Five Face Sunscreens We Love, Part 1
We asked you last week if you wear sunscreen every day and we’re pretty sure you broke our record on number and length of comments (if you haven’t yet weighed in, and haven’t yet seen the awesome still of Spicoli, please click here). Now we want to get started, but first a checklist that we are using to consider the performance of a screen:
- It can’t cause zits.
- It can’t cast us in a white glow.
- It can’t be make us look like we’ve been rolling around in vaseline.
- It can’t be overly matte either.
- It has to work well.
- It has to wear well under makeup.
- It can’t smell gross.
Obviously all product considerations produce a sort of mental check list in our minds, but sunscreen is especially tough because there’s a demand for form and function that you just can’t fake. With an antiager, you can’t tell right away if it works (probably because most don’t! Ha.). But if a sunscreen doesn’t work, you’re a sad, burned mess.
To get the ball rolling on our Five Face Sunscreens We Love series, I’ll start with a vegan one.
100% Pure’s Argan Oil Moisturizer SPF 30
I test drove this puppy in New York for a couple of weeks and liked it a lot, but let’s be real: a sunscreen that performs on a girl who spends all day inside in an overcast city isn’t exactly groundbreaking. But I just got back from five days with Alexandra in sunny Los Angeles, where we spent a lot of time outside (for me, anyway), and I am happy to report that it worked like a charm! No burns, no major freckling, nada.
The lotion feels very light. Though it’s technically a moisturizer, it’s definitely too light for me on its own for hydration. I have been using a plumping, hydrating hydrosol and another day cream under my 100% Pure and have been loving it. It’s very cosmetically appealing: it feels light on my face, makeup sits nicely on top of it, and it hasn’t caused any breakouts—all of which made me wonder how good it could possible be as a screen, which is where the ingredients come in:
Ingredients: Active Ingredients: 24.8 % Zinc Oxide
Inactive Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice1, Rgania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Rosa Canina Seed (Rosehip Oil) Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Extracts of: Euphorbia Cerifera Cera (Candelilla Wax), Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf2, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf, Origanum Vulgar (Oregano), Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme), Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit Seed) Seed, Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal), Lonicera Caprifolium (Japanese Honeysuckle) and Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark (Cinnamon)
Big high five on this one! Stay tuned for the next four. Have you tried one you love?
Has anyone tried 100% Pure’s Tinted Moisturizer w/ SPF 20? Lately I’ve been loving the tinted sunscreen idea, I just need to find a good one (that’s not too oily).
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to see a 100% Pure product here! I recently discovered this line and I LOVE IT! This particular little gem is my new favorite facial sunscreen. Love the argan oil, love the super clean ingredients, love the spf 30 done with zinc oxide. I agree it feels light. I wear it over my Kahina argan oil, under my Alima mineral foundation. It wears very well. I’m glad to hear it is working for others sunscreen-wise, as although I’ve worn it out and about on urban sunny days, it hasn’t yet met the full test of being out on a long hike or bike or day at the beach. I’m having my very blonde/pale son wear it on his face as well, very easy for a kid to rub in without losing patience, and it’s been great on his puberty-troubled skin.
Thanks for starting with a Vegan product!! I can’t wait to try it :-)
So glad to see this review since I recently got an e-mail promo for this product from 100% Pure and wanted to try it. I really like their other products I’ve tried (foundation and lip glosses are lovely.) FYI for those who haven’t ordered from their site–they send a free gift if you spend a certain amount and I received a full size moisturizer free with my order. I also just discovered my local health food store carries some of their products.
It would sure be cool if 100% Pure was one of the Friday Deals. :-)
Does anyone know if the zinc oxide contains nano-particles?
Hannah, the 100% Pure site says no nanos in their titanium dioxide (not in this product but is in some other items), and I’m confident they don’t use nanos at all. I don’t think zinc oxide is ever nano, is it? I think it’s considered safest because it is specifically a much larger molecule.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve been freaking out about how to find a clean sunscreen and moisturizer with sunscreen since I first started viewing this site. I just ordered your book on Kindle today, so you know, I know NOW but this is also super helpful. (I just started the section on SPF moisturizers for your face so this is quite timely).
