🚨 Listen up Black and brown-skinned girls, this is for US! APPLICATION is the key!
The media could not be loaded. As the line goes from Love Jones, "Let me break it down, so it can forever and consistently be broke." It bugs me when a great product gets mediocre reviews when the problem isn't the product, it's the application. I saw another review by a brown woman like me where her face is ghostly white and she claims this isn't for us. The review is still up for you to go find yourself. I almost didn't purchase because of that review but I'm glad I decided to see for myself. First, physical sunscreens, like this one, are more effective than the chemical ones. Additionally, I am 57 years old and have tried a LOT of chemical facial sunscreen products over the years and even my favorites like the Neutrogena SPF Serum 60 makes my eyes tear. Even if I avoid placing near my eyes, once I'm out and about if the wind blows wrong or I have a little hot flash sweat, my eyes are tearing for the remainder of the day until I get home and relieve myself by washing my face. So there's the backstory. This sunscreen right here is so good that I did something I almost never do. I recorded a review video without being all "done up". I had to do it on the spot because I'm that impressed. The problems people are having with the severe white cast is because they're applying way too much and rubbing instead of tapping it in. That's the key takeaway from this review. First, your skin has to be moisturized. I drink approximately 80 ounces of water MINIMUM a day, but my skincare regimen is heavy on the moisture. So in the morning, for instance, I use Hanskin Bubble Pop skin cleanser, the the Hanskin essence, and I also use 2 actives, alpha arbutin and niacinamide. I finish up with Visible Difference Replenishing HydraGel Complex. So by the time I get to the sunscreen step, my face is dewy and ready. Then, I SHAKE THE SUNSCREEN BOTTLE AGGRESSIVELY for like 15 seconds. There's a little ball inside the bottle to mix it well and the product is thin like nail polish so it needs to be mixed every time you apply. I drop LITERALLY 3 DROPS OF THE SUNSCREEN DROPS ON THE BACK OF MY HAND. Then I tap just a little bit (see videos) onto a fingertip and begin TAPPING the product onto my face, one area at a time. I admit, yes, it takes a little time, but so? I'm about the long-term health of my skin, which means spending a little extra time when I have to. I'd say to apply it to my entire face takes all of 5 to 7 minutes which is the only step in my morning skincare regimen that takes time. That's not a big deal. When I'm done, there is the very sliiiiightest white cast but it is absolutely minimal. It's not even a bother. I admit I wouldn't feel confident leaving home with just this sunscreen and no makeup. Brown ladies know what I mean. Even if it's the slightest white cast, you see it in the harsh light of day and office lighting. It's just what it is, titanium and zinc do that to us and there's no perfect way around it if you want the benefits of physical sunscreen. But here's the thng. I don't wear liquid foundation and most days I just use the Fenty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch concealer(shade 385) under my eyes and to cover the blemishes on my cheeks. This sunscreen plays nicely with my concealer. But for the video I took for this review, I skipped concealer altogether just so you could see me spots and all. What I DO have on is just the slightest-teensy dusting of Fenty Pro Filt'r Powder Foundation (shade 385) and that's all I need to conceal any white casting to show you how I'm street-ready with a full face of sunscreen on underneath. That's it. Nothing else needed. I don't look like a ghost and I'm standing right in front of floor to ceiling windows with natural light. No filters, no AI. Do not try to save time by dropping it directly onto your face and then rubbing it in. It will never work, no matter your skin tone. If you have patience and take a few extra minutes to apply it properly, you can feel confident using this high quality, reasonably priced physical sunscreen. Lastly, I double cleanse at night with Hanskin PHA oil cleanser first to remove every trace of sunscreen from my face. This stuff is waterproof and if you don't believe me, put a drop on the back of your hand and then hold it under fully running water. It does not move, which is great for warmer weather and girls like me who have hot flashes. I'm not mad about it. I just feel better loosening it up with an oil cleanser before washing it away with my Hanskin Bubble Pop (or whatever other cleanser I'm using for the evening which is sometimes the Hanskin Vitamin C Glow Powder). My skin has not been irritated, I've seen no additional breakouts and bonus, my actives are working better. It's like night and day from just using the chemical sunscreen I've used for years. No teary eyes, very comfortable to wear and no scent. If you use it as I've described here, this bottle will last you a minimum of 6 months, likely more. If you're using more than 7 drops for your entire face, you're using too much. Whew! I've given you all I've got. Now, go forth and be beautiful. Prevention beats correction every time. Read more