Tag: sunscreen

La Roche Posay Anthelios Shaka SPF50 Review

If you’ve been using sunscreens for a while, I’m pretty confident you would have heard of the La Roche Posay Shaka fluid and probably even tried it. La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF50+ Shaka fluid is one of the best mid-range SPFs in the market. Its broad-spectrum, high PA rating and has antioxidant protection.

Experience

This would be my 2nd tube of the Shaka Fluid SPF. The texture is very fluid and it feels light on the skin. It has a sunscreen scent but no more than the others I have tried. Shaka fluid has a semi matte finish and it’s non-perfumed.

For me, I’m not the biggest fan of this SPF. Its 100% invisible on dark skin but I find it takes a while to fully dry on my skin. Because of the finish, I prefer to use this in the spring/summer when my skin is oiler. Also because of the ball inside it, it makes it slightly harder to get the last bits of the sunscreen out. Sometimes it pills

Watch my demo of this product in my insta reels below:

Verdict

I would still recommend the sunscreen. If you prefer a semi matte finish this is a good one. It also has high PA rating and a high SPF.  It doesn’t feel greasy on the skin. It’s mid-range priced at £18 but it does go on sale often on LookFantastic. Shaka fluid also has a tinted version so you may prefer that (the tinted version may not invisible on dark skin). The Anthelios range in general have some good sunscreen products

La Roche Posay Anthelios Shaka SPF50 is £18 on LookFantastic

*affiliate link

Catch you later!

Best Sunscreens for Dark Skin

Face SPF

La Roche Posay Shaka Fluid

A superb SPF.  Invisible on the skin with  semi matte finish. Works well under makeup

La Roche Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF 50

A thicker SPF cream but 100% invisible on the skin. This one is a dewier finishand I can use it with or without moisturiser underneath.  This one pills sometimes depending on how much I use and what I use underneath so I’m still trying to find the perfect combo

Body SPF

Nivea Protect & Refresh SPF50

A lightweight spray that leaves 0 cast and no piling. I love this particular one because it has a cooling effect on the skin and a subtle sunscreen scent

SPF Top Up

For SPF top ups or on the go, there’s only 2 I’ve come across.

Kate Sommervile Uncomplicated SPF50 mist is amazing!

Amazing lemongrass scent and virtually invisible on the skin

For a cheaper alternative try the Fresh Mist from La Roche Posay

Finally for those that want an SPF and moisturiser combo I have 2 amazing options

Fenty Hydravizor SPF30 is super light and moisturising with a dewy finish that isnt too shiny. Your Good Skin SPF30 is a great drugstore alternative I have been using for years and highly recommended 👌🏾

Garnier UV Water SPF 50 Mist Review

This year I wanted to test out a few different ways of reapplying SPF over makeup for dark skin. The main way to do this is using SPF mineral powder however when it comes to dark shades there are practically non-existent!

The next best thing was SPF mists and whilst there are a few on the market, I always wondered if they would be invisible enough for dark skin. I ‘ve got a few to test out, today’s post will be a full review and demo on the Garnier UV Water SPF 50 Mist. I saw this in Boots and immediately picked it up.

What the brand says:

Our UV Water refreshing protecting mist offers a triple benefit:

Instantly protects skin from sun damage caused by UVA and UVB rays

Refreshes skin with an immediate -2 degree Celsius skin cooling effect*

Enriched with Aloe Vera water, it hydrates for up to 24 hours.

The 360 degree circular diffuser makes it fast, precise and easy to apply. The formula is non-sticky, invisible on skin and water resistant.

Garnier suncare is recognised by the British Skin Foundation.

Experience

Type of sunscreen: chemical in a mist/spray format

What I liked: the innovative applicator means it did not shoot out like a jet stream. It was diffused enough to cover a good amount of skin. It also has a cooling effect which means on a hot day this was quite refreshing to use. When sprayed over makeup it leaves the skin glowing

What I didn’t like: unfortunately this isn’t 100% invisible on the skin. As you can see in my picture, it leaves white spots all over my skin! Of course, I can easily brush it away with powder but it claims to be invisible on the skin and if you are wearing anything black or dark, prepare to have white spots all over this.

I didn’t actually realise on the back of the can it says fair skin on it. Does this mean it’s only marketed to those skin tone?

Personally, I don’t mind the glow this gives but for someone who is extremely oily this will come across as super oily.

Verdict

In theory, this would have been so nice to use! It’s cooling and refreshing and provides SPF 50 protection however it is not invisible on the skin. I don’t want to always have to powder after using this or check a mirror to see if I have covered all the white spots it leaves!