I picked up Badger sunscreen spf 30 from whole foods the other day but I wouldn’t use it on my face (the whiteness of the zinc oxide and the glossy sheen it leaves when rubbed in on my dark skin just doesnt’ work). I am excited to try out the argan oil. I’m sure this is coming up in the book, but does anyone know the spf level in olive oil?
Hey Candace, I like Badger for body but not face. The unscented version has the best (as far as actually being good for your skin) and cleanest ingredients I’ve found so far. Definitely have to apply right to not have it be thick, sticky or white on skin. I’m really pale and I can see how darker skin might not do well with it. If I’m in super harsh sun I have put Badger on my face, and it certainly works.
As for olive oil, I don’t think it actually has SPF, but I believe it is known to help skin heal from damage done by UV.
I am reluctant to try anything with argan oil. The last time I was getting my hair trimmed, my stylist used argan oil, which thrilled me to pieces until I got home and my neck and scalp started having a serious allergic reaction. Has anyone else had this problem?
Wait!
Japanese Honeysuckle.
I believe that the Japanese Honeysuckle is a naturally occuring paraben. To quote Stephanie from the Bubble and Bee:
I would like to announce today that I now have irrefutable evidence that Japanese Honeysuckle Extract does indeed contain parahydroxy benzoic acid, a “natural paraben” which has been shown- in lab tests- to act estrogenically like synthetic parabens do. No ifs, ands or buts about it!
Here’s her in-depth piece about it: http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/most-controversial/2010/5/8/the-final-word-on-japanese-honeysuckle-extract.html
Hm. I may have to wander down to the store to pick this one up later this spring. Thanks for the recommendation.
I use and love 100% pure tinted moisturizer! alex+von consultants like myself also sell 100% pure products and are available throughout the US. (There are no nano-particles)
WHY DON’T I HAVE THIS???
I also agree with Elizabeth. I’ve read articles on many websites that say Japanese Honeysuckle extract contains Parahydroxy benzoic acid, which has the same chemical compound as Parabens.
Here is the link to one of the websites:
http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/most-controversial/2010/5/8/the-final-word-on-japanese-honeysuckle-extract.html
I fully respect what you guys do as authors and researchers, but I am kind of suspicious as to if you guys really investigate every ingredient.. (the name Japanese Honeysuckle sounds extremely natural and therefore people will not be suspicious of this ingredient).
I did ask about Japanese Honeysuckle on your Facebook page before and I never got an answer, and the same for Phenoxyethanol. Your previous blog says that it is best to avoid Phenoxyethanol because it’s unnatural.
But can Phenoxyethanol come from natural sources such as rose essence or sage oil (which some natural companies say like Skin Organics by Ann Webb).
comagirl, I’m super sensitive and have reactions to lots of things, but never to argan oil. Maybe the product your stylist used was not pure argan oil and you were reacting to another ingredient?? But argan is a nut, I think, do you have other nut allergies?
If you want to try the brand, 100% Pure makes a Pomegranate SPF 20 that is quite nice though a bit heavier than the Argan one. I was told the spf is actually closer to 30 but was labeled as 20 to be cautious.
@Helen, we linked to the same site! :) I saw your question about phenoxyethanol and have been eager to hear the answer too! While I don’t care much for Personal Care Truth, you may want to pose your question to them. It’s something they probably know the answer to off the tops of their heads. Or, I’d ask the same woman whose site you linked to, Stephanie Greenwood from Bubble and Bee. Either way, please find a way to share the answer you find, as I’m totally interested too.
yikes. that japanese honeysuckle article was quite compelling.
