I take my sun protection seriously and while I have found my perfect facial SPF product for now, finding a great SPF product for my body has been a nightmare. A greasy, shiny, white cast nightmare. I finally decided to pull myself together and grab the highly recommended dermatologist oriented La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+ Spray.
L’Oreal owns La Roche-Posay, an originally French company committed to dermatological skin care. It is known for its great quality, no-frills skin care.
The Product
La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+ Spray is a water resistant cream formulation that provides high protection against harmful UVA and UVB radiation. It contains no parabens and while it claims to be fragrance free there’s a teeny tiny scent of sorts. I found out why, the formula actually contains a fragrant plant extract. It’s a miniscule amount though, so it shouldn’t cause any irritation.
The Anthelios range, which claims to be tolerated even by the most sensitive of skins, was developed after years of UV protection research. According to the website, “Anthelios products all have a high PPD (Persistent Pigment Darkening) factor, offering one of the best protections against UVA offered by any brand in the world.” I’m not complaining, I’ll take all the innovative anti aging protection available.
Ingredients and their Functions (in Brackets)
AQUA / WATER (solvent), C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE (emollient), GLYCERIN (solvent, moisturizer), PROPYLENE GLYCOL (moisturizer, emollient), ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE (sunscreen), ALCOHOL DENAT (solvent),STYRENE/ACRYLATES COPOLYMER (film forming agent. Leaves a pliable, cohesive and continuous covering over skin. The film has water-binding properties and leaves a smooth feel on skin)
BIS-ETHYLHEXYLOXYPHENOL METHOXYPHENYL TRIAZINE (sunscreen), DROMETRIZOLE TRISILOXANE (sunscreen), BUTYL METHOXYDIBENZOYLMETHANE (sunscreen), ETHYLHEXYL TRIAZONE (sunscreen),POLYESTER-5 (film forming agent), ACRYLATES COPOLYMER (film forming agent)CAPRYLYL GLYCOL (moisturizer, emollient), DISODIUM EDTA (chelating agent – prevents ingredients in a formula from binding with trace elements in water)
ETHYLENEDIAMINE/STEARYL DIMER DILINOLEATE COPOLYMER (film forming agent), ISOPROPYL LAUROYL SARCOSINATE (emollient), PEG-8 LAURATE (surfactant emulsifier), TEREPHTHALYLIDENE DICAMPHOR SULFONIC ACID (sunscreen), TOCOPHEROL (antioxidant), TRIETHANOLAMINE (pH adjuster/balancer)
Product Performance
Packaging: 200ml of the product in a convenient spray bottle.
Smell: Slightly fragrant.
Application: I have normal to dry skin and this creamy lotion feels great on my skin. After applying my body moisturizer, I shake the bottle well before pumping 3-4 times on each limb. It has a light texture, making it easy to spread. It quickly absorbs leaving no white cast.
Results: So far, so great! I have used this sun cream for the last month and haven’t reacted to it all. It moisturizes and protects the skin and doesn’t leave my skin greasy or ghostly.
Pros
- High broad spectrum SPF.
- Formulation includes Tocopherol/ Vitamin E an effective antioxidant and hydrating agent. Studies show that Vitamin E is one of the naturally produced antioxidants that protects against skin’s exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
- Effective water resistant formulation. When I’m swimming, the last thing I want to worry about is SPF. This sun cream puts my mind at ease, it doesn’t go anywhere.
- Long lasting, well, as long lasting as a great quality sunscreen can be, so you don’t have to constantly reapply. Every 3-4 hours if you’re outside and twice indoors should be enough.
- Kind to sensitive skin. I have eczema and this product did not cause any irritation whatsoever.
- No white cast! Finding great sun protection that wonderfully blends into dark skin is akin to Finding Nemo. La Roche-Posay has found Nemo, swam to Cape Town for vacation and written a book on the topic.
- A little goes a long way.
- Great convenient packaging. Pop it in your bag and go, do’t worry about spills.
Cons
- The scent might not be for everyone. It does disappear after application though.
- It’s not available in Kampala.
- The price makes you eyes water a bit. However, since a little goes a long way, the 200ml bottle will last a while.
Conclusion
Would I buy this again? Thanks to the joy that’s online shopping, yes I definitely would.
This is not a sponsored post. Any opinion expressed is 100% my own.
Wolf + Moroko 