I won’t repurchase and I won’t recommend for darker skin tones.

It’s important to note SPF mists should only be used for reapplications and should not be the main SPF you apply!

Garnier UV Water SPF 50 Mist is £8 at Boots

 

Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF50 Review

Estee Lauder is one of my favourite luxury brands! My favourite products from them are their best seller ANR serum and Ampoules however I think I have found another killer product( the full review on this soon)

Today’s post is a full review of the new Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF50 with 8 antioxidants. This is part of the Perfectionist range, designed to perfect the skin by reducing sun damage, dark spots and brighten, lift, firm and smooth the skin.

What the brand says:

Our next-generation defense with a next-to-nothing feel. Professionally inspired treatment helps safeguard the healthy, beautiful look of your skin with a holistic 3-in-1 defense, fighting the look of indoor and outdoor environmental assaults: UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum Defense in an invisible veil. This patent-pending formula, also featuring Tiger Lily Extract, helps promote the appearance of naturally firm, bouncy skin

Pollution Defense: It helps fight the appearance of damage from indoor/outdoor pollution, including ozone and micro-dust.The carefully crafted, self-renewing blend includes Tiger Lily Extract, Green Tea, Vitamins C and E, Resveratrol and more. Dehydration Defense: Advanced barrier fortifiers help skin seal in moisture and help strengthen it against other environmental assaults. This can also help prevent dehydration, including from external causes such as heating and air conditioning.

All in an amazing, water-light gel emulsion that applies with a refreshing burst of hydration. Absorbs quickly. Non-greasy, non-sticky. Won’t clog pores.

Experience

This is a chemical-based sunscreen. Chemical filers are:

UVB- Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, Homosalate. UVA- Benzophenone-3, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

This is a gel formula and comes in an opaque tube packaging. It comes in one size: 30ml.

What I liked about it: the gel formula feels nice and slightly hydrating on the skin and it’s also very lightweight. I can layer this on and won’t experience any pilling. The formula is great because, in addition to sun protection, you are also getting the added 8 antioxidants including powerhouse antioxidants like Vitamin C, E which will further protect the skin from free radical damage. I have been using this religiously and in addition to my hyperpigmentation treatments and they are fading slowly! ( the biggest difference has been reapplication of sunscreen). This is 100% invisible on dark skin, even when reapplied! I look super tired in the pic, its the first time in a while I had to wake up early for work. LOL

What I didn’t like: Alcohol denatured is the 3rd ingredient in the product and you can definitely tell as you apply it. You get a whiff of the alcohol scent. I also suspect it’s the reason why I get a stinging sensation as the product is drying on the skin. It’s not major but I can feel it and if you have sensitive skin you may find it irritating. I also find that it doesn’t pair too well with certain primers. In the last week of using this, I started going back to work hence started doing my makeup. I usually use the Glamglow Nude moisturiser mixed with the Emani Perfect 10 serum primer as my primer. I have been using this combo since last year without any issues. Using this combo on top of this sunscreen amplified the tingling sensation I was talking about earlier. Again it wasn’t major to the point where I had to rub it off but I could definitely feel it. I then switched primers to the revolution blur stick and that has been ok.

Another issue I have with this is the size. It’s £36 for 30ml and this lasted me just under 2 weeks! 13 days to be exact. I mentioned I reapply sunscreen often, so when I started using this I would use it twice a day before I decided to re-apply my SPF with another product because I didn’t want to run out of the Estee lauder quickly. I use a good about of sunscreen, roughly ½ a teaspoon for face and neck which is the recommended amount. So using the recommended amount of SPF will get you 2 weeks use out of this which isn’t good value for money. I wish it was 50ml size instead

Verdict– I really like the texture and formula of this sunscreen. I love the gel texture which is very easy to apply and layer on. I also love the added antioxidants which boost the sunscreen protection. I love its 100% invisible on dark skin. I have used alcohol denatured in sunscreens before but I don’t remember any of them giving me a tingling sensation like this Estee lauder one does. I also wish they would bring this in a bigger size, 30ml won’t last especially if you are reapplying it often.

Would I repurchase this? To be honest I don’t mind repurchasing but it would have to be on offer for me to buy it again. There is another sunscreen in the Perfectionist range I may try.

Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF50 is £36 on LookFantastic

 

Nivea Face Q10 Anti Age and Anti Pigment Review

Sun protection for dark skin is near and dear to my heart. Over the last few years, I have committed myself to find as many suitable SPFs as possible for dark skin. I have a Dark skin SPF edit and tested out a few Asian SPFs as well (Missha, OMI, Etude House etc). I am now going to the drugstore like Boots & Superdrug where products are easier to find to test their SPFs.

