the search for a great facial sunscreen...

[MoustacheofRonSwanson]

hello, looking for a good facial sunscreen for holidays. Ideally it would a) not sting eyes b) feel light and be easily absorbed c) have SPF of 45/50 d) be paraben etc free and e) have some nice, natural moisturising ingredients in it.

I've been trying to find one for years and have never found one I'd buy again. We use Jason 45 SPF sunscreen for body but it stings eyes and the facial one they do is only 25SPF. DH is very fair skinned so it needs to be higher.

Been thinking about getting Skinceuticals Sheer Mineral UV Defense 50 or Ultra Facial Defense 50, so if you have experience of those, it'd be really welcome, as well as new/other suggestions.

Many thanks in advance.

Just watching with interest...

There's a similar recent thread here Might find some useful suggestions.

Thanks Wagon Wheel, a couple of good things on there, ultrasun and the Cane and Austin could be options.

Any other suggestions? It doesn't need to be worn under make up, it's for holidays/sunbathing for us both (I don't wear foundation generally, neither does DH), just thought a facial one would be less likely to sting eyes. It has to be SPF 45 or more, as DH is very, very fair skinned. If it looks a bit unisex that would be a help too, as he is one of the those men who is much better at wearing stuff it comes in blue bottle and says sport on it, he'll wear neutral things but if it looks too girly he'll run a mile.

We are both fair skinned and burn easily and we use P20 the 50 one. I always a bit worried in case it's having a harmful effect on my skin tho'

Ultrasun is neutrally packaged, white bottles with blue and red labelling, and very good. The Factor 50 is a bit tacky after application, but does do a good job, it is one of the few that don't irritate the skin on my face.

Thank you blue. Another one to add to the list.

I always recommend Ultrasun, great stuff. Feels really nice on too. It's too pricey but lasts a good while cos spreads well.

I tried the Avène one and didn't get on with it at all- gave me spots, sooo oily and hard to rub in too.

I once used a Clinique city block product but it was a long time ago. It was fantastic. I went to Australia and I didn't burn at all. I think it had a slight colour to it though like a tinted moisturiser. DH used it as well and loved it.

It left your skin with a Matt finish rather than shiny and defo no eye stinging. This was about 5 years ago though so they might not do it anymore.

I use Piz Buin facial factor 50 anti allergy. I have tried tonnes and this is by far my favourite. I use it daily.

laroche possy gave me spots too. Elizabeth arden one is my second fave.

I like this one although it is only factor 30.

this one is Factor 50, I haven't tried it but Louis Widmer is a very good brand, I use many of their products.

So, looks like Ultrasun is definitely one to try. Thanks Whoknows and Velour.

Sunsense is a very reasonable price Troy, thank you.

Jammy, that would possibly work for me but DH would run a mile from anything tinted (especially as he is really pale). But thank you anayway.

Margarita, see I can get a small Piz Buin for £4.99 here so it woudl maybe be silly not to try it.

I'm thinking I might try to get a few in small sizes and test them, then stock up once we've found one we like...any more ideas?

There's a good la Roche posay one I use. 50 SPF. It's a fluid and goes on pretty lightly under make up.

I use one by Mac and it's as light as a normal moisturiser. Think it is factor 50.

I would suggest Dermalogica Products - there are several that meet your criteria and gender neutral.

www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/160/1544/Products/Face/Primer/Prep-Prime-Face-Protect-SPF-50/index.tmpl

This is a link to the mac Prep and Prime

NB buy Dermalogica from lookfantastic.com for the best price

I have never found a sunscreen that I can use right next to my eyes, but mine are ridiculously sensitive and I wear contacts. However, the Aldi one which comes in factors 30 and 50 is very good;I stockpile it when they get it in in late Spring. It's a ringer for Clarins and is not greasy.

Thanks clutterfly. A PP said the La roche posay one gave them spots though, so it makes me a bit reluctant to try that one, unless anyone else can recommend it?

LovelyBranches, now I would never have thought of Mac, good one, thank you.

I'm a bit worried that ones meant to be worn underneath make up won't be strong enough though for being out in the sun a lot, as opposed to a normal day being at work/popping out though. Neither of us wear make up so it doesn't need to be one that make up can be applied over.

1stMrsF. I love Dermalogica. Partly because when I worked for a charity in London they let us hold an event for donors in one of their directly owned salons for free, gave all the people who'd given us money free treatments (it was a small charity that worked on mother and baby health, also working with streetkids and helping stop child marriage, all in the developing world). It was right at the start of the recession and they were so lovely in both making the offer so we didn't have to ask and doing the event on an evening. We got a (frankly and literally life saving) offer of £30k the following week from one of the people who attended.

Anyway, that Sport one looks exactly his cup of tea, not specifically a facial one but one of the reviews says it is great for the face too. He likes orange things too, being a redhead himself!

Thank you! And more suggestions will be gratefully received!

Thank you LovelyBranche sthat is very helpful.

!stMrsF, ooh, 10% off and free blotting papers. that could be handy. Plus I spotte dthat it contains the magical hylaronic acid so it could be bumping the Jason one for an all round sunscreen for us both! I love hylaronic acid. So if it doesn't sting eyes it could really be an all round product for us both, lot easier to have one product to bung in the suitcase. So brilliant, thanks very much. I was resigned to having two things, so maybe not now.

Fozzleyplum I would never have thoguht of looking for sunscreen in aldi, thanks for the heads up. Bet that's a reasonable price too.

Tbh, if your husband is that fair then what he needs is a ruddy great hat

He should also not be sunbathing in any shape or form. I speak as a very fair person who has never been on a beach holiday because I know it would just mean two weeks of blinding everyone with my white skintrying to find shady spots and covering my face with a towel.

Watching the sun screen recommendations with interest. They all seem to irritate my skin with the exception of Avene, but it's not very heavy duty.

I agree with the hat comment.

Did you see my recommendation, OP? It was cross-posted with your previous reply.

There is also this from the same make.

Hello Bolshy. Sorry to hear about your trials and tribulations.

He does wear a hat! and he never sunbathes. The sunscreen is for us both but for different purposes. For me- so I can sunbathe a bit and for him so he doesn't get burned when we go off to lunch or to a gallery.

Have you ever tried Madrid? We go there rather than the beach as it suits my need for warmth but there is also plenty to do inside, it has a decent underground metro system so he doesn't have to walk around for ages getting frazzled, the shops are all open late (again, good for the sun shy) and the nightlife is brilliant. The rhythm of the day is really suited to staying out of the sun.

There is also a lovely zapateria close to Plaza Mayor where we will get DH a new hat this year, as his current light trilby got a bit squashed on the flight home last time. Really, we haven't been anywhere else since we went there, as it is the one place we have found that suits us both.

Also, to avoid the shady spot search, we try to get either an apartment with a terrace that has french windows to it, so I can sunbath outside whilst he sits inside but we can be close enough to chat etc. There is also one we sometimes go to that overlooks a little park- it has a shaded balcony one storey up, so he can sit there whilst I sit in the park. added bonus is that we can both sit on the balcony in the afternoon and watch dozens of dogs playing, as all the local dogwalkers take their packs there. This means DH doesn't have to search for a shady spot or cover his face with a towel.

I did miss that one due to cross posting Amamas, thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into it.

Hat very similar to DH trilby. Fully lined to prevent deathly rays peeking in through cracks in weave. Now crinkled [sad[