Top 3 Sunscreens at Sephora Right Now

In honor of the end of Summer quickly approaching, I wanted to remind everyone how crucial it is that sunscreen be worn EVERYDAY in every season. Many clients tell me they only wear sunscreen in the summer or even only "if they are going to be in the sun." This makes me absolutely cringe every time.   I cannot work with my clients to improve hyperpigmentation if they are not religiously applying sunscreen and I will be brutally honest with them. The options for mineral sunscreens have always been a bit limited, the options for great mineral sunscreens have been nearly non-existent. However, the options and formulas do seem to be improving so without further ado I give you the top 3 sunscreens you can find at Sephora today!

Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30: Once again Drunk Elephant came into the game with a goal to change the skincare industry and Umbra did not disappoint. At the time, and to my knowledge even today, there is no other purely Zinc Oxide mineral sunscreen at Sephora. You may not know this but Titanium Dioxide (another mineral sunscreen active) can actually be really drying. It is naturally oil absorbing, which can be absolutely wonderful for those struggling with excessive oil. However, for those of us with dry skin that are desperately attempting to hold onto every drop of moisture, we can Zinc Oxide may be the better option. This formula contains 20% Zinc Oxide, along with antioxidants to further defend the skin against the sun and other free radicals throughout the day and of course Drunk Elephants signature ingredient, Marula Oil. Umbra has a smooth texture with a very sheer light pink hue to avoid the dreaded white cast on the skin. It goes on smooth and feels hydrating upon application but dries down beautifully, not oily or greasy film is left on the skin, and it wears beautifully under makeup. Umbra's price may seem a bit steep at $36 but this is a 3 oz container and a little goes a long way with this formula, less product is required to get the maximum protection than that of a chemical sunscreen. The last tube I purchased lasted me nearly 6 months with daily use!

Tarte Tarteguard 30 Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30: This is truly a hidden gem within Sephora. You will find it tucked away in the Tarte gondala, far away from the Skincare section where those sunscreen seekers are likely to be searching. Tarteguard is a 3.36% Titanium Dioxide and 4.13% Zinc Oxide, antioxidants and contains their signature oil, Maracuja oil. It has a lighter texture than the Umbra due to the decreased amount of Zinc Oxide. By combining the 2 minerals they developed a beautiful lightweight lotion like texture. Those with normal to dry skin will appreciate the hydrating feel but those with oily skin will benefit from the oil absorbing properties of the Titanium Dioxide. My only complaint about Tartegaurd was the price to size ratio and the packaging made it impossible to tell when the product was low.

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47: This has been a top seller at Sephora for awhile but is still a great formula. It has a similar mineral composition to that of the Tartegaurd but in higher amounts, resulting in a whopping 47 protection factor rating. It contains 9.4% Zinc Oxide and 5.9% Titanium Dioxide along with beneficial antioxidants and of course Josie Maran's signature Argan Oil. This formula does contain the Argan Oil pretty far up in the ingredient list so those with drier skin may appreciate its texture a bit more than those with oily skin.

A Battle in Essence: Clinique vs SK-II

Clinique, essence, skincare, sk-II, dry skin

If you have read my previous post on Clinique's Step 3 toners you might be a bit surprised by what I am about to say......I LOVE THIS ESSENCE. You guys seriously this essence is life. So I, being the skeptic that I am, absolutely refused to hop on the essence bandwagon. When they were first introduced to Sephora, they were EVERYWHERE. Every brand launched beautifully packaged essences in sleek glass bottles, each one claimed to be the missing component in consumers skin care regimens and by adding this one additional product absolute miracles would be produced. As I do with all new products, I bypassed the wild over exaggerated claims on the front of the box, flipped them over and read the ingredient lists. Repeatedly each one read incredibly similar, filled with alcohol and fragrances, and lacked skin beneficial ingredients one would expect to find. 

When our store received SK-II I was blown away by the price tag, $99 for a 2.5 oz!  While it did lack garbage ingredients and skin sensitizers that others had, SK-II only had ONE main ingredient (galactomyces ferment filtrate) aka pitera. Here is what you need to understand, there is NO SINGLE INGREDIENT that is going to miraculously transform your skin. If galactomyces ferment filtrate was the only ingredient needed then why are we not just bathing in it every day and going on with our lives no longer needing to obsess over skin care? If I am going to invest $100 in a product, you better believe it is going to be chocked FULL of beneficial ingredients. 

So, in comes the Clinique Even Better Essence, a bit late to the game, but well worth the wait. I was immediately impressed with the ingredient list and did a little happy dance over the occlusion of alcohol as is the dominating ingredient in Clinique’s step 3 toners. This Essence contains many of the ingredients that are in my beloved Drunk Elephant B-hydra gel watermelon extract, lentil extract and apple extract which act as antioxidants to protect the skin and prevent free radical damage. This Essence also contains an additional antioxidant that is not derived from fruit....are you ready for it?!...galactomyces ferment filtrate. Yes, that's right it contains a heaping helping of the same main ingredient in the SK-II essence. See I wasn't just rambling, everything comes full circle with a little patience. 

So the Clinique essence is $44 for a 6.7 oz while the SK-II essence is $179 for a 5.4 oz and the Clinique essence contains much more than just pitera. I have used both and much prefer the light lotion-like texture of the Clinique Essence (I use the 1,2 for dry skin), as opposed to the water-like texture of the SK-II essence. 

