All About Skin Lightening: Picking The Right Sunscreen

Monday, April 19, 2010

Picking The Right Sunscreen

Photo Credit: Redbookmag

No matter what skin regimen you are on - skin lightening, acne-fighting or anti-aging - sunscreen is incredibly important. If you've been following my blog thus far, you know how I stress that even if you were using the best products out there (retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids, skin brighteners/skin lighteners, vitamin c serums etc.) it will all be futile without sunscreen.

Aside from getting the basic skin care down right (good cleanser etc.), sunscreen is what is going to ensure the health and vitality of your skin. It is also the product that will prevent skin darkening (sun damage) and help maintain whatever desired skin tone you desire or have achieved.

That is why I think it's important to use a sunscreen that you actually enjoy wearing. A lot of times, sunscreens can break many people out. They tend to be greasy, shiny and thick. When I first started out in skin lightening, I thought I had no choice but to put up with the greasiness and tacky quality of some sunscreens. I thought I had to endure it because I needed the best sun protection for my skin.

Well, after years of experience and trial and error, I have realized that picking the right sunscreen has to do with how cosmetically elegant it is on your skin. Obviously whether or not it is stable, or has good SPF (UVB) and PPD (UVA) protection is vital, but how it wears on my skin is what is the deciding factor on whether a particular sunscreen is worthy.

Think about it. If a sunscreen has amazing protection, but always gives you pesky little bumps (which can constantly lead to acne marks/acne scars) - what is the point of using it? You are only damaging the texture of your skin. Another common example is a sunscreen that has great protection, but is way too shiny or greasy. That alone is hard to tolerate, and will only force you to use lots of blotting papers and makeup to cover up the shine. Excessive blotting and makeup does compromise the protection of the sunscreen.

Sunscreen is a protective coating that shields (or deflects) UVA/UVB rays. If it is migrating on your skin (meaning - if your skin becomes so greasy with it that it melts like how makeup fades/smudges throughout the course of the day) then you are not getting sufficient amount of protection.

It makes so much more sense to wear a sunscreen that has a decent, lightweight finish, that doesn't break you out and only requires minimal touch ups through out the day (blotting, powder). Also, wearing one that actually looks and feels nice on your skin will make you want to continue wearing it everyday.

There are a lot of good sunscreens out there. Depending on your skin type, certain sunscreens work better than others. Here are just a few sunscreens that I like that can help you sift through the masses and make a sound decision:

Kanebo Allie Comfortable Sunscreen Ex ( Perfect ) Spf 50 PA+++
Best Suitable For: Oily, Combination
Comments: I just learned about this from a comment left by a reader below. Looking into it I realized this is a great sunscreen. I love asian brand sunscreens - their matte feel is perfect for oily or combination skin types.
Link: http://niceskin.org/product/6/18276/Kanebo-Allie-Comfortable-Sunscreen-Ex-Perfect-Spf-50-Pa-60ml.html

Aveeno Ultra Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
Best Suitable For: Normal, Dry, Sensitive Skin
Comments: I've tried this sunscreen during the winter and it is fabulous. It isn't matte, but I find it more lightweight than other Aveeno sunscreens. It doesn't contain avobenzone (or oxybenzone) and really is ultra gentle on your skin. I got no stinging or redness with this. Plus no breakouts - great ingredients. Really recommend this for dry, sensitive or normal skin types.
Link: http://www.target.com/Aveeno-Ultra-Calming-Daily-Moisturizer-SPF/dp/B002BWOXW6

Elta MD Clear SPF 46
Best Suitable For: Combination, Oily Skin
Comments: Semi-matte, good protection and has a nice finish. It also contains niacinamide (3%)
Link: http://www.lovelyskin.com/details.asp?PID=118716 <-- 15% sale going on now

LRP Anthelios AC 30 Fluide Extreme
Best Suitable For: Normal, Combination, Oily
Comments: Very similar to the Vichy Ultra Fast Drying Fluid, but IMO more matte. Same runny texture. It contains both mexoryl SX and mexoryl XL. No major white cast and it has a PPD of 20.
Link: http://www.pharmacymix.com/product.aspx?ProductID=4737

