I know it’s been a long time since I’ve done a Top 3 post. So next few I wanted to tackle are SPFs. I split it into three categories and I’ll start with my favorite chemical sunscreens. I love chemical sunscreens as they don’t have a white cast and tend to be more fluid and pleasurable texture wise. The US is quite behind in chemical filters so it’s no surprise that these are all European or Korean brands. I find the US chemical filters tend to be more irritating in the eye area while EU and Asian approved filters tend to give me little to no eye stinging. All of these are also alcohol free and have little to no fragrance which is my preference right now. I used to love alcohol and in SPF for the lighter texture when I was more oily, but I’m older and need less drying sunscreens now with rosacea. Personal preference for me and this does not need to be the view of everyone. I couldn’t pick just three so we’ll go over five.
My first real chemical sunscreen love was the Make P:rem UV Defense me. Blue ray sun gel. This has a light fluid milky gel lotion texture. It has octinoxate, homosalate, octyl salicylate and Uvinul A Plus as well as antioxidants, hydrators and supposedly this formulation has a way to lower skin temperature helping with cooling. So I have tried this on half my face and whether it’s placebo or not it does seem to make a difference cooling wise. What I really enjoy about this SPF is the light milky texture, no greasy or heavy feeling on the skin, no white cast and it’s not drying either. I like the pump and it’s pretty affordable plus it doesn’t sting my eyes. I really miss the brands orange top gel version that’s been discontinued from this brand as it was phenomenal. My next found love is the Heliocare 360 Water Gel. This has a super light fluid texture and a light banana scent like all the Heliocare sunscreens. I actually much prefer the light banana scent to any kind of powdery floral. It’s alcohol free and has some water resistance. It’s super light and never greasy but it’s also not drying either which I love. It has antioxidants including their patented Fernblock plus DNA repair enzymes. The filters are octocrylene, octyl salicylate, avobenzone, ensulizole, Uvinul A Plus and Tinosorb A2B. I find this one doesn’t sting my eyes, I enjoy it’s light fluid texture and it most definitely beats the majority of US chemical sunscreens in the same price range. Original thoughts HERE.
Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel is a new and recent gem added to the SPF world. This moisturizing fluid has ceramides and weight types of hyaluronic acid. It’s hydrating but still lightweight, not greasy or heavy, has no white cast, alcohol or fragrance. It’s also under $20 which makes it the most affordable of my picks. This has octyl salicylate, homosalate, Tinosorb S, Eversorb M and Uvinul A Plus. It also has soothing and antioxidant ingredients. For the price it’s a really fabulous product. This one doesn’t sting my eyes either. The next two are easily my favorite chemical sunscreens of the bunch. ISDIN Fusion Water was the fastest sunscreen I ever went through tube wise (it’s not large so keep that in mind but it is fab). This is a lightweight fluid textured, not heavy or greasy sunscreen. It’s alcohol and fragrance free as I’m using the Pediatrics version. There is two versions, one has fragrance, the Pedi one does not. I’ve tried both and while the Pedi one seems more hydrating at first after about a half hour they honestly feel the same on the skin to me. Both are waterproof to some degree and it doesn’t not stin ght eyes at all. I even started using this one on Ella and she tolerates it (as well as she tolerates any sunscreen application to the face) and it doesn’t sting her eyes either. It has octocrylene, octyl salicylate, avobenzone, Ensulizole and Tinosorb S. This one is more hydrating than the Heliocare or Make P:rem at first but it’s less than the Isntree. More thoughts on SPF HERE.
Last but not least is EVY Daily UV Face Mousse. This took quite some time for me to learn to love it, but once I did it because the most amazing product I’ve used in a long time. This is a mousse textured sunscreen that touts a six (not two) hour level protection. I have used it now on the beach and out and about at the zoo etc and it protects me all day it seems. I really love it not only for it’s completely zero white cast but also long lasting protection combined with and light texture. I like the face version the most compared to the body ones, it’s less sticky. That’s what I had to get used to with this one. It’s a tad sticky at first but it can actually be rinsed after with water to remove that film and it still protects. Really an amazing technology. It supposedly sits in the top layer of the skin forming a protective barrier allowing it to rub off less easily. It’s also fragrance and alcohol free. It has octocrylene, avobenzone, Uvinul A Plus, Tinosorb S and Uvinul T 150. I do love the body version for our days out at the zoo or whatever, I use it on Ella and myself and don’t have to worry about applying again. It’s easily the most interesting SPF product to date I’ve tried. I love that it’s non-drying yet not heavy or greasy. It’s hard to find in the US but I linked where I get it from.
In all honesty these all look and feel fairly similar on the skin. None give me breakouts or any kind of issues. EVY and ISDIN are more unique I guess and I like them the most but they’re followed shortly by Heliocare, Isntree and Make P:rem. I think Isntree is the most hydrating of the bunch, with Heliocare as the least. These all fit an alcohol free, low to no fragrance style and seem to be OK for my drier rosacea skin. Don’t get me wrong I used to love alcohol in my SPF but when I got older that changed as my skin got drier and I didn’t need the oil control from it anymore. If you’re young or have more oily skin totally go for the alcohol ones they have great textures. I haven’t found that any of these honestly sting my eyes at all. I know avobenzone can be the culprit at times for that, but sometimes it’s the formulation and preservatives, fragrance as well. Formulation is key.
Top to Bottom-Isntree, Heliocare, Make P:rem, ISDIN, EVY:
So I totally forgot to throw in the Paula’s Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid as a great affordable US chemical sunscreen if you don’t want European or Asian ones. It’s my favorite easy to acquire one in the US. It’s got a super light fluid texture that isn’t heavy or greasy. It also has antioxidants and soothing oat extract. The filters are Avobenzone, Octinoxate, Octisalate and Octocrylene. It’s alcohol and fragrance free. I don’t remember this one stinging my eyes either. I haven’t tried it in a while as I ran out and just got this new tube gifted by the brand. I’ll have to try it again.