I hadn’t heard about the honeysuckle issue before. Skin Deep rates Japanese Honeysuckle a 0 (but 100% data gap). Overall this product is a 2, the highest number rated ingredients are zinc oxide (2) an the grapefruit seed extract gets a 3. Not that Skin Deep is perfect, just sayin’. I’m happy with this product and the company overall, so the honeysuckle thing won’t keep me from using it.
@Elizabeth, What a great idea!! I will ask Stephanie Greenwood this phenoxyethanol question to see if she has the answer.
@Elizabeth, I found the answer on her blog! :)
“Also note: some companies may claim that their phenoxyethanol is extracted from natural sources. So, while this is better because it lessens the risk for ethylene oxide contamination, it is still the same chemical structurally, and would pose the same risks.”
I was continuing to look at the honeysuckle/parahydroxybenzoic acid issue, and apparently this chemical is naturally in fruits and vegetables. So if I should be worried about this ingredient in my moisturizer, why should I not be worried about eating fruits and vegetables that contain it? Is it the concentration (dose makes the poison thing)? Does anyone know?
Hmm.. still unsure.. if it’s found in fruits and vegetables, then I guess there’s not much to worry about. But still unsure. Quoting from Stephanie Greenwood’s blog:
\Of course blueberries are not carcinogenic. (BTW, I never said that p-hydroxy benzoic acid was a known carcinogen.) But if you took the para-hydroxy benzoic acid and benzoic acid from the blueberries, extracted it, and applied it to your skin it would have the same risks! No matter if it’s extracted from blueberries, honeysuckle, or petroleum, it’s the same chemical.
But, fortunately, blueberries are filled with other compounds like tannns and anthocyanins that work together with the salicins and phba to create wonderful anti-cancer effects, as we know. That is because blueberries are a WHOLE food that works together to give your body great benefits–as nature intended.\
I used to love 100% Pure, but now I feel kind of icky about using 100% pure products now because of their unprofessional attitude towards Stephanie Greenwood when she first wrote a blog about Japanese Honeysuckle. 100% Pure threatened that it has a team of lawyers to defend them and instead of directly answering questions asked by Stephanie, 100% Pure’s response was very unprofessional, saying that Stephanie has no knowledge of what she’s talking about and that she’s defaming other cosmetic companies, which she’s clearly not.
Here is one of the reviews of 100% Pure Organic Pomegranate Antioxidant Hydration SPF 20 on makeupalley.com.
\Okay…how do I phrase this? I loved the product. At first. It’s light, the sunscreen leaves no white cast, and it’s loaded with antioxidants.
Until I decided to email the company and ask them about the sunscreen agents. You see, supposedly, they use physical sunscreen agents (zinc and titanium), so being curious as to how they leave no white cast, I emailed them about it. And guess what? It’s been two weeks now and they never replied. What does that mean? I ended up with the following conclusion (and that’s only my opinion): is it micronized? If it is, I personally have no problem with it, but a confirmation of some sort (or at least an answer) would have been really appreciated.
So, now, because of that, I don’t trust the product anymore, nor do I trust the company.
Furthermore, being loaded with antioxidants, they should have known better than to put the moisturizer in a transparent bottle. Antioxidants are light- and air- sensitive (though the air part is taken care of since it’s in a pump) and die quickly. That means that by the time it is made to the time I get it home, there are no longer any antioxidants left in the product. It becomes useless — well to me anyway cause that’s what I look for in my moisturizers and serums.
Hence, I will not purchase again, not will I buy anything from the company.\
I am still a fan of 100% Pure products that don’t contain Japanese Honeysuckle. (I don’t even know the answer to the safety of Japanese Honeysuckle), but just because of my uncertainty, I’ve decided to avoid it for now. I don’t know who to turn to for the safety of ingredients, it feels like no one has answer to my doubts. :(
http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/most-controversial/2011/3/17/are-parabens-natural.html
Sorry, I’m leaving too many comments!! :(
Just FYI, Pai Organic Skincare doesn’t use Japanese Honeysuckle (written on their website) because it has been proved nor disproved safe, so they don’t use it. I personally think that if an ingredient is controversial and there is no right evidence/fact to prove that it is safe, just like Pai, companies should take precautions and not use controversial ingredients like Japanese Honeysuckle.
