Welcome to the first installment of The Summer Series! Over the course of the next two months I will be sharing all things summer beauty related, kicking off #001 with probably the most important of them all, sunblocks and SPFs. Now I'll be the first to admit I get pretty lazy with sunblock, it's very bad I know, but I haven't been able to find one that doesn't make me feel greasy or sticky. So I've been on a sunblock trialing mission and testing out some that are recent additions to the market, and a couple that have been around for a while.
Skinnes Sungel SPF 30* // NZD $18.40/$34.95 for 35ml/100ml
Skinnies is brand spankin' new to the sunscreen market and is quite different to your traditional sunblock. It is a thicker gel, that has that almost silicon like feel to it, not dissimilar from a face primer. A little goes a seriously long way, and they recommend you only need a pea sized amount for your face, ears and neck and I find that to be more than enough! The main difference is that the Sungel contains no water like normal sunscreens which means 100ml of Skinnies is the equivalent of 500ml of normal sunscreen which is a huge difference. This promises to dry in 2 minutes but if I am using it on my face I need to allow a bit longer especially before going in over it with makeup as initially it does feel a bit greasy when you first apply it. It doesn't have any offensive fragrance to it and it's a great one to have in the cupboard for daily use.
Ultraceuticals SunActive Mineral Defence Face & Body Lotion SPF 50+* // NZD $69.00 for 90ml
This particular sunscreen means business, with a sun protection factor of 50+ it gives protection against both UVA and UVB rays with all mineral ingredients. It's not as light weight feeling when you apply it, but it sinks into the skin almost immediately, to a non-greasy finish and doesn't leave that awful smell on the skin. It's great for all skin types and has 4 hours water resistance. I think if you want to spend a little bit extra for some seriously good sun protection, this is one to consider.
LeTan Coconut Lotion SPF 30+ // AUD $10.99 for 125ml
This lotion is both UVA and UVB protection with an SPF of 30+ and promises to be 4 hours water resistant. The thing I like about this lotion is that it feels light on the skin, is easy to spread and massage into skin, sinks in almost immediately and leaves a light coconut scent to the skin. I have a little 35ml tube which is perfect for your handbag/beach bag, but it does come in much larger bottles, good for the whole family and is one of the cheaper one out there.
Clinique Body Cream SPF 30* // NZD $48.00 for 150ml
If you like to spend a little bit more on your sunscreens, than this is another good one to choose from as well as the Ultraceuticals Mineral Defence. This offers an SPF of 30, with UVA and UVB protection. The thing I like about this one is that it is a bit thinner in consistency which makes it very easy to spread, so a small amount goes a long way. It says that it is 100% fragrance free but I think it does have a slight scent to it but it's nothing I have a problem with. It leaves no greasy or sticky feeling to the skin, so big thumbs up there!
Clinique Super City Block SPF 40* // NZD $50.00 for 40ml
Another sunscreen offering from Clinique comes in this sleek tube purely to be used for your face. Your face is generally the most exposed part of you, even during the Winter so this is a great one to wear on an everyday basis, especially under makeup. It has a flesh tone tint to it, but this barely translates onto the skin and I find I need to wait a couple of minutes before going in with makeup to ensure that it is fully settled down into my skin.
Surf Life Saving NZ Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+* // From NZD $9.99
I was only just sent this to try out, but I had to include it because I think it is so practical, plus every one sold has a percentage of money going to SLS NZ! This is 75ml tube, complete with carabiner to clip on to a backpack or hiking pack, great for outdoor activities. This one does have a hint of that typical sunscreen scent, but it's not too horrible. It's a light and thin formula which rubs into the skin easily, which is a plus. A perfect one for families and kids.
Lipidol Suntan Oil SPF 20* // NZD $9.95 for 125ml
For the final sunscreen, this one is a bit of an odd ball; a sunscreen oil. At first I thought this was not going to work but surprisingly it's pretty great! The oil goes a long way, with a dripper in the top so you don't end up pouring out a whole bunch at once. It's easy to massage onto the body but it does take a good few minutes for it to really sink into the skin. It also smells really lovely, with essentials oils of cypress and basil . Although the SPF isn't as high as the others I've featured, this is a good one if you want something light that also smells really good too!
Obviously there are SO many different brand and choices of sunscreens out there, but hopefully this is helpful to find one that is right for you and also provide a few different options price wise. All of these are available in NZ, most at pharmacies or supermarkets across the country.
Do you have a favourite sunscreen? Have you used any of these ones I featured?
*PR Samples
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