Hi there my peeps, after the mayhem of the past few weeks, due
to an overloaded personal/professional life, I am back on track, so its about time
I get my butt into gear and finish off what I started here. :-w I am referring to my personalised skin care products,
which coincides with my
Serious Skin Care program, giving y’all a rundown on
the secret weapons I use regularly, to maintain my ultimate anti-ageing skin
care regime. So far, I have covered the basic three-step skin care routine of
Cleansing,
Toning and
Moisturising, followed by
Vitamin Therapy – Topical Vitamin A and
C,
so now I am moving onto a subject that I have developed a love/hate
relationship with over the years,
Sun Protection. Yep, finding an effective sunscreen has
always been a challenge, because most formulations are too rich and heavy, causing
a greasy, shiny mess, which is that oily in fact, you could fry and egg on it,
EEK! :-S That much excess oil causes
sunscreen to pretty much slide straight off, rather than staying put to perfect
the job at hand. Not to mention, mismatched
sunscreens also lead to congestion, generating breakouts or even worse provoking
irritations and unsightly rashes. :| Trying to attempt wearing makeup in
conjunction with the unsuitable sunscreens was an even bigger nightmare, because
after a couple of hours (
if that) not only would I lose the sunscreen, I also
had to kiss my makeup goodbye as well. ~X(
Arghhh, Not Happy Jan!
LOL ;)
These days, though, I have finally nailed my ideal sun
protection products that compliment and support my oily complexion, instead of
always enduring the former disappearing act that defeated the purpose of using
sunscreen the first place. I thought
those side effects would always be part and parcel of safeguarding my oily skin. :-< Wrong, after deciding that enough was enough
and I didn’t want to persevere with looking like I belong in the deep fryer any
longer, research led me to a greater knowledge of products that might accommodate
my oily skin; what a relief I was finally on the right track. #:-S
Naturally, like with any skin care product,
it all comes down to trial and error and I have tried my fair share of
sunscreens that claim to be fitting for oily skin, yet within hours an onset of
the ghastly slick would surface, noooooo! :( Still to this day, I can count on less than 10 fingers, the number of sunscreen products I have tried that actually work and work well, minus the grungy onslaught I use to dread. Here are the progressive products I am referring to, the ones that work, which I regularly use, as well as those that perform unchallenged and unrivaled, beyond conviction; I know I can rely on any of these SPF products to satisfy my oily skin needs. (*)
This is different to any other SPF moisturiser I have tried,
EVER! So, what is different about this one? Lots, it’s lightweight, non-whitening, water
resistant, touch dry and ultra sweat resistant. With the extreme humidity, here
in
Far North Qld, I always battle with sunscreens sweating off, well not anymore!
Phew #:-S
This one actually stays put and I
love that it comes in a low irritant, non-greasy formula that doesn’t seem to
clog my pores or contribute to any breakouts.
While my sun protection preference is usually zinc, with its physical barrier,
unfortunately the options are limited when it comes to finding a decent,
formula, developed into a light enough cream for daily use underneath makeup. I normally avoid chemical sunscreens, because
they bring back memories of nothing but grief; however, I was surprised to find this chemical version is so complimentary and kind to my skin, that all reservations
aside, I have instead, embraced its efficacy.
>:D<
This multi-tasking trifecta combines a moisturiser, antioxidant and sunscreen,
boasting five, non-nano, broad-spectrum protection filters that absorb both UVA
and UVB rays like a force field, before they can cause any damage. The skin preserving antioxidants are
beneficial in the fight against skin ageing and may reduce the risk of certain
sun cancers. What’s more, it is water resistant for up to four hours, so I can
enjoy water activities, like swimming, without worrying that my skin is
exposed. \:D/
If you have an oily or
combination skin type this is an ideal daily moisturiser for you, provided you
don’t have any issues using chemical sunscreen filters.
I have been using the
Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF30+ since it was first released, on a regular basis and I am impressed with its incredible staying
power. My face is indefinitely matte after application and remains like that for
the duration of the day, without any sign of that pesky shine. Presented in a handy pump bottle, just two small squirts, delivers enough weightless, creamy fluid to evenly cover my entire face
and neck. It blends well and melts away to nothing within seconds, leaving my
face prepped, adequately protected and ready for my makeup application. Overall, this is one of the
best sun protection products I have tried that addresses oily skin, in addition to
ALL of my regular skin concerns as well, without any notable cons.
