Block the Sun, Naturally: SPF Facial Moisturizer Roundup

100% Pure SPF Argan Oil Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 ($26.00,1.6 fl oz)*- I kind of swore off using any 100% Pure SPF Moisturizers from my terrible experience with the Pomegrante SPF 20 Moisturizer (ghastly-white cast, thick, heavy texture and hard to blend). When a generous package from 100% Pure landed on my doorstep with this SPF 30 version of the moisturizer in it, I thought maybe it was fate willing me to give it another try. Boy, am I glad I did.

I’ve been using the 100% Pure SPF Argan Oil Facial Moisturizer everyday now and I have to say, it’s a great daily moisturizer with SPF. Perhaps it’s the added argan oil ingredient that makes this facial moisturizer much more bendable and smoother than the Pomegranate version. Whatever the case, the difference in formula was instantly noticeable for me upon first applying this product. The Argan Oil Facial Moisturizer protects from both UVA and UVB rays, effectively moisturizes and hydrates skin, and has a pleasant, light fruity scent. The texture is still a bit thicker than most daily facial moisturizers I’ve tried but it is not as chalky or heavy on the skin like the Pomegrante version. This product never flakes on my skin and doesn’t leave a white cast on my face. Even my boyfriend loves using this! This is a great daily moisturizer for all seasons and all skin types. I still love the packaging because it is portable, easy-to-apply (yes to pump applicators!), and lightweight. Available at 100% Pure,$26 for 1.6 fl oz
~Note: many people do not like the fact that 100% Pure includes Japanese Honeysuckle and/or goldenseal as ingredients which both can serve as a natural preservative. There are varying opinions on this ingredient however, for me I like to think in this day and age it’s a bit impossible to put products on the market without some sort of ingredient to protect against bacteria, contamination, and expiration. For me, I think naturally-based preservatives are at least a bit better for my skin than chemically-created ones. 
Active Ingredients: 20% Zinc Oxide, Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Rgania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Rosa Canina Seed (Rosehip Oil) Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Extracts of: Euphorbia Cerifera Cera (Candelilla Wax), Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf, Origanum Vulgar (Oregano), Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme), Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit Seed) Seed, Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal), Lonicera Caprifolium (Japanese Honeysuckle) and Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark (Cinnamon) Active Ingredients: 24.8 % Zinc Oxide * Certified Organic 

Badger Unscented Broad Spectrum SPF 34 Sunscreen-* I haven’t tried many Badger products before (my mom loves the Sleep Balm I bought her) and I’d been meaning to try out their sunscreens. I lazily went into a Harmon store one day as I was in need of a new daily moisturizer with SPF as well as a regular body sunscreen and picked up this well-known organic sunscreen from Badger. It protects against UVA and UVB rays and rated a low “1” score on the EWG’s Skin Deep database. I figured I’d mix this product in my SPF-less moisturizer and use it on my body for the summer. Why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone, right?

Not sure what I was thinking but unfortunately, this product was not great as a facial sunscreen. Even as a overall body sunscreen, it was a bit too heavy and white on my skin to my liking. You can tell from the physical feel and weight of the product that it is bit denser than other sunscreens. The formula has a greasy, thick, putty-like consistency, you have to kneed the packaging in order for the product to come out of the tube. It is also noted on the packaging that you have to rub this sunscreen in really hard in order for the product’s white-cast to dissipate.

This sunscreen left an unattractive, distinct white-grey tint on my skin even after rubbing it in. Not the best look for my face or my body and the texture was definitely not great mixed in my moisturizer. Even though this is the unscented version, the sunscreen still has clay-like smell. I tried pawning this one off to my family too and even they hated using it. Nothing is worse than a product that takes too much effort to rub into your skin and leaves you looking like a pale ghost. I’m still left with a lot of this sunscreen left so I’m forcing myself to use it up, albeit not happily. Sorry Badger, I don’t think I’ll repurchase this again. Maybe the other versions of this sunscreen work better?
Available at Amazon, $19.89 for 2.9 fl. oz (I couldn’t find the SPF 34 version on the Badger website)
Active Ingredient: Non-Nano Uncoated Zinc Oxide 18.75%, Ingredients: Olea Europaea (Extra Virgin Olive) Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), *Butryospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, *Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter, *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Tocopherol (Sunflower Vitamin E), and *Hippohae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) C02 Extract. *= Certified Organic
UPDATE: Badger reached out to me upon seeing my post and due to many other similar experiences with this sunscreen formula, they reformulated the unscented SPF 15 and SPF 30 versions with Sunflower oil for lighter texture and less of a whitening effect. (This is why I couldn’t find the SPF 34 version on their website.) Additionally, Badger informed me that the product I had was probably expired, I checked and it was! 🙁 Thumbs down to my local Harmon’s for selling expired products but Badger also informed me I could call the store and let them know they could receive a retailer’s credit for expired products.

DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+- I wanted to love this product, I really did. I love the compact size and eye-catching, durable packaging but the formula just did not work well with my skin. I tried this at the beginning of spring and into summer, hoping it was just my application skills or the changes in weather that were failing me. I finally had to come to grips with the fact that the formula was definitely the problem.

The ingredients are all natural, 100% vegan, paraben-free, gluten sensistive safe, GMO-free, and provides UVA/UVB protection. The product also scores a low “1” from EWG’s Skin Deep Database. The product texture itself is light and creamy, not oily and the product did not give a white cast to my skin. However, no matter what I did– applying a facial oil or regular moisturizer to this product, or alternating which product I put first on my face (SPF first, moisturizer second or vice versa)– the DeVita Moisturizer just left me with annoying white bits of product spotting all over my face every time. It was frustrating and not flattering. Kim from Kimberly Loc had the same revelation and accurately described the same experience I had.

It’s disappointing because I had such high hopes for this popular moisturizer that by the books (ingredients, spf protection, packaging, etc), seemed perfect. What resulted was an inconsistent product that didn’t apply or feel great. Sigh. Maybe the DeVita SPF Body Moisturizer is a better bet?
Available at Amazon, DeVita, Pemberley Jones, Vitacost, $25.95 for 2.5 fl oz (usually on sale at Amazon or Vitacost) Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 19%, Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (certified organic aloe vera gel), Purified Water (aqua), Capric/caprylic triglycerides (derived from coconut oil), Glycerin (vegetable), Hyaluronic acid (vegan source), Glyceryl stearate SE (derived from vegetable oil), Stearic acid, Lecithin phospholipid, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Allantoin, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract. Ingredient labeling adheres to international INCI standards.

Suntegrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen & Primer SPF 30- (Lovingly-used sample packet pictured.) I only had a small foil sample packet of this Suntegrity product (the most annoying type of sample packaging in my opinion) from an order with Spirit Beauty Lounge, but I managed to really get a lot of use out of it. I was skeptical about all the hype surrounding cult-favorite sunscreen, Suntegrity but oh how wrong I was. This product is a mineral-based vegan, cruelty-free sunscreen that scores a low “1” in EWG’s Skin Deep database and was also listed as the #1 product in the EWG’s “Best Moisturizer with SPF” in 2012. The ingredients are intriguing: listing red algae and certified-organic aloe-vera, jojoba, sunflower, pomegranate, cucumber and green tea as additional sun defense and hydration ingredients. Uncoated, non-nano zinc-oxide naturally protects the skin and provides anti-inflammatory properties and also aides with rosacea, acne and melasma. This Suntegrity product is a makeup primer, moisturizer, and daily UVA/UVB sunscreen all in one. 

Suntegrity’s Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen & Primer has a lightweight, blendable and gentle texture. The nourishing formula easily sinks into skin and doesn’t feel like it’s clogging your pores. I absolutely love the subtle, fresh citrus-y scent too. This product is very moisturizing while never making skin oily or feel greasy. I never experienced any chalkiness or white-cast effect on my skin and the gentle formula did not irritate me. The ingredient list is free of parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oils, synthetic dyes, sulfates, PABA, titanium dioxide, nano-particles and chemical UV absorbers.

Besides the full-size packaging looking pretty hefty and not very portable, there really isn’t much else I can complain about. Well, except that now I need a full-size of this baby because my poor sample is definitely done. But, on a positive note I really think I’ve found an amazing, multi-tasking daily moisturizer with SPF! Available at Spirit Beauty Lounge, The Detox Market, and Suntegrity, $45 for 1.7oz or $1.95 for .07 oz sample
Ingredients: Zinc oxide 20%, Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Capric Caprylic Triglycerides (Coconut Oil Extract), Sorbitan Stearate (Plant Derived), Glyceryl Stearate (Plant Derived), Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate (Plant Derived), Hexyl Laurate (Plant Derived), Simmondsia Chinensis (Organic Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cetyl Dimethicone (Mineral Derived), Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt), Helianthus Annuus (Organic Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus (Organic Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Astaxanthin (Algae Source), Hyaluronic Acid (Plant Derived), Chlorella Emersonii (Red Algae) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Organic Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum (Organic Pomegranate) Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Essential Oil, Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Essential Oil,Citrus Reticulata Blanco (Tangerine) Essential Oil, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide*, Ethylhexylglycerin*  *Paraben-free anti-microbial agent.

 

Have you tried any of these products? What do you like to use for a daily SPF moisturizer?

 

All products purchased by me unless noted. * indicates PR sample provided for consideration. These are my honest opinions, I’m never paid to write about my experiences. Post contains affiliate links.