Sofina Perfect UV Lucent SPF50+ PA+++
Best Suitable For: Oily, Acne Prone, Combination
Comments: Wonderful, lightweight, matte sunscreen that provides good UVB and UVA protection. Highly recommended for oily to acne prone skin types.
Link: http://www.beautykat.com/p192/Sofina-Perfect-UV-Lucent-SPF50+-PA+++-(60ml)/product_info.html

Nivea DNAge Face Sun Cream
Best Suitable For: Normal, Dry Skin
Comments: Great protection, lightweight feel. Sold in the UK but can be shipped here through some online vendors.
Link: http://www.nivea.co.uk/products/show/DNAge%20Face%20Sun%20Cream

Devita Daily Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30
Best Suitable: Sensitive, Dry, Normal
Comments: Solid protection, lightweight finish. Highly recommended for sensitive skin types that prefer physical sunblock ingredients as opposed to all chemical based.
Link: http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Solar-Protective-Moisturizer-oz/dp/B000Q8R7KW

Happy sunscreen shopping! =)

Labels: PPD, skin lightening, sunscreen

41 Comments:

Anonymous said...: how about this?
http://alittledabintomakeup.blogspot.com/2008/09/allie-comfortable-sunscreen-ex-perfect.html; April 19, 2010 at 5:40 PM
Anonymous said...: hey mileena, i'm in trouble. i got the sofina lucent, but uh well, basically i forgot the "oil cleanser" side of the equation. it's kind of impractical for me to buy anything else though, and i just need to survive for another 2 weeks.

if i have the following products, can i temporarily substitute any to get rid of the sofina?

neutrogena oil free acne wash
neutrogena fresh foaming cleanser
cetaphil daily facial cleanser
biore pore minimizing refining exfoliator
ddf brightening cleanser
ponds scrub
garnier synergie pure face mask
& i guess, olay body wash

lol thats what i have as far as cleaning products go :D
can i use one or a combination to get rid of the sofina? i also have the vitamin c aox ferulic serum thing, if that would be useful.

sorry, i'm a bit of a noob as far as this goes and my research hasn't produced any results... for today, my first day using sofina, i ended up using the neutrogena foaming cleanser... then i realized i need an oil cleanser... i had none so i found a little olive oil lol and massaged that into my face, waited half an hour, then used neutrogena oil free acne wash on it.

haha, help please?; April 19, 2010 at 7:10 PM
Mileena said...: Hi!

Eek! Using regular olive oil isn't a good idea, I mean some people say it can be used as one but it can definitley clog your pores. Moreover you most certainly don't need to wait a half and hour. Cleansing oils are instantaneous. They second your apply and start doing circular motions, sunscreen, makeup etc. starts melting off. It should be very quick. Much like eye makeup removing products.

It's hard to remove the Sofina completley without a cleansing oil first. Sometimes makeup removing gels can work (ponds cold cream makeup remover) and I've heard about Baby Oil, but I am a little weary about using that.

Out of the selection you got, you chose the right one. The Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser is most ideal. You will notice the first time you try to cleanse it off, the foaming action will be...non existent, LOL. That is because of the Sofina being so matte and hard to wipe off. What i suggest is do it anyway - cleanse with Fresh Foaming. Rinse it off with warm water. Then apply the Fresh Foaming once again (create the foam in your hands and work over your face).

Rub in circular motions, rinse off throughly with warm water and then finally splashing with cool water.

Double cleansing (or, eep! even triple cleansing) should remove it. It is very stripping to the skin's lipid barrier, but it should get the job done, and if you apply a moisturizer or some treatment product afterwards you should be fine. At least for the next 2 weeks.

<333; April 19, 2010 at 7:23 PM
Mileena said...: Hey, thank you for suggesting the Kanebo Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF50+ PA+++! Great find! I love asian brand sunscreens and this one seems really great. If you want me to credit you in the blog, I can. Just post your name in the comment section.

I'll be adding it as a suggested one. =D; April 19, 2010 at 7:32 PM
Anonymous said...: thanks for the advice!
and don't worry about crediting me :); April 19, 2010 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said...: mileena, would you say it's a no-no to apply vitamin c serum (aox), wait 10 minutes, then apply a moisturizer/niacinamide mixture?; April 20, 2010 at 12:18 PM
Mileena said...: No. It's not an absolute no-no. A lot of derms and beauty experts simply suggest to wait as long as you can (in the time frame of the max being 30 mins). Niacinamide can become potentially irritating (excessive flushing/redness) if coupled right away with another low pH product like Vitamin C or BHA.

