A couple of years ago before traveling to the East coast of Australia, which is directly below a giant hole in the ozone layer, I visited a dermatologist for some advice. I was already using facial moisturizer with SPF, but the doc strongly recommended that I use only moisturizers that contain Neutrogena’s Helioplex concoction. So I bought and used it, even though it stings like crazy when my face gets hot.
Turns out that my Neutrogena moisturizer, along with many other products with SPF, contains oxybenzone which is nasty and toxic. No seriously – chuck your products that contain oxybenzone. Natural sun protection products contain either titanium dixoide or zinc oxide. If you want to learn more about sunscreen, check http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/. Meanwhile, let’ s meet today’s contenders:
Neutrogena Healthy Defense liquid moisturizer SPF 50
vs.
Juice Beauty SPF 20 Mineral Sheer Moisturizer
The Old: Neutrogena Healthy Defense ($13 for 1.4 oz at Walgreen’s)
Ingredients (27): Active – Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 4%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Oxybenzone 4%; Inactive – Water, Glycerin, C12 15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Silica, Styrene (Acrylates Copolymer), Steareth 100 (Acrylates Copolymer), Ethylhexylglycerin, Steareth 2, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Diethylhexyl 2, 6 Naphthalate, Xanthan Gum, Mannan, BHT, Beta Glucan, Pentylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin
What I like about it: Great SPF protection. Light, even coverage. Works well under makeup.
What I don’t like about it: Stings a little when I put it on, and especially if I sweat after applying.
The new: Juice Beauty SPF 20 ($29 for 2 oz. at Pharmaca)
Ingredients (28): Active – Titanium Dioxide; inactive – Organic Juice Solution Of Pyrus Malus (Apple) Juice, Vitis Vinifera (White Grape) Juice, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Juice & Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Organic Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Organic Cera Alba (Beeswax), Octyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Organic Plant Oils Of Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) & Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium Pca, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Phospholipids, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, Citrus Aurantium (Petitgrain), Cinnamomum Camphora (Ho Wood) & Citrus Reticulata (Mandarin) Pure Essential Oils.
What I like about it: Very moisturizing. Works fine under makeup. A little goes a long way.
What I don’t like about it: Goes on like mime makeup – I have to rub it in a lot to lose the white. Feels a little greasy at first.
The verdict: I’m learning a lot about sunscreen, that’s for sure. Oxybenzone is nasty stuff – it ranks a 9 out of 10 for toxicity on Skin Deep‘s website. And apparently this whole SPF 50+ protection thing is a bit of a sham. It took me a while to get used to the Juice Beauty product, but now that I’ve been using it for about a month, I’m happy. It’s really thick; the consistency reminds me of a night moisturizer rather than day, but my skin feels great, particularly during this dry winter. I may still try other products, but for now Juice Beauty slams the stingy stuff.
The Organic Switcheroo 