Best spf moisturiser

[dinoand]

I've been looking at the Elemis marine cream and am tempted as it's on prime day deals for £61 but I recently bought they midnight superfood facial and I'm really not impressed.

I'd also would rather not spend that much to be fair.

I need something super moisturising with spf and ideally would like to spend £30 maximum

Any recommendations?

@NotAVampire I did some research and mineral sunscreens are actually better than synthetic chemical ones as follows;

1. They reflect the light that hits the skin rather than absorb it therefore offer a wide range of protection against UVA, high energy blue light, high energy visible light and infra red light.
2. They tend to remain stable so last longer on the skin whereas synthetic sunscreens tend to start to degrade within an hour of application. So you might think you put on a high SPF but within a short time of being outdoors, those synthetic chemicals quickly degrade and put you at a greater risk of sunburn as you are lulled into a false sense of security.
3. Synthetic sunscreens tend to be more irritating especially to those with sensitive skin. In fact Zinc Oxide is used in skin preparations because it is soothing.
4. It is worth noting that synthetic sunscreens are harmful to marine life. So what harm are they doing to your skin?

The only advantage I can see with regards to using synthetic sunscreens are they tend to be easier to apply and blend into the skin. But there are ways to use mineral sunscreens that make them easier to apply without getting the white caste (please see my earlier post).

Also, I have posted regarding a misconception about moisturisers with SPF not being as protective as plain sunscreens however this is factually not the case. It is only because people tend to use less moisturiser than sunscreen and if they applied moisturiser liberally there would be no issue.

It really does pay to remain sceptical and find the time to do your own research to get the nuts and bolts of a matter rather than just going on hearsay especially when your health is at stake.

Hope this helps you make any future decisions when purchasing sunscreen.

@NotAVampire Another question springs to mind. What is happening to your skin at a cellular level when synthetic sunscreens are absorbing the sun's harmful rays? Surely it's much better just to repel them with a mineral sunscreen?

This isn't how mineral sunscreens work. The reflect vs absorb thing has been debunked.

@JenniferBarkley thanks for this info. I never thought that zinc was mainly produced synthetically in a lab. Maybe it keeps the product consistent and it's probably cheaper. I (maybe naively) assumed minerals were always dug out of the ground! Learnt something new there!

@Rachelmannow I've been doing a bit of reading - I find this stuff interesting! It looks like zinc in sunscreen comes in different particle sizes. The safest size, larger particles, would be described ( on a product label) as none nano zinc as the smaller nano sized zinc can be absorbed much more easily by the skin and marine life.

I never thought that zinc was mainly produced synthetically in a lab. Maybe it keeps the product consistent and it's probably cheaper. I (maybe naively) assumed minerals were always dug out of the ground! Learnt something new there!
ZnO is not found on its own in natural deposits, it's usually with other zinc ores. It will be way easier and cheaper to make it in a lab than purifying it from a natural source. It's still in both cases, a chemical, just like water is a chemical, no matter if it occurs naturally or made in a lab via a Knallgas reaction.

Thanks @Igneococcus . The info on this thread has given me food for thought. Previously I've always leaned towards more 'natural' based skincare, but now it does make me wonder how much green washing is going on to make us part with our money!

I wouldn't call it greenwashing in this case @SoapCollector there really isn't any chemical difference between ZnO from a deposit or from a lab but the purification of a natural zinc ore would probably be as much or more costly than just making it from scratch. And you wouldn't want to put it on your face unpurified either, it's orange-red due to the presence of ZnS and also manganese.
I spent a few years working with secondary metabolites from microbes (still do occasionally) and there are many naturally occurring chemical compounds I would not put on my face, or into my body. Natural compounds aren't necessarily safer than lab-made ones, or production more environmentally friendly.

@Igneococcus thanks for the info, sounds like you have an interesting job 🙂 By green washing in this case I meant that there may not be a chemical difference, but the customer was under the impression via product marketing that they are getting something 'natural' zinc dug up from the earth as opposed to the same standard of product that is produced solely in a lab. I always thought it was dug up before today!

"Natural compounds aren't necessarily safer than lab-made ones, or production more environmentally friendly" - I agree, especially when you look at how far products travel, the labour involved and the working conditions of employees.

Thanks for the chat, you sound very knowledgeable on this subject 🙂 and I find it interesting to discuss.

Oh god, could someone just link us to the best, safest one please 🙏🏼 🥺

@Darkmodeison this is an old thread resurrected by PP @Rachelmannow . Sorry my chat has diverted the thread off track 🙂. There are some good SPF moisturizer recommendations on the earlier pages of this thread.

Ha yes thank you, funnily enough I posted on the original thread! 😄 Still didn't manage to make a decision. I use the Ambre Solaire leaping bunny face UV cream and it seems good.