=D>
(
Other than my own conscience reminding me that it’s still a chemical
sunscreen, @-)
LOL).
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
I even find the title is very fitting too, as it has
become a ‘
Daily Essential’ step in my skincare regime. When
Alpha-H developed this SPF moisturiser,
I am sure they specifically knew all about my skin care woes,
haha :)) It targets each of my individual sunscreen
dilemmas, whilst it also represents and acknowledges an awareness of our humid weather
conditions, conformed with its unique ‘
Australian friendly’ formulation. I have never found an SPF moisturiser with the unsurpassed qualities of the
Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF30+, which literally runs rings around its competitors with performance capabilities alone. I rate it as a 4 ½ star
creation out of 5, which only loses the ½ star because it’s not a physical sunscreen (See there I go again, damned integrity, =)) ROFL). Maybe I might drop a hint to
Alpha-H,
claiming I would love them forever if they could possibly unite the superior advantages
of a physical. zinc-based sunscreen, with the competence of the
Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF30+'s unique, breakthrough formula, to cater for us chemical sunscreen snobs,
haha. >:/ Honestly though, at the end of the day, I am
thankful for such an awesome SPF moisturiser that is a pleasure to use, which exceeded my expectations, ten fold, despite my initial reluctance and
scepticism. :)>-
Until about 12 months ago, this
WAS my ‘
Holy Grail’ sun
protection product. What’s changed? Well
as I pointed out in my
Top 10 Award post, I found out that my ‘
be all and end
all’ was in fact somewhat of a fraud. :-O
Initially, I was extremely disappointed and as a consumer, I felt
deceived and misled, no thanks to the deluding information available on the
brand website and product packaging, giving the impression that it’s an all natural
blend, with 18% zinc oxide minerals, along with two preservatives. :-L There is nothing
ANYWHERE on the packaging or
website suggesting that it has any other ingredients infused in the formulation,
whereas other declarations presented in capital letters, stating ‘No Chemical
Absorbers’ for example, are blatantly obvious for all to see. I would imaging that to the average '
Jo Blow', a
statement of that nature would have them assuming, it’s a natural product without
harmful ingredients, like chemicals etc on board, just mineral zinc and a pair of
preservatives, that is it.
:-??
 |
| The packaging details. |
It bugs the life out of me, when I come across,
company after company, resorting to the clever use of crafty wording and purposely
withholding the factual product details when advertising their brands. This kind of marketing, always gives me a
hunch that they are intentionally misrepresenting the truth. [-X Due to such loose labelling regulations, here
in
Australia,
it’s not a requirement for certain products, such as sunscreens, to disclose
ALL of their ingredients. Therefore, as
consumers, we are often none the wiser. :-/ In
other countries, these regulations are much tighter, so if the companies in
question wish to sell their products abroad they
DO have to comply with those
particular countries laws. In this case,
after a bit of online probing I soon found the entire list of
Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+ ingredients, confirming the earlier allegations that I had learned
about. Considering there is over a dozen
OTHER ingredients, most of those I can’t even pronounce, certainly validates their
marketing tactics are not aimed at raising consumer awareness. [-( It’s just the opposite, the joke is on us, the
oblivious consumers who are frequently sucked in, time and time again, being wrongfully
fooled by this untoward, yet common form of deception. L-)
This discovery was the pits to be honest and for a while, I
actually boycotted the product all together, refusing to touch it. :-t Mostly because I
felt used, abused and feeling the fool. :">
Over the following month or so, I conducted numerous internet searches,
trying to find an alternative, void of nasties, but had little success; much to
my dismay, there are very few unsuspecting, trustworthy, zinc-based sunscreens around. Anyhow, in time I eventually returned to my ‘
old
faithful’ after coming to terms with the reality that I had never actually experienced
any complaints at all, when I used the product. *-:)
One would think that a 3-year period would be sufficient to determine any
problems, which would have surely reared their ugly head, if that were the
case. However, I didn’t experience
anything even remotely negative, in terms of side effects. Additionally, if I were none the wiser to the
information uncovered, I would have continued on my merry way, singing its
praise, as I always did. With that said,
an old saying came to mind, ‘
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!’ Well, bearing in mind that I was impressed with the results I had previously
achieved using
Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+ and without a worthwhile
replacement in sight, I had to take it or leave it. I opted for the latter. [-O< Due to it’s physical zinc-based properties, it
still remains my sunscreen of choice. Because
it sits on top of my skin reflecting any harmful rays before they cause any
damage, which unlike chemical sunscreens, that enter into your skin, there is
less chance of developing any conflicts like allergies and irritations that are
sometimes associated with chemical penetration.
