Medik8 Physical Sunscreen Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 30

4 Reviews

1. 

   vengefulSmelt0

   Reply

   Alas… This could be good, if it were not for the white cast. I’m pale (NW15) and yet this turns my face a charming lavender shade.

   The lotion has a whipped, thick-yet-lightweight consistency, is non-greasy, spreads easily and dries to a matte finish. My skin is combination and slightly dehydrated, and I find this isn’t moisturising enough to wear on its own. With a hydrating serum underneath it works fine, and keeps my t-zone matte for most of the day. However, the white cast makes it impossible to wear on its own, and the matte finish makes liquid foundation apply rather patchy.

   I haven’t experienced any breakouts or irritation from using this. It’s fragrance-free, but has a quite distinct smell of tonka/coumarin.

   The most similar sunscreen I can think of would be Paula’s Choice Calm SPF 30 for normal/oily skin. The Medik8 one does have a slightly more noticeable white cast, and a lighter, less runny consistence. What makes this superior, to my mind, is the significantly higher zinc percentage (see below). The PC Calm sunscreen contains only 6 % zinc oxide and 2,32 % titanium dioxide. I haven’t yet tried PC Resist Super Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30, which contains 13 % zinc oxide and also has a light tint – it might be a good option if you want to avoid the white cast. Still, the Medik8 sunscreen comes in a 90 ml tube, which makes it rather good value although it certainly isn’t cheap.

   Although it is not stated by the brand officially, according to this document the sunscreen should contain 14 % zinc oxide and 1,74 % titanium dioxide:

   Full ingredient list: Aqua (Water), Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carnosine, Lecithin, Polyquaternium-10, Xanthan Gum, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Ergothioneine, Dipteryx Odorata (Tonka) Bean Extract, Cera Microcristallina, Cetearyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alumina, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Coumarin, Citric Acid.

2. 

   aloofWigeon7

   Reply

   This is certainly thick and takes a little work to rub in, but once I’ve done that I really like this sunscreen. It’s completely non irritating, and doesn’t break me out – once it’s on it doesn’t feel heavy.

   I’m allergic to glycols so it’s been incredibly hard to find really good sun protection for my pale, freckle prone skin.

   I love that this has a slightly mattifying effect (probably not great for really dry skin) and that my hourglass primer and Charlotte Tilbury foundation sit beautifully on top.

   It has a faint, natural scent that fades almost immediately and I don’t notice a white cast.

   It is expensive – but not as expensive as laser treatment to fix sun damaged skin – well worth considering if you’re sensitive and oily/combination.

3. 

   truthfulAbalone4

   Reply

   This is a physical sunscreen meaning that it has zinc oxide and titanium oxide that sit on top of the skin, blocking sun rays.

   I kind of hate it. I´ll tell you why:
   1) It feels like I am dirty whenever I use it. It never sinks in.
   2) It feels sticky on the skin – the whole day
   3) It makes my skin look really dry and “crepe-y” (although I of course use a moisturizer underneath and wait for 15 minutes before I apply Medik8).

   Not worth it. Hideously expensive too.

4. 

   kindSeagull9

   Reply

   I have acne prone sensitive skin. Sunscreen is a must for me. What I like about this sunscreen is that it is not greasy, not heavy, not caky, it doesn’t cause more acne afterwards, I would say quite de opposite! Be careful not to put to much, you don’t need to put tons of product on your face if not you end up with a white film.