Honestly, with spending this amount on the SK-II essence, it is utterly stressful to make a small pool of the thin liquid in your hands and frantically splash it on your face in a desperate attempt to not let the ultra-thin liquid seep between your fingers, potentially wasting a couple drops ultimately costing you around $10. It also has relatively ZERO spreadability as well, so I never felt it to be evenly distributed on my skin and felt the majority was wasted on my palms.  

So to sum things up I am an essence believer now, but only if the ingredients are right. I enjoy having the extra step as I feel it is a way to give my skin the additional beneficial ingredients in a light non-pore clogging way. The Even Better Essence is no longer on Sephora’s shelves but it is still available on Sephora.com and I assume you can find it at Clinique counters.

Shed some skin!

Exfoliation is essential in any skincare routine; no matter what skin type or what skin concern you have exfoliation is crucial! Generally, skin cells take about 28 days to reach the surface of the skin where they die and remain until they naturally fall off or they are removed. The new skin cells are the cells we want to treat and moisturize, but they remain hidden underneath these dry, dull, dead skin cells. So all the dollars spent on those fancy creams and serums are just sitting on top of the dead skin, unable to penetrate into the areas we need them to. There is only one way to remove this dead skin, and I bet you already guessed it! EXFOLIATION!

Exfoliation can be done in 2 different ways, chemically or manually. The majority or people exfoliate with some type of scrub. These work by manually sloughing off dead skin. The key to finding a good scrub is to find a gentle one. Now, I know that sounds obvious but let's really define a gentle scrub vs a not gentle. Ground fruit seeds are not gentle in anyway shape or form. Yes, this includes the all-mighty apricot scrub; PUT THE APRICOT SCRUB DOWN! I have so many clients ripping their faces apart with this scrub, it is out of control. Here is the really crazy part, most of these clients tell me they have sensitive skin so they opted for a more natural exfoliant. Natural does not necessarily mean it is better for your skin; this notion has gotten completely out of hand.  When fruit seeds are ground down into a facial scrub the edges become jagged, uneven and abrasive. They cause tiny abrasions on the skin and are especially troublesome for rosacea or acneic skin types. When used on acne they cause acne lesions to tear, thus spreading bacteria and worsening breakouts and irritation. A gentle scrub is going to be a product with perfectly rounded beads or a fine powder.

The other option is going to be a chemical exfoliation. I almost always recommend a chemical exfoliant over a manual. Chemicals are able to penetrate much deeper into the skin and even into the pores, while still being gentle on the skin, a scrub simply can not provide the same results. When choosing a chemical exfoliant it is important to know the difference between Alpha Hydroxy and Beta Hydroxy Acids. Alpha Hydroxy acids are commonly referred to as AHA's.  Glycolic and lactic acids are the most common AHA's in today's market. These are going to exfoliate the surface of the skin and are known for their scientifically proven anti-aging benefits. They can be found in cleansers, toners, and many leave on products such as moisturizers. However, they are most beneficial in leave on products so the skin has time to reap the benefits. When using a product with Alpha Hydroxy acids it is imperative to wear a broad spectrum SPF of at least 15 in the day as they will make skin more susceptible to sun damage. Beta Hydroxy acids are referred to as BHA's and include salicylic acid. BHA's are oil soluble, making them the only exfoliant capable of penetrating into the pores. They are good for all skin types, especially oily, congested, or acneic types.

If there is only one thing you take away from this post, let that be that if you are intent on using a scrub switch to something gentle. If you insist on finishing up that half empty bottle of apricot scrub, use it on your feet but keep it away from your face! 

Kate Sommerville Quench hydrating serum

I have decided to begin my reviews on a positive note. Kate Sommerville's Quench hydrating serum is one of my all time favorite anti aging serums. It always seems to be hidden among the other similarly packaged bottles from Kate's anti aging line on the shelves at Sephora, but trust me it's worth the extra hunt. This sleek liquid silicone based formula consists of Fatty acids, Retinol, Vitamin C (in the form of Sodium Ascorbate) and Sodium Hyaluronate (the salt version of Hyaluronic acid). The fatty acids (Triglycerides) help protect from water loss on the surface of the skin by providing a barrier, holding water in. If this barrier is compromised the skin may become dehydrated causing fine lines and premature aging to occur. Retinol is a proven beneficial ingredient and is very widely known. However, I have clients every day that do not know the benefits of retinol for their skin. Retinol helps protect the skin against free radical damage, stimulates collagen production, aids in lightening hyperpigmentation and even helps with breakouts! There is a whole slew of research backing up the benefits of retinol, and you can't argue with science! Now beware that larger amounts of retinol may cause skin sensitivities such as redness and flaking skin if you are a new user. However, with the dose of retinol in this serum you should be just fine, even with daily use. So, now that we've covered a couple of ingredients lets talk about how this serum will make your skin look and feel. Those with dry skin will highly appreciate the texture of this serum, with just one pump it immediately feels hydrating and absorbs quickly leaving behind nothing but soft supple skin. It can even be used all the way under the eye area without irritation. My normal to oily skinned clients are always a bit hesitant on this serum. Now, I understand their thoughts here but it's time for everyone to get over their fear of oils! Oil is good for the skin, and from my experience, oily skinned people are always stripping their skin with overly drying cleansers and alcohol based toners. So, of course, their skin is overproducing oil! But I will save that discussion for another post. So for now just trust me, if you are hesitant on the texture, go to Sephora or your local skin care supplier and get a sample, you won't regret it!