Neutrogena in almost 90%+ formulations rely on what it refers to as its “Helioplex combination of sunscreen filters”. I spent most of August 2019 in New York and I reviewed close to 40 Neutrogena sunscreens and unsurprisingly, this sunscreen was not available for sale in the USA. This is because “SUNBLOCK” is not permitted labelling in the USA or Europe. “Sunblock” implies that applying this sunscreen makes your skin 100% resistant to UV radiation.
It does not. (See link to Neutrogena sunscreens). Please follow these best practices when it comes to sunscreen…
If you do not care what harmful chemicals are in your products, then this sunscreen, is an SPF 50+ PA+++ product.
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Sunscreen test
1) Harmful chemicals present?
Per the ingredient label (on Nykaa) the harmful chemicals are: BHT, Oxybenzone and Methylisothiazolinone.
BHT: is a preservative and it’s the policy of this blog to avoid products containing BHT. David Suzuki’s excellent explanation is, “Limited evidence suggests that high doses of BHT may mimic estrogen, the primary female sex hormone and prevent the expression of male sex hormones, resulting in adverse reproductive effects.”
Oxybenzone: is a weak UVA and UVB (broadspectrum) chemical filter. It is a hormonal disruptor and a known skin allergen. (See Chemicals to Avoid – Oxybenzone for a more in-depth discussion)
Methylisothiazolinone: is a preservative and biocide. It has been banned in the EU in leave-on cosmetics such as sunscreens, because clinical data shows that normal contact exposure can cause allergic contact dermatitis. (See: Should I avoid MI? for more information)
I should stop writing now, because this is not a product you should be using.
2) Minimum SPF is 30
3) UVA and UVB filters present
Both UVA and UVB have been implicated in skin cancer and photo-aging. UVA and UVB filter should protect against these damages:
This product has the following UVB and UVA filters:
- UVB: Homosalate, Octisalate and Octocrylene
- UVA and UVB filter: Oxybenzone
- UVA filter: Avobenzone
There is no doubt that this product has sufficient UVB filters to give SPF 50+ coverage. The primary UVA filter is Avobenzone, that is a gold standard UVA filter that is stabilised with the help of Octocrylene and to a lesser extent, Oxybenzone.
The PA+++ is a measure of protection against UVA damage, and this indicates that this product does provide “Very effective protection against UVA.” (see also What is PA+++ for more details on PA rating).
Where can I buy this product?
Here is the LINK for Nykaa
Drop me a line if you have any questions at email@happyskindays.com
See also
Make-up products are not a replacement for good old sunscreen