Personally, (and perhaps my case is a little different than the average since my skin barrier function is very resilient from years of retinoid use and niacinamide use in the past) I can get away with 10 minutes in between application.

If your skin can tolerate it without adverse reactions then you are fine. 10 minutes is fine.

The only situation where waiting is a must is with sunscreen. Sunscreen should be layered on top of these products, and allowed 15 minutes to absorb and form the protective coating before applying makeup or any kind of blotting action on top.

<3; April 20, 2010 at 12:36 PM
Anonymous said...: yeah, i think my "skin barrier" is tough too, since i don't usually burn at all and neither does my skin really get irritated. in fact, because it's too much hassle to measure the specific amount of niacinamide, i've just been using 1/2 a capsule, which is 250 mg i think with enough moisturizer for my face/neck area... that's like a 10% concentration lol, but my face doesn't care apparently, since i feel no irritation.

--

one more question though! so i've been applying differin every night for a few nights (i just started), but every morning, i end up having really oily skin? usually, i wake up with a slightly oily face, but nothing crazy. after the differin nights, the oiliness has increased quite a bit... is there any reason you can come of with for this? i've been washing my face, waiting about 30 minutes, then applying a thin layer all over my face and neck. it's just weird; i expected dryness, but instead i get oiliness :P

another question, how do you know if your skin is oily or dry? i sometimes feel it's oily because of how it feels at the end of the day, yet doesn't dry skin stimulate sebum oil production? so can you truly figure out if you're oily, or dry but simply oily from your skin's response to having dry skin? confusing

thanks!; April 20, 2010 at 8:33 PM
Mileena said...: Hi,

OMG yeah I should have mentioned that in my Retinoids & Skin Lightening article. Your skin does temporarily get very oily in the mornings from all rx retinoids. I experienced it as well, and sometimes still get it.

It's not a serious thing, but there are 2 reasons why. Because retinoids are drying on their own, that does cause a little extra sebum to secrete while you sleep. Also, retinoids exfoliate from the inside out (whereas alpha hydroxy acids exfoliate simply from the outter region (epidermal)). So trapped oil (which everybody has) does unplug and come out to the surface.

Figuring out whether you are oily or dry can be tricky I know. For the longest time I thought I was normal skin type (just a normal balance everywhere) but now I am confident to say I am oily (maybe oily-combination because I do get a little dry around my mouth). Generally most people are combination skin types. They get oilier/shiny in their T-zone (forehead, nose) while the cheeks tend to be neutral (not too oily or dry). As the day progresses we all get more oily as sebum secretes.

Dry skin does get sebum secretion but very little. Dry skin types get dry all over, meaning even after applying moisturizer, a short while later their entire face will still feel dry.

The best way IMO is to look at your pores. If the pores on your entire face and large looking then you are most likely oily. If the pores just look larger (and perhaps have blackheads in them) around your nose or forehead then you are most likely combination (get a lot of sebum secretion in that region). If your pores small all over and your skin doesn't get SO incredibly greasy/oily about an hour after cleansing then you are either normal or dry.
;); April 21, 2010 at 8:19 AM
mr. pineapple man said...: ooh ~ thanks for the great review!; April 21, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Mileena said...: Your welcome. =D; April 21, 2010 at 12:01 PM
Anonymous said...: very interesting mileena, makes sense, thanks :D; April 22, 2010 at 1:37 AM
Mileena said...: Your welcome. ;)

Woo! It makes sense, yay. I guess my blogging skills aren't so bad lol. You guys are at least understanding me.; April 22, 2010 at 8:50 AM
Tisha said...: Dear Mileena,
Can you please name a place in bangkok where in can find sofina Perfect sunscreen lotion? I live in bangladesh and my brother went to bangkok. He will be there for the next four days and this is the only chance for me to get hold of Sofina. My brother apparently has been looking for it in several malls but couldnt find it. In Bangladesh, its very difficult to do e-shopping and after reading your post regarding what ingredients to avoid in a sunscreen i figured tat my Neutrigena sunblock is full of all the no nos :( ... Please help ... <3; April 23, 2010 at 11:55 AM
Mileena said...: Hi Tisha,

I wish I knew a specific place in Bangkok that carried Sofina. Sofina is a japanese brand, so my best bet would be to look in Asian beauty stores - particularily Japanese pharmacies/drugstores.