Nivea Face Q10 Anti Age and Anti Pigment SPF 50 promises 0% white residue on the skin, high UVB UVA protection, anti-ageing properties from Q10 and a light texture and feeling on the skin.

Experience

After using the Moisture Mousse SPF 50, I was very interested in other sun protection Nivea had. The Q10 SPF is a lightweight lotion which feels very moisturising on the skin. I haven’t experienced any irritation or clogged pores with this.

This SPF has a very similar scent to the Moisture Mousse and any other Nivea sun product. It’s light, pleasant but lingers. The cream does leave a face a little shiny but not greasy or extremely oily looking. I use this as the last step in my skincare routine, on top of my moisturiser. I think if you had extremely oily skin you could probably skip moisture. It feels lightweight on the skin. It doesn’t sting my eyes.

Is it invisible on the skin? Yes. The initial application looks like it would leave a white cast but after this absorbs into the skin, it’s 100% clear on the skin.  No flashback. The SPF doesn’t pill but I noticed when I use a lot of it I find pills after it dries down during the day. I/m not a huge fan of this because I do like like slaughter on SPF and use a lot of it. It doesn’t pill though when I use my yourGoodSkin SPF on top of it during the day.

Verdict

This is a very good find from the drugstore. Nivea Face Q10 Anti Age and Anti Pigment is 100% invisible on dark skin and affordable. It’s lightweight, moisturising and provides high sun protection. It also has Q10 as an added bonus. Q10 is an antioxidant and also helps to maintain healthy skin.

I will repurchase but I do prefer the Mousse more. There are a few more SPFs from Nivea I want to test before moving onto another brand.

So bummed I finished the tube without a picture but it is 100% invisible on dark skin: no blending etc needed

Nivea Face Q10 Anti Age and Anti Pigment is £8 in Superdrug

Etude House Sunprise Airy Finish SPF 50 Review

You guys know I have been obsessed with Asian skincare since I discovered YesStyle! I’ve been getting through my kbeauty stash (slowly) and reviews are getting on the blog now. One of the most exciting things I am discovering is affordable high factor sunscreens that are invisible on the skin! I got a few to test out for dark skintones.

Today’s post will be a full review and demo of Etude House SPF50. This promises to protect the skin from premature ageing and has plant extracts to help the skin from sun exposure. It contains 100% mineral filters, so they say it makes it suitable for sensitive skin. They also promise a non-greasy non-sticky finish which dries matte and doesn’t leave a white cast.

Experience

This has a very watery and light fluid consistency with a mild scent which I do not find pleasant. This was a total miss for me and a hit & miss for a friend. Let me explain.

I found this sunscreen extremely matte and drying on my skin. it has a powdery feel when its dried down. The first time I tested this product, it left a white cast on my skin. I did watch and read some reviews who said it was invisible on their skin and my friend also heard a lot of good reviews about it which is why I bought it in the first place. So I take this to my friend for her to test out and she tells me its 100% invisible on her skin, mind you, she’s probably half a shade darker than me so I told her to keep it.

A few weeks later I asked her how she’s getting on with it and she tells me after using it for the first 3 days on holiday it suddenly started leaving a white cast on her skin so she’s returning to me LOOL. The picture below is how it looks on my skin you have to shake the product before application ( see the bags under my eyes-I could take it on holiday!)

Verdict

This is a miss for me but there are a lot of reviews out state its invisible on skin including dark skin. In terms of the promises, it does feel very light on the skin and it’s not greasy or sticky. It dries matte, very matte but it definitely leaves a white cast on dark skin! I don’t like it because I think its matte and drying so even if it was invisible I don’t think I would be using it.

A little bit disappointed as I heard great reviews on this product. Let me know if you have this product and how it’s working for you.

Etude House Sunprise Airy Finish SPF 50 is £8.69 on YesStyle*

Use my code SARAHF1for ££ of your order

 

Missha Essence Sun SPF 45 Review

Sunscreen. SPF. Sun protection! Dark skin needs it too! I have tested a lot of sunscreens, see my first sunscreen edit for dark skin here. I have turned my attention to Asian sunscreens since I discovered Yes style and I also heard they are invisible on the skin. I purchased 6 Asians SPF’s so far and this is the first full review I have up! (I have a mini review of the Etude House SPF 50 on my Instagram).

