Eltamd UV Physical SPF 41, 85-Gram

I scoured Amazon for a high quality, mineral-based sunscreen and went through many reviews of many different sunscreens before moving forward with this one. After hemming and hawing and many hours, I finally hit the button and bought this one. If you are like me, where you are hesitant to spend this much money on sunscreen without knowing if it will work, and you are on the fence about this sunblock, let me break down as many details as I can for you to make your decision making process an easier one than mine.Color – Yes it is tinted, but very lightly so. It looks dark when you squeeze some out, but it doesn't look this way when applied. For me, the tint just disappears in my skin when I rub in the sunscreen and it doesn't change the color of my skin. I have a light skin tone and I burn easily, but I'm not extremely pale/ super fair. In a scale of skintones ranging from fair, light, light-medium, medium, medium-dark, dark, I would call myself somewhere between light and light-medium, but much closer to light in terms of tone (if that gives you any sense of how the coloring might work for you). My husband, who has a medium skin tone, can use this as well and it just disappears into his skin, too. It is a very sheer product, giving me a tiny bit of coverage, but really nothing like my regular foundation. One thing I like about it is that I can apply my foundation over this, and it doesn't make my foundation look any thicker/ more noticeable. I've used some other sunscreens under my makeup before, and it seems to make the coverage much heavier. Not this.Nano vs. Non-nano – My understanding is that this has nano particles.... I think anytime something has "transparent zinc oxide" it unfortunately includes nano particles. I generally try to avoid this, because it isn't clear at this point how damaging nano particles are to your body. That being said, I have been unable to find a non-nano mineral sunscreen that I like. Most leave a terrible white cast, are impossible to completely rub in, and don't work so well under my makeup. Or they make me breakout.Skin reaction – Most sunscreens make me breakout. I have sensitive skin and it seems that any sunscreen I put on my face causes problems the next day with lots of breaking out. Thankfully not this one. I haven't had any trouble with it and find that I can apply it and forget that I'm wearing sunscreen.... It just disappears and doesn't make my skin oily. Some people have said they had issues with dryness after this. I have very sensitive and sometimes dry skin, live in California where it is very dry, and haven't had an issue with dryness. I do, however, put face lotion on a few minutes before using this....Feel and smell – This feels very smooth and almost velvety. It disappears into your skin very quickly and feels great. I can't tell I've got sunscreen on (which I love). Can't stand the greasy feeling that most sunscreens leave me with. This has a very minimal smell of sunscreen, but it is barely discernible and I've found that the more I use it, the less I notice it.... It also comes out of a flip-top with a very small hole at the top, so you can just get a little bit out at a time if necessary, very easily.Price – For the price, you get more of this sunscreen than the vast majority of other similar quality mineral based sunscreens that I was looking at (most seem to be 1.8 oz, this is 3 oz.– Some people mentioned they were worried about getting this on their clothing and that it needed to set after it was applied – the only thing I can think of is that they are applying a huge amount? This doesn't budge once it is applied and I've been dripping with sweat while working outside wearing this, and I've had no issues with the sunscreen coming off or getting on my clothing.– For people having issues with it sticking to hair/eyebrows/etc... This stuff isn't sticky at all, so this surprises me.... Again, maybe some people are applying a huge amount? I'm applying a nickel sized amount to my face (what I've read is the amount needed to get proper spf coverage), and it doesn't seem sticky at all, and just disappears anywhere I rub it in (and I only have to rub very slightly before it is gone).– For people looking for something to use in lieu of foundation – this isn't it. It really won't give you much coverage. But it should work under your makeup.– For people who find this very drying – try applying lotion underneath it?After a ridiculous amount of searching for the right sunscreen, I'm really happy that I found this one, and finally can stop looking for something else. Hope this helps someone else avoid too much pain searching for something!

I found out about this product in an article interviewing a well known dermatologist about which products she uses. Now I have to try the rest. This is the best facial sunscreen I have tried in my very lengthy search. It has a physical barrier, not a chemical barrier, goes on with incredible smoothness, has an amazing texture, covers my skin imperfections better than makeup. This is one high quality product. I am very pleased and impressed.**Added 10/7/12My initial review does not do my experience with this product justice. Forgive me, but I must shout. This is the BEST SUNBLOCK OF ALL!!!!! Seriously. This sunblock is perfect in so many ways: (1) Works well - I'm a Californian - Southern Californian - of a certain age - that means I grew up sun worshiping, knew nothing about skin cancer or wrinkles or any of the little fun surprises life saves up for you. At some point, I had to let the dermatologist have a go at my face, a few peels, freezing spots, but they kept coming back. Especially on the left - the driving side of my face. Once I started using this sunscreen, I stopped getting additional damage. I stopped getting tan. I stopped getting sunburnt. I have been using Olay 15 SPF for many, many years. Everytime I tried other sunscreens on my face, I broke out, got pimples or little bumps or allergic reactions or my face turned into an dripping oil slick. No more. I am sunblocked and pleasantly so. (2) As I hinted in #1, this sunscreen does not cause any adverse effects on my extremely sensitive skin. (3) Looks good. I'm so busy or lazy or not vain enough - but I never wear foundation or powder or well anything at all. But this sunscreen has a slight tint which gives my skin a natural even tone without appearing to even exist. Wow. I mean if I was looking for foundation, this would be it. People literally tell me that my skin looks good. HA! (3) Physical sunblock. Do you know what that means? NO CHEMICALS PENETRATING YOUR SKIN. Yep. It's physical. It sits as a barrier on your skin. Think of the surfers of the 70's with their white goopy noses. Except it's not visible. Bless innovation.Why should I share this brilliant product with you? I don't know. I could keep it to myself and have the best skin around. But go figure, here I am blathering on. I don't even get a commission. All I get is great skin. You might too.If it's still not clear BEST SUNSCREEN !!!I'll be back in another year and tell you how I really feel. Since I'm holding back so much now.Also, one more tip from my excellent dermatologist, regular peels at the dermatologist (I know you can learn to do it on YouTube), help your skin get rid of cells that might become skin cancer. Yes, that's right. It's not just about beauty. Of course, insurance could give a crap about prevention and won't pay. But I had to hear it from the dermatologist, so I'm sharing it with you in case you don't know. Wear your sunscreen. Physical barrier is better than chemical barrier (ok that's opinion but I'm right). And get peels at your dermatologist. This is especially true if you are fair skinned with light eyes. Sadly, people I care about are beginning to die of melanoma. I may be using a light tone, but this is incredibly serious. Do not go outdoors without sunscreen. If you drive a lot, replenish your sunscreen on the left side of your face and your left arm (and anything else that you have exposed).I have to tell you the rest. There's more. This sunscreen goes on silky smooth. It feels like liquid silk. It is so smooth and blends easily and simply disappears. When I touch my skin during the day, it feels incredibly soft and silky (don't touch your face, it's not good to spread bacteria from your hands). My skin doesn't feel oily all day long. It feels like a baby's behind looks. Clean and smooth like a baby product commercial. It's hard to believe a product is this good. But it is true.I buy one of every product on every pharmacy shelf every year looking for the sunscreen that is going to help me. It can't be oily. It has to work well. It needs to spread evenly. It has to last. It can't have nano chemicals. I don't need a pharmaceutical firm deciding for me when I'm going to have nano particles mixing with my personal particles. And this stuff is the shit. And if I can find the lady dermatologist who revealed that she used it in some obscure article, then I will share the link. But now I have to go wash my face and prepare it for another safe day of brilliant sunshine by applying this awesome sunscreen.