscreen-skincare product in Sephora’s bestseller list. It definitely shows the trend of blurring of sunscreen/make up/skincare.
- The Zinc Oxide at 21.7% gives the product an SPF of 30 (if you live in the EU) or SPF 40 (in the USA)
- Its as tinted mineral sunscreen – the presence of mica, Titanium Dioxide and Iron Oxide colorants plus the product’s website indicate that
2) What is the formulation?
The base of the formulation is clearly an emulsion. Therefore, you’d expect
- Water phase
- Oil phase (emollient + emulsifier)
- Solvent (could be emollient) for the sunscreen filter
- Stabilisers for the emulsion (that’s what I call rheology and viscosity modifiers)
- Preservatives
3) The surprise element
This sunscreen is NOT an oil-in-water emulsion. It’s in fact a water-in-oil emulsion, which is highly unusual. The dead giveaway was the Sodium Chloride (which would be added to the water phase) AND emulsifiers that I did not immediately recognise.
3a) What’s the emulsifier
Principal Emulsifier appears to be BENTONE® LUXE XO (INCI name C13-15 Alkane (and) Disteardimonium Hectorite (and) Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate), which “provides emulsification and rheological properties for silicone free water in oil systems. It also creates extremely stable emulsions.”
3b) The Zinc Oxide is already pre-dispersed
I think the formula uses GranLux®TGL-60Z, which is “a dispersion of Zinc oxide dispersed into Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-2-dipolyhydroxystearate and Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate.”
The Zinc Oxide is therefore pre-dispersed in emollients + I think emulsifiers (?)
3c) The Actives game is super interesting
This is the first sunscreen that contains an ingredient that stimulates Vitamin D. There are 2 such ingredients on the market – VitaGlow-D and NECTARIA LITHOPS™. If I were a betting person, I’d put my money on NECTARIA LITHOPS™.
3d) Other Actives
Actives that help with skin moisturisation and appearance include
- Galactoarabinan (a polysaccharide that helps reduce TEWL)
- Allantoin (skin-soothing agent)
- Lactic Acid (helps with skin moisturising
- Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid helps plump up the skin and gives a great finish)
Other notable actives are:
- Ceramides NG
- Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12