I know where I live (Toronto), Sofina is sold in a few beauty stores in our local China Town.

Perhaps tell your brother to search online for local stores that carry japanese/chinese products. The Sofina brand is most likely there. =); April 23, 2010 at 4:34 PM
Anonymous said...: What is the PPD of the Elta MD Clear SPF 46? I am interesting in buying it. Hopefully it will work well with my skin. It looks interesting.. since its for acne-prone skin too.; April 24, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Anonymous said...: ahh... nevermind, I just read on their site that they do not ship outside the US:

*We're sorry, but we are not permitted to ship EltaMD products outside of the United States.

too bad :(; April 24, 2010 at 8:59 AM
Anonymous said...: I actually bought it at http://www.dermstore.com/... more expensive.. but it's okay. Looks like a good product and you also recommend it! :) Will test it out when I receive it!; April 24, 2010 at 9:25 AM
Mileena said...: Hi, the PPD of the Elta MD Clear is zinc oxide based. It does have oxtinoxate (much like the Sofina. It calculates on the CIBA website to around 6. Sofina is higher because it has a higher percentage of zinc oxide.

Most zinc oxide based sunscreens (physical ingredients) offer lower UVA protection but are more cosmetically elegant. The finish of the sunscreen IMO is just as important as the protection. If it is a shiny/greasy mess on your skin, what is the point of wearing it? You will only end up hating it and you may not be getting the best protection out of it, because you will be forced to excessively blot/powder on top. Plus studies show sunscreens that are too greasy 'migrate' off the skin, disturbing the protective coating.

From the reviews/comments I've read about the Elta MD, it wears wonderfully on oily skin much like the Sofina.; April 24, 2010 at 2:12 PM
Mileena said...: OH, no you can get the Elta MD Clear SPF 46 from www.lovelyskin.com

It is a great website that offers free shipping to the US.; April 24, 2010 at 2:13 PM
Mileena said...: Hopefully it goes well. <3 I'm sure the finish is very similar to the Sofina. Perfect for warmer weather.; April 24, 2010 at 2:14 PM
Anonymous said...: Thanks for the info!
The Elta product, would it work well on combination skin too... ? Since I don't have very oily skin =/; April 24, 2010 at 5:59 PM
Mileena said...: Oh yeah. The Elta is not as matte as the Sofina (from what I've read). So it's probably geared specifically to combination skin types.

Good luck with it!
<3; April 24, 2010 at 6:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Great :)
Will report back when I will have used it for a few weeks!

Thanks!; April 25, 2010 at 4:16 AM
Mileena said...: Your welcome. =D; April 25, 2010 at 11:11 AM
Nitesh said...: Hi i live in india where climate is hot and humid. I use SPF 75 from biotec. Its very light no build up, oilfree and like moisturizer but i use it on my body as mentioned body sunscreen on the pack. Can i use this on my face? I use vichi sunscreen on my face but i dont like its finish as i am a working men; May 1, 2010 at 1:07 PM
Mileena said...: Yes you can. A lot of body products can be used on the face. See how it works on your skin, irritation/adverse reactions from sunscreen come pretty quickly (within a day or two) so if nothing happens, then you know it is suitable to be used on your face. ;); May 1, 2010 at 3:41 PM
Anonymous said...: Thank u dear. U reply so fast and ur answer is so helpfull; May 1, 2010 at 4:30 PM
Mileena said...: =D I'm quick, lol.; May 1, 2010 at 7:31 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi Mileena,

What is your opinion about pratima sunscreen for oily acne prone skin. Have you ever used this sunscreen it has high % of zinc oxcide.Any sugesstion trying to find something with high % physical fiters for my oily acne prone skin.; May 3, 2010 at 9:11 AM
Mileena said...: I have never heard of the Pratima sunscreen.

