Sunscreen Review: Vanicream Broad Spectrum SPF 50+

Claims: No sensitizing chemical filters, water-resistant for 80 minutes, Non-comedogenic, free of dyes, lanolin, fragrance, masking fragrance, parabens, formaldehyde, other potential irritants and dermatologist recommended.

Ingredients (Good): Synthetic Fatty Alcohol, 1, 2 Hexanediol (Proctor and Gamble Patented Humectant), Castor Oil, Squalene, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) and Magnesium Chloride (to calm inflammation in skin).

Ratings: Broad Spectrum SPF 50+

Cost/Value: $18 (4 fl oz) / Cheap sunscreen.

It is a completely Physical or Mineral Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are 5% Titanium Dioxide and 7% Zinc Oxide.

It did NOT sting my eyes.

It did NOT smell.

It DOES gather in my undereye wrinkles.

It DOES leave a medium-strong white cast on my skin.

It did NOT dry down in 20 minutes or less. It did not dry down or set at all. It did not change at all after initial application. It stays oily, it moves around easily and it transfers off easily.

It did NOT work with any texture, liquid or cream foundation. It mixes with the make-up, ruins the sunscreen film and makes the make-up look white and streaky. It will work with mineral foundation or a loose powder foundation if applied with a dense flat brush and not really blended in. This sunscreen is so wet, if you apply a mineral foundation to it in that way; you actually end up with an attractive dewy finish. I was very surprised and pleased to find an attractive make-up solution for this sunscreen.

It did NOT last throughout the day. It transfers off very easily even with mineral foundation and setting powder on top. 

It is suitable for sensitive skin as long as you are not sensitive to silicones. There are several types of silicone in this formula. Also because of the Castor Oil, this is not particularly good for acne prone skin regardless of being non-comedogenic. If you ever applied Castor Oil to your hair or skin, you know how thick, sticky and poor clogging really is.

If you wear mineral foundation anyway and you’re looking for a great high SPF sunscreen to wear beneath it, and you prefer to stick to a tight budget when it comes to sunscreen, this is a great choice for you. I personally love to wear Bare Minerals mineral foundation and I definitely plan on working my way through this sunscreen.

Sunscreen Review: Coppertone Sensitive Skin Face Lotion SPF 50 Sunscreen

Claims: Hypo-allergenic, fragrance free, won't clog or cause breakouts and water-resistant for 80 minutes.

Ratings: Broad Spectrum SPF 50.

Cost/Value: $11 (2 fl oz) / Cheap sunscreen.

It is a Combination Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are 7.5% Octinoxate, 5% Octisalate and 14.5% Zinc Oxide.

It DOES smell. It has a bit of classic sunscreen smell.

It did NOT sting my eyes.

It DOES gather in my undereye wrinkles.

It DOES leave a white cast on my skin. You can spread this out pretty evenly, so the white cast is relatively inoffensive.

It did NOT dry down in 20 minutes or less. It dries down within 30 minutes and sheers out somewhat. It never sets, it stays soft and it transfers off of your skin very easily. It is very easy to accidentally wipe this off.

It did NOT wear well under make-up. This slides around too much. Unless you apply an absolutely absurd amount of it and perhaps even if you do, you'll end up with uneven and probably inadequate coverage. If you do try to wear it under make up, it will mix with your foundation as you apply it and whiten it considerably.

If you don't touch it, this will stay throughout the day. However, any little touch or accidental scratch of your nose, holding your phone to your ears, wiping away a strand of hair; anything, can easily remove this from your face. 

This is not good or bad for any particular skin type. I just would NOT recommend this to anyone because it's very mediocre. Even for $11, there are simply more attractive better wearing options out there. At least it did not sting my eyes which is more than I can say for many of the sunscreens that I've tested.

In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this sunscreen  to anyone because it is just so mediocre. But I don't think it is a bad choice if you are bringing the entire family to the beach and you just want something that doesn’t sting anyone's eyes and doesn't cost any money. In a situation like that, this is actually a pretty good choice.