It is also a known fact that Zinc Oxide offers the best of both UVA and
UVB protection, so it made sense to stick with it, especially for occasions
where I was exposed to direct sunlight, i.e. a day at the beach. B-)
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+ has remarkable coverage for a
tinted moisturiser and it doesn’t cause my oily skin to develop into a grease
ball after a few hours. It’s a
multi-tasker, combination tinted moisturiser/sunscreen providing a natural tint
with a matte-like finish with additional anti-ageing benefits. Despite claims
that it contains pore-clogging ingredients, I have never suffered from
congestion and like how it keeps my skin nourished with increased hydration. Finding such a decent
tinted moisturiser that harmonised with my skin, empowered me, for the first
time in my life, to scrap my full coverage foundation during the day (
something I would have never dreamed of doing before, it's like being naked :-O LOL). I can instead, apply the
Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+
with a bit of concealer and a light dusting of translucent powder and be
confident that my imperfections are disguised, without the need for loads of makeup. Furthermore, the frequent
application of topical zinc to my skin, has over time, improved the overall
condition of my skin, preventing the onset of pimples and breakouts, leaving my
complexion healthy and clear. :)
The formula, while very thick, takes some getting use to, but
its actually rather lightweight, non-greasy and is easy to spread and blend,
remembering that you don’t need much. Begin
with a small pea-sized amount, adding more as required until you achieve your
desired, natural-looking effect. The
thick texture contributes to a slightly tacky feel for the first couple of
minutes, but setting it with a powder helps to accomplish a flawless, shine-free
finish, minus the ghostly white cast often left by certain sunscreens. It’s a perfect solution to contend the conditions of our
humid, tropical climate and even on the hottest summer days I can use it of a
morning and know it’s not going to budge at all. ;) Because of the impeccable staying power, it
can often be difficult to remove with a normal cleanser, so based on my own
experience I have determined that either an oil-based cleanser to break it down
or a deep pore cleanser, such as an AHA formulation will dispel the normally stubborn
remnants with ease. The most important acknowledgement though, is that I have never sustained even a touch of sunburn, since
introducing the
Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+, to my daytime routine. It really does impart the ultimate barrier between my skin and the sun to safeguard against its damaging UV rays. =D> I am the first to admit I am not
thrilled about the realisation of the included hidden nasties, after I already had developed
a love affair with the product. =(( For now
though, I am comfortable enough to keep plugging on with it until a better
option comes along. :) If anyone can
suggest a decent zinc-based sunscreen, I would love to hear about it.
My other Staunch SPF Products - Tried, Tested and Deemed Suitable
for Oily Complexions (by yours truly)
Ultraceuticals Protective Daily Moisturiser SPF30+ - This is
a creamy, lightweight, non-greasy, age defying moisturiser with the bonus of antioxidant
goodies to combat free radical damage and a high SPF rating, consisting of both
chemical and physical sunscreens. It combats dehydration and delivers a superb
matte finish.
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
Kosmea Moisturising Lotion SPF30+ - This lightly textured, delicately
scented, oil-free moisturiser has excellent sun protection properties incorporating
both physical and chemical technology, targeting prematurely ageing skin to
promote a healthy, youthful complexion. Featuring
some super beneficial all natural ingredients, and no nasties, it’s everything
like a gorgeous nourishing lotion and nothing like a sunscreen.
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
Burts Bees Radiance Day Lotion SPF30+ - Infused with a subtle, sweet fruity
fragrance the lightweight, ultra delicate, cream absorbs super fast with no greasy
residue. The airy texture provides a matte finish and it remains shine-free all
day, while the natural ingredients enhance the skins radiance and rejuvenate
the complexion. It offers an adequate chemical and physical combination sun
protection in a non-typical sunscreen formula that doesn’t leave a white cast
on the skin.
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 – This is a
tinted moisturiser with a difference, providing super staying power and a
fresh, dewy finish in a non-greasy formulation. It has a thick foundation-like
texture, but blends with ease to achieve a the fullest sheer coverage tinted
moisturiser I’ve ever seen, which is also buildable for extra concealment of
any stubborn imperfections, ensuring an evenly toned, healthy, natural looking
complexion. The one downfall is that I wouldn’t be inclined to reply it as my
sole sun protection product because the chemical sunscreens, unfortunately don’t
offer broad spectrum protection, so I like to use it in conjunction with
another form of protection.