I can tell you though that if you are looking for sunscreen with physical filters, look into Devita SPF 30. It's moisturizing but not too oily. It is purely physical and no white cast.

The Sofina Perfect UV has high level of zinc oxide as well (13%).; May 3, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Anonymous said...: Hi again,

I am the anonymous who bought the Elta MD... and came back to give my feedback on it!

Well, after using the Elta MD sunscreen for about half a month... I must say that this could be my HG! Which is weird.. since I have never ever thought that I could like a sunscreen in my life. They usually make my skin break out or is too greasy/oily on my skin...

This one is awesome. Also I read in another of your post that it contains enough niacinamide to be able to help with discoloration/blemishes... well, that's a plus! :)

So far, this sunscreen is love! lol.. I'm just too happy that I have finally found a sunscreen that works for my acne-prone skin!

Thank you for the recommendation by making this post! <3 I could never have found it without reading your blog!; May 23, 2010 at 4:45 AM
Mileena said...: Hi!

That's so awesome! I'm glad the Elta MD is working so well for you, it's a great sunscreen. <333; May 23, 2010 at 11:01 AM
Anonymous said...: Hello, does Elta MD Clear leave a white cast? Am dark skin.; June 2, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Mileena said...: From what I've heard from my readers is that it does leave a very slight white cast. Not all zinc oxide based sunscreens do though, if they are micro encapsulated like the Devita SPF 30 or the Sofina they won't show.

Having a slight white cast is normal with physical sun block ingredients. The Elta apparently has one that is less severe looking than others so it's a good thing. You can also apply your foundation.powder on top to help even out the color (no avobenzone here so makeup can be applied on top).

;); June 2, 2010 at 1:18 PM
Anonymous said...: Mileena, how you ever tried the Biore UV Perfect Milk line?; June 10, 2010 at 1:28 PM
Mileena said...: I haven't tried the Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF 50 before, but I've heard of it. From the little bit I read online, it's similar to Sofina. Matte finish and all.

I love asian style sunscreens like Sofina, Kanebo and I probably would like this. A rule of thumb is that these really are geared for oily skin types or if you live in really humid weather like Hong Kong in the summer time because it matifies the skin so much it can get drying. I had this problem with the Sofina UV Perfect last winter, that combined with my Retin-A gel (even with buffering) I got flakies and stuff. So, these kinds of sunscreens are GREAT for oily skin or if you live in hot weather.

;); June 10, 2010 at 1:38 PM
moccy said...: Hi, Mileena..
Great review for the sunscreens. I've tried several products, but my HG is Chanel Precision UV Essentiel. It has SPF 50+++ but the liquid texture really melt on your skin. I had oily skin and never had such a light sunscreen with strong protection. It's lightweight, oil-free, non drying and not causing pimples. Maybe you can consider it a try next time.. :) It's on the high price but definitely worth it.; August 1, 2010 at 1:57 AM
Mileena said...: Thanks Moccy for the recommendation. I hardly ever look into department store sunscreens like Chanel and stuff, but this one sounds great. =); August 1, 2010 at 12:55 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi Mileena,

Can you please suggest a good sunscreen from brand "olay"? The brands you have mentioned above, i dont get easily in my country.; March 2, 2011 at 11:09 PM
Mileena said...: Hi! I only like a few Olay sunscreens - most of them I find are good for indoor use or on cloudy days in winter when the UV index is low.

I like the Olay Complete Classic Version Sensitive Skin SPF 15. I use this on days where I'm not outside a lot. Great, non shiny sunscreen. It doesn't have great protection but it has the best finish out of all the Olay brand sunscreens. It's the 'classic version' by the way, it should state classic on the packaging. The other one is not good.

The only other one I have tried by Olay is the Olay Complete SPF 30 for sensitive skin which is alright. It's not that good IMO since I am used to Japanese sunscreens which are designed to stand up to humidity so they are very matte on the skin. The Olay is a bit greasy, has a PPD of around 5-6 (decent) and you can probably get away with using it if you aren't exposed to too much sun everyday.

=); March 3, 2011 at 9:23 AM

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Monday, April 19, 2010

Picking The Right Sunscreen

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