ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica Zinc Oxide and 100% Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50+, No White Cast, Suitable for Sensitive Skin

Lovely cosmetically elegant mineral sunscreen
No paid review here I purchased this with my own hard earned money. I am currently on prescription hydroquinone tretinoin cream from my dermatologist for discoloration, acne, fine lines, etc. I have combo acne prone skin, in my 30s and light skin tone. My skin is currently dryer than normal due to the prescription cream I am on. Being on this prescription cream it’s extremely important for me to wear sunscreen every single day and not skip it! I can only wear mineral sunscreen at the moment due to my skin being more sensitive than normal. Typically I would wear a chemical sunscreen prior to my hydroquinone tretinoin treatment. Typically I really don’t care for mineral sunscreens because they have always felt gross and left an unpleasant film on my skin. This mineral sunscreen is one of a kind. I can tolerate very few mineral sunscreens and this is one of them. Here is my list of pros of this sunscreen and also my list of what I look for in a sunscreen:-light weight/easy to blend-not greasy-minimal to no white cast-doesn’t clog pore or break me out-sits well over moisturizer-works well under makeup-no pilling-water resistant 40 mins-not dryingHere are the cons of this sunscreen:-It smells like Johnson and Jonson baby shampoo upon application (smell does fade away though)-it is expensive I try to catch it on sale-you have to remember to shake it before every useI just reordered a new bottle at the Black Friday sale price so I got the big size. Normally I get the small size. Overall I am very happy with this sunscreen even though it has a light scent upon application and it’s pricey. The most important things to me are that it’s not greasy (I have sensory issues to greasy lotions) and most importantly it keeps my skin protected and safe while on my prescription treatment. I can confirm as a light skinned person that I do not burn while wearing this sunscreen. I cannot afford to burn or else it will set me back in my skin treatment. I have been using this for a while and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a high quantity mineral sunscreen that plays well with makeup and isn’t greasy. The finish is a nice natural stain finish that drys quickly. No more waiting around forever for my mineral sunscreen to dry down like the majority of mineral sunscreens. If you are looking for a dewy/radiant finish you may want to opt for something else, although it is not drying at all on me. In comparison to other mineral sunscreens I’ve tried the white cast is easily blended out. It is not noticeable on me. They also have a tinted version but it is actually too dark for me. If you are a person of color the tinted version is a medium beige color that is very similar in texture and finish to this untinted version. In the morning I am short on time and it’s quick to put my moisturizer and then this isdin right on top without having to do a bunch of work to blend to make it look presentable. My makeup glides on smooth with no problems. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it primer like but it does work as a nice base for makeup. I haven’t found anything that makes it ball up and pill. It is just an added bonus that I can wear it for active days since it resists sweat. I don’t have to scrub to get it off at the end of the day either. My cerave face wash takes it off just fine. The only thing I would say is if you simply cannot handle any type of scent in your skincare products, unfortunately you may want to skip this one. If you are fine with a light scent that fades you will probably be alright. Although I do wish it was unscented because the scent is really unnecessary. The active ingredients are all mineral 11% zinc but it does have a chemical component in the inactive ingredients so if are intolerant to that you may want to check out the ingredient list. I throw it in my purse and take it with me for travel as well and I haven’t experienced any leaking out of the bottle. I can’t think of much more to say other than it’s really one of a kind because the texture is sooo light.

Used this for years
This sunscreen was recommended by a dermatologist. Since I started using it, nothing else has gone on my face. It goes on softly, not greasy, and doesn’t clog pores or make you want to wash your hands after putting it on. In fact, my face feels smoother. Though I previously had skin cancer, there has been no other recurrences since I started using it, even though I now live in Florida.

I WANT to give it 5 stars
I want to start off by saying I really do love this stuff and I’ll keep buying it. I put it on every day and it has kept me sunburn free. That said. I took off 1/3 of a star because I do get a slight white cast where it’s applied. It’s not incredibly noticeable like most sunscreens. But because I have pink undertones, I notice it on my pinky patches the most. Once I put makeup over it, it’s not noticeable even to me. I took off another third of a star because while it also is not nearly drying as most zinc sunscreens, if you have very dry skin like me, you still definitely need a moisturizer with this even though it says it’s a moisturizer. The last third of the star is taken off because of the scent. It’s not obnoxious, and some people might enjoy it, but it is noticeable when it’s on your face and I personally am not a fan of scents, especially on my face where it cannot be avoided.

So worth it!
This sunscreen is quite expensive but after some research I decided to go for it. I’m a fan of some of the Colorscience products (also $$$) and the ISDIN feels just like the Colorscience NO SHOW mineral sunscreen (which is lovely) sample I received. I’m thinking that ISDIN may have been the original formula – was developed in 1945 and has similar products in it’s line as Colorscience; did it come first? So why did I order this and not Colorscience NO SHOW? Because since it was nearly if not identical, and it was less expensive by over $5.00 per ounce coming in a 3.4 oz container. The fact that I also had a $50 credit helped too! Will I buy it again? I’m keeping track of how long it lasts, will my dark spots really disappear (I also use a Vit C+ serum, so ?) will I get a gift card before I run out 🙂 The Neutrogena SPF 60+ with Vit E Moisterizing Serum at $17 is also great and have been using it for 2 years (chemical not mineral). I’ve watched my husband and one of our sons go through the scare of having melanomas, extensive surgeries, radiation, etc. (son is in remission from metastatic melanoma that metastasized into brain cancer!), so yes, I will probably buy this again. And again.P.S. The only con, I realized the other day – I’m one of those people that open my products when most people think they’re used up and throw away, that get out a tiny spatula and scrape out the remains – sometimes that can be a weeks worth of product or more! The ISDIN bottle will have to be cut in half and the pieces stored in a plastic bag. And oh yes, I will!Update: This ISDIN lasted a 6-1/2 months used every single morning (and I did not have to cut it open – every last drop came out). I’m going back to the Neutrogena because it is a higher SPF, is a serum, acts like a primer, 2 bottles are the same amount as in ISDIN @ half the price (on sale). I had trouble with pilling with the ISDIN. It goes OVER a moisturizer and didn’t play well with any foundation if I decided to use one. That might not happen on someone else. I can’t say it lessened any dark spots because I also use a vitamin C serum that also takes care of that. It may have helped. My dermatologist is happy with either one. If you insist on or just prefer a physical sunscreen this is a very good one, and I would still recommend it.