My Top 7 Sunscreens

Summer in New Zealand is long gone. I intended to post this blog post many moons ago, but here we are, surrounded by the autumnal blooms (my Magonia Genie is divine right now!) and I am finally getting around to share my top 7 sunscreens from this summer, in a very quick blog post.

I'm a slacker when it comes to sunscreen but this summer I actually made an effort to take care of my skin. I love my freckles but hey I want no more. Also, I'm modelling this behaviour for my daughter and normalizing this skincare step. If she sees me doing it every day, it'll ingrain into her too right? I certainly hope so.

Without further ado here are my top 7 sunscreens, in order of preference-

1.  Vichy Ideal Soleil SPF50 (Mattifying face fluid, dry touch)- This is my husband's favourite sunscreen. Its broad-spectrum, has a high SPF of 50, matte finish, non-greasy and imparts no white cast. It's my most favorite sunscreen to use under makeup because it's not greasy at all and doesn't slide away. It's a little expensive and hard to find, so I'm still hanging on to my tube which is clearly finished and just wants to be cut in half now. I will happily buy this again.

2. Simple As That SPF30 Natural Sunscreen Lotion- Because Vichy (mentioned above) is inaccessible for most of us in the Pacific, this Australia made natural sunscreen is my next best pick. Simple and safe ingredients, fuss-free packaging, non-greasy and no white cast, a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen. It's OK under makeup too (Vichy is clearly my preferred one under makeup, but this does the job too).

3. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Fluid SPF50 Facial Sunscreen- The trusty old Neutrogena. They definitely do the best drugstore sunscreens. Various finishes and textures and available anywhere in the world. My favourite is this little palm sized bottle- Ultra Sheer Fluid SPF50. It's thin, very liquidy, sinks in fast and literally disappears into the skin. I love it! It's a perfect size and shape for travels and a good sunscreen for anywhere really.

4. Aveeno Baby Continous Protection lotion sunscreen SPF55- Aveeno Baby sunscreens are gentle enough for a baby's skin so they are gentle enough for you. Of course they aren't made to go under makeup (duh!). They are decent though. Best used on their own for no-makeup days as the finish can feel a bit greasy. Broad-spectrum, high SPF, Moisturizing and good for the entire family, including the baby.

5. Skinnies Sungel SPF30- This sunscreen is a bit different. It's a physical sunscreen, hence it blocks sun rays (as opposed to a chemical sunscreen that most drugstore ones are). There is no downtime after application. I can just put it on and step outside (unlike the 20-minute wait with chemical sunscreen types). I need a very tiny amount (baby pea size) for my entire face. The consistency is of a gel and it spreads like oil. It's broad spectrum. However, it's greasy, more like oily. So I don't put makeup on it. It's my go-to sunscreen for treks and hikes as it's so fuss-free. Skinnies makes other versions as well that I am yet to try out. Especially their SPF50 kids version for my baby girl.

6. Environ RAD antioxidant sunscreen SPF15 (Broad Spectrum, medium protection)- This is my new favourite sunscreen. It's quite expensive though so I save it for special occasions. The SPF15 might seem low but this sunscreen has other antioxidants in it that provide added protection. It is actually as good as other high SPF sunscreens. It absorbs fast, doesn't have any white-cast, non-greasy and is overall great. It's my recent favourite. I've only used it for a month though. I like that it's safe to use on my toddler too. This is now our go-to everyday family sunscreen.

7. Institut Age Defence SPF50+ (Broad Spectrum Sunscreen, 2hr water resistant)- A hydrating sunscreen that provides high-protection from both UVA and UVB rays as it's broad specturm. It is also gentle on skin, hence was recommended by my Laser Technician when I used to get laser hair removal done on my face.This has matte finish, hence it has been my preffered sunscreen under makeup after I ran out of my number one pick, the Vichy Ideal Soleil one (above). Love this stuff! This is hard to come by though as it's mostly available online or stocked at salons and laser clinics.

And that is all for my top 7 sunscreens. Did you spot a favourite? Any that intrigued you? Watch this space for that Environ one as it's certainly becoming a new favourite.

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Nishu