You may think it a bit early on in the year to be reviewing such a high factor sunscreen, seeming that it's cold and we had snow yesterday. Well by now, we should all know how important it is to protect our skin, all year round, from the biggest skin-ageing factor, the SUN.
I was on the look out for a high SPF in particular because of the Glycolic Acid peels I've been doing lately. Which can increase our skins sensitivity to the sun. After reading Jess's review on Spoiltface of the Avene Cleanance SPF 30, for acne-prone skin, I really wanted to try it. It sounded perfect for me as I generally don't get on very well with high SPF's and they can on occasion cause me to breakout.
Being the impatient and slightly obsessive person that I am, I went to Boots the same day to buy it. Sadly my Boots didn't stock the Avene Cleanance SPF 30, but they did stock the Avene SPF 50+ Emulsion and although not exactly for acne-prone skin, it did state it was normal to combination skin, so I thought I'd give a whirl. £15 wasn't too expensive if it didn't workout. Beside, I was paying with my Advantage Points, so it didn't cost me anything really!
One thing worth mentioning about sunscreens in general is they can only provide the level of protection that is stated on the packaging, IF you use the correct amount. Often the amount needed for full protection is quite an impractical amount. As a general rule of thumb for face application, a teaspoon is about the correct amount. I've also heard of the 'two finger' rule i.e. two finger lengths of sunscreen. I'd bet money on most people not applying this much.
For the Avene SPF 50+ Emulsion they recommend 7 pumps for the full SPF 50+ protection. Which is quite a lot!
My logic with sunscreen is apply as much as your skin will take (without looking like a shiny beacon), with the highest protection your skin will take. This will ensure you're getting the maximum protection and as close to the SPF stated on the packaging as possible.
As you may know I wear a BB cream daily, which also contains sun protection, so layering the two is giving me the protection my skin needs. I apply the Avene SPF 50+ Emulsion, wait a few minutes for it to sink in (while I brush my teeth), then apply my BB cream.
Similar to the Avene Cleanance SPF 30, this also contains an oil-regulating ingredient called Cucurbita pepo extract. It's very water resistant, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, non-comedogenic and offers a broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection.
It has that typical sunscreen scent. Absorbs well, it does take a couple of minutes, but doesn't leave the skin white or greasy looking.
I may have been a little disappointed my Boots didn't stock the Avene Cleanance SPF 30 but I'm really quite glad they didn't now, otherwise I wouldn't have found an SPF 50+ that actually suits my skin type and hasn't caused me to breakout!
I'd definitely repurchase, although the next one will be coming out of my money instead of my Advantage Points!
Pampered Prince
I tried one of these Avene creams a few years back on holiday when I had a mystery allergic reaction. It was the only thing in shop I could find that was formulated to sensitive skins. I ended up using it across my body because it didn't appear to irritate my rash. I never can track them down in Boots stock is always limited.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds amazing! I'm definitely adding it to my list!
ReplyDeleteI think this is going to be my SPF for the summer, I usually use the Clinique one but I want to try something new. x
ReplyDeleteGreat review, it sounds like a lovely product. Can I also recommend another French Pharmacy favourite: La Roche Posay. I always use their tinted face cream with SPF 50 called Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Tinted Melt-in Cream. There is also a lotion version - ANTHELIOS XL SPF 50+ Extreme Tinted Fluid Tinted, Very High Facial Protection for combo/oilier skins. They are about the same price as the Avene product £15) and in fact, the two brands are normally side-by-side in Boots!
ReplyDeleteMy top trick is to use the tinted cream version on my arms/decollete when they are exposed, so not only do I get the SPF protection in the sun but also the tint looks quite nice and gives a very light tan effect.