I’m a strong believer in smart sun protection. By “smart” I mean products with clean ingredients, physical (and not chemical) filters and a pleasant feel on the skin. Often, one or more of those factors is lacking - either the product is full of potentially harmful ingredients, or it feels sticky and greasy, or it doesn’t actually protect well from the sun.
Thankfully, Korean skincare manufacturers have pretty much mastered the art of a good sunscreen. For example, this Simplistic Skin Care MUST Sun cream is 100% physical in nature, non-nano (won’t harm the coral reefs and the environment), and silicone free. All of the ingredients are rated as safe/green on the EWG (Environmental Working Group) database. It has SPF33/PA++ level of protection - not the highest available, but more than sufficient for daily use. It’s available on eBay.
How to use:
Apply a sufficient amount (three pea sizes or more) as the last step of skincare
Re-apply every 2 hours while outside
My impressions:
I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and dry-to-normal cheeks. I don’t go a single day without sunscreen, even though I have a desk job and don’t particularly love the great outdoors. But even the brief sun exposure while driving, walking to/from the car, and whatever can get through the office windows is enough to cause premature skin aging, pigmentation, and other sun-related problems (and I’m already prone to freckles). Needless to say, I finish my tubes regularly and thus have an opportunity to try new things all the time. You can read my other sunscreen reviews here.
The Simplistic sun cream is quite good. I get a kick out of the name, MUST, because sun protection really is a must. The product is creamy and looks tinted when squeezed out of the bottle, but goes on clear (at least on my fair skin). Like some other mineral sunscreens, it can be a bit harder to spread over a large area, so I suggest dotting small amounts on your face and then gently rubbing it (instead of doing a huge glob on the cheek, let’s say, and trying to spread it around from there).
The feel on the skin is pleasant and not greasy. Makeup goes on without issues. I’ve also used this on my kid who’s very fair and she didn’t get sunburnt. It’s not my favorite sunscreen, but it’s in the top three (after Make P:rem and Etude House). I do love that it has very clean ingredients and no drying alcohols, so it should work even for sensitive skin. The manufacturer advertises it as safe for kids and pregnant women, but always do your own research and ask your doctor if in doubt.
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I bought this product on 0.8L
Simplistic Skin Care Must Sun Cream ingredients: Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Oleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ceramide NP;Ceramide 3, Allantoin, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitol, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Viola Odorata Flower/Leaf Extract, Aniba Rosaeodora(Rosewood)Wood Oli, Isododecane, Ozokerite, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Carbonate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Butylene Glycol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, CI 77492; Yellow Oxide of Iron, CI 7749; Red Oxide of Iron, Xanthan Gum