This is the second La Shield sunscreen that I am reviewing. I reviewed La Shield’s mineral sunscreen recently, and you can read the review here.
Initial thoughts
The product is extremely, extremely heavily fragranced. I don’t know what the hell La Shield is trying to mask, but it feels like its a garbage dump, because that would be the only explanation for such a heavily fragranced product. (Obviously, I am exaggerating for effect, but it is hard to otherwise explain how intense and nauseating the fragrance is.
Second, this is an SPF 40 product, which were it in the EU, it would have an SPF 30 label.
This is why I will treat this product as an SPF 30 product.
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.
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 this product?
The UV filters are:
- Octinoxate
- Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (“BEMT“)
- Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (“DHHB“)
- Titanium Dioxide
- Diethyl hexyl Butamido Triazone (also called Uvinul HEB)
Octinoxate or Ethylyhexyl methoxycinnamate is present in an overwhelming number of sunscreens that I have seen, which is no surprise because it’s the most common UVB filter used globally.
Uvinul HEB is a very effective UVB filter that is also very, very photostable.
Titanium Dioxide is also a broadspectrum filter that provides better UVB protection then it does UVA.
Both BEMT and DHHB are new style filters that are
(1) Photostable (so do not immediately start to breakdown as soon as the product comes out of the tube)
(2) Have a large molecular size (and therefore do not penetrate the skin), and
(3) Do not need to be present in high %s to give effective protection
BEMT provides superior UVB protection as well as UVA protection, tapering off around 360nm, indicating its not as good as Avobenzone. DHHB provides superior UVAII / UVA I protection, peaking between 350nm-360nm.
Aesthetics of the product
I have already talked to death about the fragrance.
The product is supposed to be oil-free (I guess good for acne users) and as you can see it blends in very quickly with no whitecast.
It is an occlusive type formulation – like the other La Shield sunscreen and supergoop sunscreen – so if you are not used to less breatheable formulations, this may not be for you.
Would I use this product?
No.
Despite this product ticking absolutely every single book on paper including, being affordable (INR 790 for 60ml), the fragrance is absolutely overwhelming and too much for me.