Missha Essence Sun SPF 45 PA +++ is water & sweat resistant and protects against UVA &UVB. It has 6 essences: Aloe, Cucumber, Mulberry Root, Liquorice, Portulaca Oleracea, and Witch Hazel extracts to nourish and hydrate the skin

Experience

This sunscreen is a lightweight white lotion with a light fresh scent. The lotion blends into the skin easily and leaves it feeling smooth and hydrated. I have not experienced any irritation from using it. I have been using it for the month of April and I have now finished the tube so I can do a full review on it. I used it every morning on my face and sometimes on my body. For some reason, I thought essence meant the texture of the product would be very watery but I didn’t realise it was because it was formulated with 6 difference essences.  This sunscreen applies better when I pat it onto the skin instead of rubbing it in (its more matte when it’s rubbed into the skin). I realise the demo picture is not great but on the left is where the SPF is pat on, on the right is when it’s been rubbed into the skin. You can see a slight difference in the finish

Is it invisible on black skin? YES! It does look a bit scary on but I let it sit for a few seconds and it becomes invisible. No ash, no grey, no cast! This works very well under makeup too- no flashback! It has a semi dewy finish- not too shiny or matte. It is a high factor sunscreen and the PA rating is the protection grade of UVA (this is what causes the skin to brown)

Verdict

I LOVE this sunscreen. It didn’t start well tbh, I was rubbing it into the skin which made my skin feel very dry and matte. I fell in love with it after I started patting it onto the skin instead. This product is completely invisible on the black skin and it’s very affordable too! Its works well under makeup or alone. My only con is that the tube wasn’t full when it arrived, I took the picture before I started using the product and it looks like it’s only half filled( the box was sealed when it arrived) I think the packaging works very well with the product. I would repurchase (I have 4 more SPFs to go through)

For more details on the PA rating system, check out this article by Paula’s Choice

YesStyle no longer stock MISSHA products but it’s available on Amazon for £3.39 for 50ml

I will be doing an Asian sunscreen edit for dark skin once I finish testing about 4 more products. I am going to get more soon.

Nivea UV Face Moisture Mousse SPF 50 Review

 

As you know, I am very serious about sun care and I am always looking for an affordable SPF that is clear on dark skin. I didn’t like the Inkey List Zinc Moisturiser and I was still waiting for my Yes Style sunscreens so I needed to pick up something in the meantime. I was browsing through Superdrug and came across this Nivea UV Face Moisture Mousse SPF 50. After a quick test patch in store I decided to pick it up (also because it was on offer)

Nivea UV Face Moisture Mousse SPF 50 promises to leave 0% white residue on skin and provide effective UVA/UVB protection. The formula is supposed to be lightweight whilst providing moisture to the skin.

Experience

I use this as the last step in my skincare routine in the AM. I use a fair amount over my face and neck. I have experienced no irritation with this. This is a chemical based sunscreen with active ingredients Homosalate.

The texture is a mousse which feels lightweight on the skin. You have to shake well before each use and it dispenses a good amount fairly easily. I 100% agree that it leaves 0 white residue on my skin. I have layered this on and I get no white cast. I use just a little bit more than the amount in the picture below

The mousse can look and feel a little oily on the skin so I do not think oily skin to extremely oily skin will like this. Infact on the Nivea website, they recommend it for normal skin. I have normal to combination oily skin and I really like this because I personally do not mind my skin looking dewy/shiny. I do not wear makeup to work and I would rather my skin looked dewy/shiny than matte/dry. When I layer this on, I would sometimes blot my tzone to reduce shine. With its oily feeling, I still haven’t experienced it clogging my pores (I double cleanse in the evening)

I usually layer this on top of serum and moisturiser but I also tested it without a moisturiser and it provided enough moisture to last the whole day. That also gave a less shiny look. I think if you have oily skin and wanted to try this you could skip your moisturiser and use this by itself. In the picture, I have used it over a serum only.

Verdict

This is a very good drugstore sunscreen that is 100% clear on dark skin and with high UVA UVB protection. This is my first time using a mousse texture and I must say I really like it. The Nivea UV Face Moisture Mousse SPF 50 is lightweight and suitable for normal skin and I would say even dry skin. Oily skin can experiment with this too but I would say skip your moisturiser. The mousse tends to leave skin a little shiny so if that is something you don’t like then I would say skip this. The only con is the pump can get a bit messy after you use it but that can easily be wiped.

I really like this and I would recommend it. It is affordable and easily accessible.

Nivea UV Face Moisture Mousse SPF 50 is £9 at Boots*

I am working on a sunscreen edit that will summarise all the SPFs that are 100% invisible on dark skin! I am also working on testing Asian sunscreens suitable for dark skin.

*affiliate link used. If you decide to make a purchase through my link, I will earn a small commission which goes towards the upkeep of the blog (and allows me to keep bringing you excellent content) but the price remains the same