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Tag: sunscreen

Is Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen really unseen on dark skin?

I am continuing my quest for finding the best chemical sunscreens for dark skin. Today I am reviewing the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++. I have heard a lot about this brand and they have carved out a specific space in skincare/beauty, where they consider themselves as sunscreen experts and they focus on making high quality, luxe sunscreen products. They have a myriad of offerings – mineral and chemical sunscreens, powders, creams/gels, stick, spray, face, body and baby. As you all know, wearing sunscreen is very important even if you have darker skin. I found this product at Sephora after browsing all of the different formulas. It is broad spectrum so it protects against UVA and UVB radiation. Unseen has a cult following and has even won an Allure Best of Beauty Award in 2018. Honestly, what attracted me to this product, was the name – Unseen. Yes, even in 2019, there are lots of sunscreens that I cannot wear (mostly mineral sunscreens) that still leave an ashy/white cast on my skin. I picked up a sample from Sephora and tried it out for a week before I bought it, to make sure that I was not allergic to it.

Tip: You can pick up a free sample of almost any product at Sephora before you buy! Click To Tweet

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen – Basics

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen is described as a broad spectrum, invisible, gripping primer for face that you can wear under makeup or alone. It’s a chemical sunscreen in an SPF 40, PA+++ with four commonly used sun filters. It is interesting that the PA rating is listed as it is not usually seen on sunscreens in the US but very common on sunscreens in Asia. SPF gives you an indication of how well it protects against UVB radiation and PA rating (which goes from 2+ to 4+) gives an indication of protection against UVA radiation.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen – Other Details

Suitable for all skin types – dry, oily, normal and combination
Oil Free
Scentless and weightless
Vegan, gluten and cruelty free
Paraben-free, oxybenzone free
Part of the ‘Clean At Sephora’ programme

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen – Benefits

Meadowfoam Seed Complex – helps with hydration of the skin resulting in a more balanced skin texture
Red Algae – helps absorbs the blue light from our electronic devices, which may help contribute to aging of the skin
Frankincense – helps to soothe the skin
Antioxidant rich – helps protects against free radicals that can form in the presence of UV light. This helps amplify the effect of the sunscreen.
Water resistant for 40 minutes

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen – Thoughts and Conclusions

This is really invisible as you can see.

I barely need to rub it into my skin and it melts and completely disappears. It is very lightweight and it has a very smooth texture (it does contain silicones). It leaves a soft matte or velvet finish and I did not feel sticky, heavy or occlusive in very hot, humid weather. I would not say that it mattifies the skin but it does not add sheen to the skin. I have dry skin and I always use a moisturizer underneath and this is my last skincare step. If you have very oily skin or want a lot of blurring of the skin, I would be very careful in adding too many additional layers, especially in warmer, humid weather. Using something like a mattifying lotion before applying Unseen. If you must use another primer, use it very sparingly only in the areas most needed and after you have applied Unseen. Remember the goal is to protect the skin first.

Glossier Invisible Shield: Is it really invisible, powerful protection?

October 5, 2017 / Noire Tropical Beauty / 1 Comment

My search for person of colour sunscreens continues. A few months ago, Glossier came out with a new sunscreen that promises to be a game changer. There were ads all over the subway and billboards in New York. The Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen SPF 35 is touted as a broad-spectrum sunscreen that goes on invisible on all skin tones. This got my attention. As I have discussed in previous posts and videos, one of my biggest pet peeves with sunscreens available in the US is that they often leave an ashy cast on the skin. This is partially because sunscreens are regulated as drugs (by the FDA) as opposed to just cosmetics. The E.U., Asia (especially South Korea and Japan) and Australia have access to a wider variety of sun-protecting filters. So I paid another visit to the showroom on Lafayette and picked this up, crossing my fingers. And by the way, check out my other Glossier reviews.

Glossier Invisible Shield Review – Video

For those who like the visuals, here’s my video review.

Glossier Invisible Shield Review – General Product Details

The Glossier Invisible Shield is descibed as “a clear watergel formula filled with active microcapsules that instantly absorbed into the skin with no greasy residue and zero white cast”.

It is vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free and non-comedogenic and suitable for all skintypes and skintones.

The active sunscreen ingredients are: avobenzone, homosalate and octisalate. These are well known and used chemical sunscreen commonly used in the US. It does not contain octinoxate, which I *think* is the ingredient that gives me problems. These filters are contained in microspheres which bust as your rub this onto the skin to release these ingredients.

The other active ingredients are:

Water – yes. Water is a main ingredient and the formula is a thin gel. This makes it great for both dry and oily skin types. Water also helps the product to sink into the skin quickly. Also it contains no alcohol, which is a good solvent but can be drying on the skin.

Antioxidant Complex – These are Vitamin E and P, Broccoli and Aloe Leaf Extracts. These provide extra protection against free radicals and oxidants that are found in the air that we breathe and that surround us. Breaking up the effects of UV radiation also can pass that released energy to oxidants which can contribute to aging and cancers. The antioxidants counteract that.

Fermented Yeast and Vegetal Extracts – Fermented ingredients are very popular in Asian, especially Korean and Japanese, skincare routines for many years, even centuries. These fermented ingredients help form a physical barrier on the skin to block out pollutants.

This product also contains Sweet Orange Oil as a fragrance. It gives it a very fresh, citrus scent. For some people, this may cause irritation to some.

Summer makeup!

July 21, 2011 / Noire Tropical Beauty / 3 Comments

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Hey!!!

It’s hot in NYC and I love it!!! When the weather gets hot and humid, you need to keep your makeup simple and long lasting.

Here are a few of my favourite items that I think are important and can withstand the summer heat!

Sunscreen

Image courtesy of La Roche-Posey

You really should wear sunscreen everyday of the year, but during the summer months when the sun’s rays are at their strongest, you need something to protect your skin from premature aging and sun damage. Also, don’t forget to reapply often if you are going to be outdoors for long periods or perspiring. I switch between a regular moisturizer with SPF and a tinted moisturizer with SPF. Doesn’t matter what you use, just protect your skin!!!