A Belly Dancer Approved Sunscreen
Written: Apr 16 '01 (Updated Oct 31 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A light feeling and reliable sunscreen for the body and face.
Cons: none.
The Bottom Line: An excellent, versatile, skin-friendly choice for broad spectrum protection.
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| thatsmytake's Full Review: Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion |
People have lots of reasons for wearing sunscreen. Some don't want their skin to burn or age prematurely. Some want to avoid skin cancer.
These are great reasons, but I have to say I have a more peculiar reason for wearing daily sun protection: I don't want my arms to tan. Wearing cool, sleeveless clothing is a MUST during the 112 degree height of our desert summers, so for me no sun protection would definitely mean (uh oh!) tan arms. What do I have against tan arms, you ask? I'll answer that at the end of the review; some of us will try anything to get you to read the whole review.
Neutrogena's Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion is an SPF 17 product. This is a high enough SPF to protect most people from the sun's UVB (burning) rays, for normal dily exposure.
Being primarily (like 'Rose'from "Titanic") an "indoor girl," I for one don't need a ridiculously high SPF. I also believe that going for a more highly concentrated (higher SPF) product than you really need increases your chances of "side effects" from the sunscreen... allergies, clogged pores, etc.
Titanium dioxide is the active ingredient in this sunscreen. That's good news on two counts. One, this active ingredient is known for being great for those with sensitive skin; it's a physical (non-chemical) blocking agent that's often recommended even for infants. Two, titanium dioxide is one of the few active sunscreen agents on the U.S. market that offers the most reliable protection against UVA rays, the sun's aging rays.
Neutrogena's SSSL can be used on the face or body. It's nice to find a product relatively light and non-greasy enough to be used on my oily skinned face as well.
This white sunscreen goes on smoothly and absorbs well, becoming invisible. It's consistency is what I'd refer to as "in between" matte and moisturizing. In other words, no, it's not as nearly-matte on the face as, say, Clinique's City Block (see my review). But it's also nowhere near as slick or moisturizing as the vast majority of sunscreens out there, which tend to be absolute grease-fests. It's a nice happy medium that I think would be ideal for many skins.
A VERY nice feature of this product is that it's fragrance free. And like most fragrance free products, it can be used around the eyes, as the label states. This feature is so important, since the eye area is usually the first to show premature aging from sun exposure. And really, rubbing fragrance additives into the skin on a daily basis is not the best for overall skin health. And of course the fragrance free aspect also means it won't clash with your perfume.
Neutrogena's SSSL is labeled 'oil free and non-comedogenic' like many sunscreens on the market today. That claim only means the manufacturer happens to think the product will not cause your skin to break out. Because there are NO labeling laws that dictate guidelines for when the word "non-comedogenic" can be used. In other words, cosmetic companies could call a can of Crisco "non-comedogenic" if they wanted to.
I can say, though, that this particular did not make me break out. In my experience, light, relatively non-greasy products like this one are much less likely to make trouble.
I think all sunscreens should come in a tube... it's just so convenient (no shaking bottles upside down), and unlike pumps, tubes travel so well. Neutrogena's SSSL unfortunately does not come in a tube, but it does come in the next best thing... a flip top bottle.
At "only" $8.00 for 4 ounces, this drugstore pick is much cheaper than department store brands.
Remember, when used properly, sunscreen goes fast!... it should be used daily, year round, rain or shine, whenever you go outside for more than a few minutes (some experts even recommend wearing sunscreen indoors because of the UVA from light coming through windows!). And to get good protection, you really need to slather it on. So make sure your comfortable with the price of your sunscreen, so you won't be tempted to "skimp" on the application.
Looking for a sunscreen just like this, but one that uses a chemical, rather than a physical blocking agent? "Ombrelle" is another reliable face/body choice that uses "Parsol" as the active ingredient... the ingredient Parsol is less gentle than the physical block used in Neutrogena's SSSL, but Parsol is generally thought of as less pore clogging and therefore better for oily skin; it's a highly reliable screening agent. "Ombrelle" is water resistant, unscented, and about the same price per ounce as Neutrogena's sun screen, with a very similar consistency. It won't be too rich for your face unless you have truly oily skin like me, and even I can use it on my face in a pinch.
Crave more moisture and an even better bargain? Gotcha covered... for a richer face/body sunscreen at a better price per ounce, take a look at Eucerin's "Daily Defense Lotion SPF 15", also available at drug stores. It's the same price as Neutrogena's, but you get an additional 2 ounces. It's also a "Parsol" (avobenzolene) based sunscreen, AND it's got antioxidants. Eucerin is THE multi-use sunscreen pick for drier skin!
Now, for those of you who are still wondering why I don't like my arms to tan... it's because I'm a belly dancer, and I don't like my arms to be a completely different color than my pale belly when I'm in costume. That would simply not do. ;)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
thatsmytake
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Reviews written: 83
Trusted by: 65 members
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