Helen, thanks for posting that info. The “whole food” point makes sense. I am a big fan of both Bubble & Bee and 100% Pure, and I have had excellent responses from both companies when making inquiries. I’m going to stick with the 100% Pure sunscreen, as I really do like it and have 3 bottles in various stages of use!
Re: the whole Japanese honeysuckle thing, I have thinking, looking at different perspectives online, and looking at the e-mail response I got today from 100% Pure on the issue. I decided am fine with using products with this ingredient, not that I’m an expert but I’m making a decision for myself. The P-hydroxy benzoic acid is part of what’s in the whole plant, just like it’s part of foods I eat. I’m thinking that all the components of the Japanese honeysuckle work synergistically in a product just like all the components of an acai berry work together in my food. I’ll eat the acai berry as a whole food (which I do quite often) even though it contains P-hydroxy benzoic acid, and I’ll use the Japanese honeysuckle extract in a product as a “whole food” for my skin. I appreciate that this blog is here so I can learn and get resources from its creators and all those leaving comments. Thanks wonderful people!
I am so happy to see you guys finally blogging about 100% Pure. It is truly one of the best cosmetic lines I have EVER used – clean or otherwise. It’s perfect. I use everything – tinted moisturizer, blush, mascara, eyeliner, all of it. If you haven’t yet tried it – do yourself a favor and try it ASAP
I posted a link to Personal Care Truth yesterday, which has been deleted. So I’ll forget that, but just wanted to address @Rebecca briefly. That’s the trouble with Skin Deep…when they don’t have all the information (which they frequently don’t), an ingredient receives a “0″ instead of a “10.” I’d take that with a grain of salt.
Also, thanks, @Helen, for the great info! I think I’ll be steering clear of Japanese Honeysuckle too. Looking forward to hearing what the next sunscreen is!
Elizabeth, yes, I agree that Skin Deep is not perfect. That’s why I specifically mentioned the data gap in my post, but I am under the impression that if the Skin Deep people saw reason to suspect a problem they figure that in to their rating. I don’t think it would be reasonable to automatically call something a “10″ either, if there isn’t information on it. For example, argan oil is rated “0″ with 100% data gap, and I haven’t heard anyone express concern that argan is problematic. There won’t be one perfect system, especially as new ingredients come up. We’ll still have to share information and judge for ourselves and/or pick whose opinion we trust. That’s one reason why we need this blog : )
You can also just buy some zinc oxide from http://www.pvsoap.com and mix it in with your favorite moisturizer or oil. You want to add it 1 part zinc oxide, 3 parts oil or moisturizer. Coconut oil works great because it solidifies if it is cooler than 76 degrees. I have used this for a couple of years and it works great. It is also nice to mix in some aloe vera and lavender oil.
I have been looking at different sunscreens, including the ones from 100% pure, and found this thread (I am here quite often but this is from before I joined!). I looked at the honeysuckle/paraben issue and this is the information I found:
“The % of naturally occurring parabens in plants tends to be extremely low. For example, while in a cosmetic preparations parabens might make up to 0.3% of the formula, naturally-occurring methylparaben in blueberries is less than 0.003%”.
“Honeysuckle is one of the plants that is richest in naturally-occurring methylparaben. Other plants known to contain naturally-occurring parabens include: blueberries, carrots, olives, strawberries”.
It seems to me that (1) the concentration of paraben would be much, much lower than when synthetics are used, (2) other foods that we typically consider safe also have it, and (3) in nature parabens come “packaged” with a lot of other goodies, which is not the case with synthetic formulations.
It seems to me that unless proven otherwise, we should not really worry much about honeysuckle.