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
Mukti Botanicals Tinted Moisturiser SPF15 – This non-nano, chemical-free,
zinc-based tinted moisturiser offers decent physical protection, in an
all-natural formula, that instantly sparked my attention. It has a slightly herbal aroma and the
texture, whilst thin and lightweight, is probably slightly too rich for my oily
skin, due to the enticing blend of nourishing ingredients, which tends to get a
bit shiny during the day. My other dilemma is the coverage is basically nada,
it’s so sheer it’s invisible, therefore makes for a great base, preferably
under a dusting of mineral powder foundation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t hide my
flaws or even out my skin tone, so I dare not use it alone without the security
of at least some extra cover. 10/10 for
coming real close to the physical protection solution I am looking for. ;)
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
Philosophy Supernatural Oil-Free Tinted Foundation PrimerSPF 15 – This primer literally blew me away, it totally exceeded my
expectations, as never have I tried a tinted primer, much less one that also has
the benefits of broad spectrum chemical and physical sun protection properties.
It’s silky smooth in texture with added silicones that magically transform my
complexion, evening the tone and hiding the imperfections for a flawless
finish. My skin looks amazing
BEFORE I have even applied any foundation. It
keeps my makeup in place and looking matte all day, definitely the best primer
I have tried to date. :x I am sceptical on the effectiveness of the SPF, however,
so if heading outdoors I just apply additional sun protection to be certain.
 |
| Before and after applying to skin. |
Whoa, :-" that was one heck of a mouthful if I do say so myself,
LOL. :)) Nevertheless, if you think about
it, that is only eight sun protection products that I highly regard as worthy
of recommendation to my fellow oily skinned sisters. Over the duration of my thirty odd years, I constantly
searched for a pertinent safeguard, in alliance with the ongoing Aussie health
campaign I evolved with, '
Slip, Slop, Slap'.
Yet pinpointing the right sunscreen was never an easy feat, for someone
with oily skin. I learned quick smart
that oily skin and sunscreen do not readily unite. One fail would usually lead to another and
then another and so forth, so having established eight amazing sun protectors that
DO synthesise in accordance with my oily complexion is quite an achievement for
me,
hehe. ;)) Seriously, you probably won’t
believe this, but it has only been during the past four years or so that I have
established every one of my SPF staples, when I finally got my skin professionally
analysed and was educated about products and ingredients that compliment my
skin type. Prior to that, I was constantly
at war with my skin, due to misuse of incompatible skin care products, so
slapping on any old sunscreen didn’t do me any justice, and needless to say
none of the products from the past three decades are still with me today,
haha. :)) Do
you have problems finding a sunscreen product, which is compatible with your
skin type? Do you have any favourites
you might care to share? Hit me with
your suggestions, I’m all ears. :)
All images in this post are my own.
Embracing the hottest Asian trend of multi-tasking BB
Creams, (aka Beauty Balm or formally Blemish Balm) which have successfully
built the bridge between skin care and makeup, The Bobbi Brown
BB Cream is a combination moisturiser, skin treatment and foundation with broad
spectrum sun protection, all-in-one.
Available in 5 shades, this diverse beauty balm suits all complexions. :-*
Due to the bonus skin care functions of this superior ‘do-it-all’
product, when completing my morning cleansing ritual, I can now scrap my routine
skincare/makeup preparations, since this one cream covers all bases, and undoubtedly
takes significantly less time. :D Meanwhile, it’s ultra hydrating and delivers
ongoing nourishment, so a separate moisturiser isn’t even necessary. Nor is an additional sunscreen, primer or
foundation; this BB Cream really does cover all bases – and does it very well
too. It disguises minor imperfections, corrects
my uneven skin tone, absorbs excess oil and keeps shine at bay, all while
safeguarding against damaging UV rays and other external pollutants. I can hardly believe there is any sunscreen
in this formulation, as it leaves no white cast or other side effects I usually
suffer from when using SPF products.
Fortunately, I’ve not been burned when wearing it either, so I’m
confident it’s working. I normally opt
for a foundation brush when applying liquid foundation, but I’ve just been
using my fingers and it blends spotlessly, with no visible steaks or
lines. ;;) I personally prefer a light dusting of
translucent powder to set the look and to give me more of a matte finish, but
those who like a warm, radiant-looking complexion, need not bother. ;)
