This is the seemingly endless sunscreen aisle of a CVS pharmacy in Manhattan. Sprays, sticks, aerosols in a ridiculous number of SPFs. It was as if I had landed in sunscreen heaven, or was it?
Today’s blog has two parts. The first part is the test phase. The second part is highlighting the same formulations under different brand names.
The test
I bought a bunch of mineral sunscreens from CVS pharmacy. All sunscreens have Zinc Oxide as their main UV filter. I used each for 3 days instead of my normal sunscreen.
I wanted to write this blog because some of you may be concerned about the safety of sunscreens (see Brace, Brace). None of these concerns extend to Zinc Oxide (read this Zinc Oxide 101).
It’s one of two filters that the US FDA consider is GRASE; it’s a broadspectrum filter (providing protection against UVA rays); its photostable in sunlight and its unreactive with your skin. The only cavaet I have against using Zinc Oxide formulas is that they are usually not fragrance free…
1. My Top recommendations
No 1: SunBum Mineral Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Zinc Oxide: 20%
Has a thick consistency and rubs in with very little effort. It has the most pleasant fragrance – faint coconut. Importantly its the most moisturising and doesn’t leave a chalky finish.
No 2. CVS Health Zinc Face Sheer Lotion SPF 50
Zinc Oxide: 21.6%
I was not expecting AT ALL to like this product, simply because I am an elitist snob when it comes to sunscreens. I was wrong – this is a good product at an extremely easy on the pocket price.
This also has a thick consistency, and takes a long time to rub in. However, it leaves no white chalky residue, doesn’t dry out your skin and, has a much-needed faint fragrance to it, masking the chalkiness of Zinc Oxide.
No 3…..Would Not Use Again….
Neutrogena SheerZinc Face Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 50 Neutrogena Zinc Oxide: 21.6%
Coppertone Pure & Simple sunscreen lotion (for face) SPF 50 Coppertone: 24.08%
The Coppertone product first smelt like paint, which converted to that school chalk smell of my childhood (yes, I am that old). Its also the most drying formulation – probably because of the higher concentration of Zinc Oxide.
I absolutely did not like the SheerZinc formulation as it was drying.
2. Duplicate formulas under different brand names
I spend a lot of time looking at the ingredients label.
I was flabbergasted when I found no less than FOUR ZnO products that had near identical ingredient lists BUT at different price points. They all have 21.6% Zinc Oxide in their formulation.
The products are:
I’ve compared their prices to Neutrogena’s SheerZinc Face SPF 50 and on a per unit basis: Neutrogena SheerZinc Dry-Touch Face sunscreen SPF 50 (Most expensive), Aveeno Positively Mineral Face sunscreen SPF 50 (34% cheaper), CVS Health Zinc Face Sheer Lotion SPF 50 (61% cheaper), CVS Health Zinc Sheer Lotion SPF 50 (68% cheaper).
My last thought tonight is, please buy the cheapest product!!