No 3 on the Sephora USA bestselling sunscreen list is this product.
Is it a sunscreen? Is it a make-up primer? Is it a serum? The fact that it displays an SPF rating + has to disclose Zinc Oxide at 9.4% means that’s it regulated in the USA as a sunscreen. No-one should doubt its regulatory status as an OTC drug.
What’s novel about this formula is that it is not the claggy, whitecast Zinc Oxide sunscreen of previous years. Importantly, it achieves this by using NON-NANO ZINC OXIDE. Achieving a near transparent finish with such a light-weight, quickly absorbed formulation is innovative.
Formulas like this, really raise the bar for American sunscreens. Bravo its high-time we see better experiential products for consumers.
Is it a gel? Is it an emulsion?
Very novel formulation that is using a thickener + a bunch of stabilisers to create what is an emulsion. It does this without using a traditional emulsifier (e.g.) Glyceryl Stearate, Olivem family emulsifiers.
Breakdown of formula
1) What is the UV filter?
I like the EU definition of filters as “UV filters are substances which, contained in cosmetic sunscreen products, are specifically intended to filter certain UV rays in order to protect the skin from certain harmful effects of these rays”
The principal filter in this product is Zinc Oxide at 9.4% – if you would like to understand more about Zinc Oxide then please read this blog below. In a nutshell, ZnO is a broadspectrum filter that is GRASE (according to the US FDA) and is extremely photostable (essentially, unlike Avobenzone, does not start to breakdown as soon as it comes out of a tube).
For this formula, Zinc Oxide appears as a compound ingredient (Zinc Oxide (and) Triethoxycaprylylsilane (and) Ethyl Ferulate.
According to the supplier, “non-nano Zinc Oxide sunscreen ingredient that offers extreme transparency and no whitening. Surface bonded anti-oxidant provides a significant boost in SPF, broad spectrum protection, high UVA/UVB and critical wavelength above 375 n.m“…there is, “minimal whitening or ashyness in darker skin tones.”
Zinc Oxide per se at 9.4% is a low amount – but its combined with an SPF booster – to give a respectable SPF 30.
2) Structure of the formula
Thickeners and solubilisers provide structure
As I have mentioned before, the formula is set in a aqueous solution that is essentially thickened by a gel.
The principal rheology modifier (that’s what gelling agents are also called) is Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer.
Silicone, where are you?
Dimethicone is the only silicone oil present. Its moisturising, gentle on the skin, plays nicely with other products…very little not to like!
Solubilisers
As this is a sunscreen AND it has a colorant (Caramel), the product has solubilisers, namely
- Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer (helps with solubilisation of oils too)
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate and
- Polyester-5.
Moisturising ingredients heavy
Surprisingly for a sunscreen, it has a bunch of emollients + humectants that contribute to the products capacity to provide moisturisation. These are:
- Urea
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (an emollient ester that improves skin feel and softness, Its also an excellent emollient for pigment dispersing)
- Argan Oil
- Squalane
- Shea butter extract (deodorized and liquid form of shea butter)
Low on actives
The only notable active is Bisabolol that is an anti-inflammatory, but its present in a very clever phospholipid encapsulate compound ingredient along with Vitamin E
Preservative system
I am not entirely sure what the preservatives present are but they are likely to be one or more of at least some of these:
- Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate (and) Phenoxyethanol (and) Ethylhexylglycerin
- Chlorphrenesin
- Chorphenesin (and) Phenoxyethanol
- Benzyl Alcohol (and) Benzoic Acid (and) Sorbic Acid
And I will end with…
There is very little not to like about this sunscreen except 2 things:
- The price US$ 34 for 30ml (seriously!!)
- It is not great for reapplication – and if you are taking your sunscreen game seriously – reapplication is necessary.