| Best Facial Sunscreens Now! Our top picks for protecting normal to oily and normal to dry skin Sunscreen = A Younger-Looking You! Your Best Sunscreen Best Facial Sunscreens for Normal to Oily Skin
*The Good Skin brand is exclusive to Kohl's department stores. Best Facial Sunscreens for Normal to Dry Skin
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Product Reviews  KISS MY FACE Sun Spray Oil SPF 30 ($12.95 for 4 ounces). Spray-on sunscreens are very convenient, especially for reapplication, but the problem is that so many of them contain a skin-damaging amount of alcohol. That's not the case here! This spray-on lotion with an in-part zinc oxide sunscreen feels smooth and light while being easy to blend. The formula is infused with helpful antioxidants and it does not contain fragrance, which is always to your skin's benefit. We have a winner, and this is suitable for all skin types, except sensitive, due to the inclusion of the other active sunscreen ingredients that join the zinc oxide. AVON Anew Rejuvenate Day Revitalizing Cream SPF 15 ($30 for 1.7 ounces). You're asked to believe that this daytime moisturizer with an in-part avobenzone sunscreen is akin to getting a professional facial every time it's applied. Talk about an overstatement! This product cannot perform extractions as claimed; just the notion of that is ludicrous—are blackheads and blemishes just going to fall off after applying this product? Of course not! I really wonder what's going on with Avon's marketing department, because their latest claims go far beyond what's possible.
As for the exfoliating claim; although this contains salicylic acid, the amount is less than 1% and this product's pH isn't within the required range for exfoliation to occur. The only hackneyed claim for this product that makes some sense is Avon's Revitafresh Technology. This is said to “reinforce cell bonds and help make skin look more even and smoother.” Yes, that sounds impressive, but in reality most well-formulated moisturizers and serums can make the same claim because they contain ingredients that help reinforce skin's barrier and, as a result, make skin look even and smoother. Anew Rejuvenate Day Revitalizing Cream contains several ingredients that make skin look beautifully smooth, including silicone, polymers, and a film-forming agent. They're hardly unique to this product, however, and it's disappointing that Avon included fennel extract because this plant (and a couple others in this product) contains volatile components that cause irritation. What really makes this product a waste of your money is the jar packaging, which allows the air-sensitive ingredients in this product to break down. Don't forget that ingredient deterioration and contamination also happens when you stick your fingers in the jar. This product contains mineral pigments that add shine and have a cosmetic brightening effect—two traits that also have nothing to do with getting a facial. If you decide to give this fragranced daytime moisturizer a go, it is best for normal to oily skin. For the latest new product reviews, reference Beautypedia.com, the completely searchable, continually updated version of my book, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me. It features over 40,000 detailed product reviews for only $24.95/year. |
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Dear Paula Dear Paula, I live in Scottsdale, Arizona and, as such, am always on the lookout for ways to avoid the sun which is almost impossible here in the desert! I have discovered a line of sunscreen products from a company called Elta MD. They have a fairly small line, but the sunscreens appear to be "well formulated" as you often write. I think a lot of people would be interested in a review of this company. Also, to get extra sun protection, I have been on the lookout for a powder I can use over my make-up that also includes a SPF. I noticed that Bare Minerals has a new Mineral Veil that supposedly includes a SPF 25. Is this a product to consider for extra sun protection? Susan, via email Dear Susan, I have visited Scottsdale in June and know how unbearably hot it can get! Thank goodness for air conditioning and iced beverages! My team and I are asked about the Elta MD products every now and then. We are tracking requests for this physician-sold brand and may review it on Beautypedia in the future. Based on your letter, I examined their sunscreens and have the following comments:
In short, other than being fragrance-free, there isn't much that's unique about Elta's sunscreens. Most of the formulas are best for dry skin, but the cost should give you pause when you consider that high SPF sunscreens with broad-spectrum protection can be found at the drugstore for around $10. You will get great sun protection from Elta MD's sun products, but it won't be superior to what many other well-formulated sunscreens offer. Their creamier formulas with petrolatum are likely to feel way too occlusive in the Arizona heat, even if skin is dry—those in climates with lower summertime temperatures would fare better. Several brands, including Paula's Choice, offer powders with reliable broad-spectrum sun protection and they are excellent adjuncts to other types of sun protection. The bareMinerals line from Bare Escentuals is great for powders with sunscreen, and their Mineral Veil (which comes in loose form) is a fine option. Jane Iredale, Stila, and Neutrogena's powders with sunscreen are also worth considering and in fact all of these offer more selection than bareMinerals, at least if you prefer a pressed instead of a loose powder with sunscreen. |
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What's New at BEAUTYPEDIA.com Expert Reviews, Beautiful Results  Looking for more product reviews? Below is a sampling of new product reviews at Beautypedia.com:
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LA MER The Radiant Concealer SPF 25 ($65). The Radiant Concealer SPF 25 includes titanium dioxide for sunscreen protection and comes in three shades: light, medium, and dark, which isn't dark at all. The medium and dark shades are so similar that I had to ask the sales consultant which one was which, and even she didn't know (not to mention that they both come in an unflattering peachy tone). This concealer has a creamy, smooth texture that sets to a fleeting matte finish, which, unfortunately, even with its matte finish, easily slips into lines and creases, which is not the best for making wrinkles look less noticeable and creating a radiant appearance. We also don't recommend it for covering blemishes because the emollient texture can make matters worse. You can find much better options at the drugstore or even at other department store lines at a fraction of the cost!
