Dermalogica Solar Defense Booster SPF50

We all know the drill...sunscreen,every - single - day,sun out or not.But many of us also know that sunscreen for the face can be darn hard to get right:it is either skin and makeup friendly (but a shockingly low SPF),OR it's a true melanoma preventor (but makes us breakout and hates our beloved BB cream).How then,do we get that balance right,and still get to see the light of day (whilst still looking fit for public display) ? Well,Dermalogica,the brand that does skincare brilliantly right,has a solution in this...the Solar Defense Booster. At SPF50,this is the highest protection level available,so you CAN go swimming / walking / driving etc, and not risk life threatening sun damage,at the same time as being able to use your beloved favourite moisturiser (matte skin moistiriser...yes you can).BUT HOW ? Add equal parts of this to ANY skincare you use during the day (yep,that can include your BB cream or foundation too) and apply to skin.It is weightless in feel (something that is hard to find in many sunscreens,even those touted as "for the face" and it disappears into the skin...no white flashback,no Casper-like connotations..unless you mix with a moisturiser or foundation that would give that effect.A too pale foundation will,as will a whitening moisturiser).How does it play with other products you ask ? It plays well...it really does seamlessly mix with just about any product you can throw at it (in summer,a water gel cream is my go to,and in winter,a rich oil / balm...it blended well with both ends of that spectrum. Skin loving in it's own right (as if we expected anything less fro Dermalogica),and divine smelling (a hint of lavender..but in no may overpowering),this non-chalky formula forms and invisible shield against skin damaging environmental assault,whilst antioxidants help improve skin smoothness and softness (thus providing added defense against skin-aging free radicals) It contains encapsulated essential antioxidants (vitamins C and E) into a microcapsule that activates only when needed....So that means when your skin gets exposed to harmful UV rays,this stuff kicks into overtime to add extra protection,and if you didn't already know,Vit C is a great little anti dark spot addition. So there you have it,answered prayers to all of us who WANT to do the right thing,but find it hard to stick to when our skincare products don't deliver (and face in general because of that) OR we want to have sun protection that lives the like we do (a few hours of swimming on a Sunday afternoon with this ? Yes). At $70 for a little 50ml bottle,i know this is a huge ask...a HUGE ask,BUT...a few drops mixed with a moisturiser you love will not only feel more like something you will actually stick too,but it means that you can use less than if you used this just on it;s own (which FYI,you CAN,nut that's not why you avail yourself of this is it ? ).It can also be used on top of whatever makeup you have on to "top up" the protection during the day (as you should).Get a sample from a salon first perhaps,and see if it's for you. TIP:A HUUUGE tip for you.Try mixing this with faux tan for the face and get both a tan (safely) and the essential sun safety you need at the same time.

Look, I know what you're thinking. Its a lot of $$$ for sun screen and its a small amount. I agree... However, here me out. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. Incase you can't tell from my image, I'm a brown girl.. which mean. Sunscreen tends to make me look Ashy as heck! its a no bueno! However, I have super sensitive skin, and hyperpiguentaion... so I need to wear some. I've tried all the sun screens in the world, all thats done it clog up my pores and left me Ashy! Until this amazing product!! Its super light weight, it doesn't leave you ashy, nor does it try out your skin. It doesn't feel heavy, and it doesn't clog your pore! its amazing! Its worth it. Trust me!

I use this regularly for sun protection on my face, it is broad spectrum spf 50 which is the highest spf rating you can get in Australia which is A+ for me. I use it alone, applied 15 minutes before going out in the sun or sometimes I will mix it into my moisturiser if I know I’m going to be out and about (mixing with moisturiser lowers the spf rating though, just be aware.)  It takes awhile to absorb into the skin, so when you first apply it it does feel a bit greasy but I find it goes away pretty quickly. Once absorbed it allows your skin to breathe and it doesn’t feel like a heavy layer on the skin. I don’t find that it leaves a white cast on the skin like other sunscreens can do either. It smells nice, a bit like lavender maybe. One thing that I don’t like about dermalogica products is that they print the expiry dates on the bottle instead of on a sticker, which means that it often disappears as you handle the bottle over time. So right now I have a bottle but no idea when it expires, so I’ll probably have to throw it out as sunscreens lose their effectiveness after their use by date. 

Love this product. Am always on the lookout for a moisturiser with added sun protection and this product does the trick each and everytime. Its not oily or heavy but just perfect. I know I am protected all year round with this amazing product. Recommend it to everyone. Smells divine

I don't detect much of a scent with this white, creamy yet non-greasy formula.  It is such an extremely subtle and light and soft scent so it would be suitable for those sensitive to scented products.  It feels non-greasy as it is absorbed quickly by my skin (I have an oily T Zone, combination oily ageing and pimple-prone skin type).  Within seconds my it settles into my skin and hydrates it.  My skin instantly feels fully protected from moisture loss and the sun's UV rays and I've never had a 'breakout' from this.   I find it is bliss to use either straight over the top of a daily moisturiser or mixed in with it.   It can even be used all on it's own as an SPF 50 daily moisturiser.  The helpful ladies at Dermalogica have told me that when I mix it in with a moisturiser (or foundation or primer), the SPF with still be high but not a full SPF 50.  This is because the other product will somewhat dilute the SPF potency but they have told me that I will still have a Broad Spectrum SPF of around 30 if I mix it into another product.  So that is something to keep in mind when you use this. I am not onto my third bottle of this product.  I find it so versatile and I get to use my non-SPF products right through all the seasons of the year and know that my skin is highly protected from the sun because I can easily mix this in with pretty much anything!  I love how versatile it is.  One bottle lasts me for quite some time and it is a 50ml bottle which is made from a flexible plastic so it's resilient for travelling with and has a secure screw-top lid which is easy to grip as it has lots of ridges in it.  So it's great for those who have trouble holding things with their hands or fingers.   I just squeeze the bottle gently and the formula comes out easily from the nozzle.  It's easy to control how much comes out so there's no wastage with this excellent little bottle. After using this for quite some time, I find my skin is hydrated and does not get those blotchy brown spots reforming on my skin (I have had some lasered off my skin and did not want them to come back) so I like to use a good quality high SPF product and this Solar Defense Booster completely fits the bill.  It's effects last all day until I wash it off at night.  I don't seem to be getting those brown spots back!   There is no con regarding the formulation of this product, maybe just the cost is the con but I personally think it's worth the price because it's protecting my face from brown spots returning and a whole lot more.   This is a product I can highly recommend to anyone who wants to protect their skin from the sun and hydration loss.  Any age and any skin type could use this.

I just love this - I can put a few drops into my regular moisturiser and know I'm protected for an average day out about without needing heavy sunscreen. It smells beautiful and isn't oily on my skin.

Smells amazing, goes on smoothly and beautifully.  A little goes a long way.