Anyway, so my goal for sunscreens is that its ingredients are safe (doesn't get absorbed into the skin) and effective. My second goal is that its in a consistency that I can tolerate putting on for the whole day. I was extremely impressed with Innisfree Eco Safety Aqua Sun Gel SPF 30 PA++ in that it didn't feel like a sunscreen at all. It wasn't even greasy! The only thing I didn't like was the ingredients. It didn't use the two "barrier" sunscreen ingredients, titanium oxide or zinc oxide, which is good for UVA protection (more on that later). So I decided to give this one a try.
Description (taken from innisfreeworld.com):
- A long-lasting sun block made from organic sunflower oil SPF50/PA+++
- 1. Sunflower oil and eco-friendly green tea extracts from Jeju protects skin from harmful UV rays.
- 2. Long-lasting sunblock for outdoor activities, with strong control over sweat, sebum, and protection from harmful UV rays.
- 3. Fermented yeast ingredients protect skin from ozone and other harmful materials.
- At the end of your skincare routine, apply sunblock to any parts frequently exposed to UV rays, such as the face, neck, arms, and legs.
You've probably figured out from my other posts that I'm not a stickler on ingredients. But that changes when I talk about sunscreen. Because we're not talking about prevention of something cosmetic like wrinkles, we're talking about prevention of skin cancer. I've learned before that you should never just assume every sunscreen offers you adequate protection. According to this NY Times article (and there are many other sources stating the same facts if you google), SPF 30 deflects 96.7% of UVB rays whereas SPF 50 deflects 98% of UVB rays. So unless you're going to the beach to tan, chances are SPF30 will be more than enough for UVB rays. I know the sunscreen I'm about to review is SPF 50 whereas Innisfree Eco Safety Aqua Sun Gel SPF 30 PA++ is SPF 30 but this is NOT the reason why I switched.
One important thing is that sunscreens should contain active ingredients that protect us from both UVB and UVA rays. SPF tells us how it protects us from UVB rays while PA tells us how much it protects us from UVA rays. UVA rays are actually the ones responsible for aging skin and are here year round. According to this website, avobenzone and zinc oxide provide the best UVA protection.
Fortunately, innisfreeworld.com lists out each product's ingredients in English. Ingredients are usually listed in the order of content from highest to lowest. So for this one, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is the 3rd most ingredient, followed by titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. According to cosdna.com, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate contains great UVB protection. Great, now what about UVB? As you read above, zinc oxide provides the best UVA protection. Another thing I'd like to add is that titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are barrier sunscreens, which are good because they don't get absorbed onto your skin.
So it basically contains the best ingredients for UVB and UVA protection, great! Now, what about the texture? I can't stand greasy sunscreens. That's one big reason I jumped to Korean made sunscreens, because they are less greasy compared to western ones. Well, I have to say this one feels pretty good for SPF 50. As the SPF increases, the greasiness increases, and yet I think this one is only slightly greasier than the Innisfree Eco Safety Aqua Sun Gel SPF 30 PA++, which is supposed to be a sun gel. It does feel like I'm putting on sunscreen though, whereas Innisfree Eco Safety Aqua Sun Gel SPF 30 PA++ really felt more like I was putting on lotion. Unfortunately, I do get mild to moderate oil production on my T-zone during the day though.
The thickness is like your usual sunscreen, which I'm neutral about. I just don't like sun milk because those slide off your hands too easily, it gets messy, especially if you accidentally put some on your clothes! But I did wish it was like the sun gel, which felt like a lotion!
Summary:
Great ingredients for UVA (zinc oxide) and UVB protection (ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate)
Minimal greasiness for SPF 50
Moderate oil production during the day
$12 for 50ml on eBay
Grade: 4/5 because of it's got the best ingredients for UVA and UVB protection but I wish it had consistency like the Innisfree Eco Safety Aqua Sun Gel SPF 30 PA++!
Value: 5/5 because it's a good price with effective and safe active ingredients
Repurchase? Yes, I think this is going to be my HG sunscreen, unless they come up with a sun gel version of this (with the same effective ingredients, of course).
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