First Impressions & Swatches: Make P:rem Blue Ray Sunscreen

Good all-physical UV filter sunscreens are hard to find. "Physical" filter (also known as "inorganic") sunscreens  are sought by people with sensitive skin and/or reactions to chemical UV (also known as "organic") filters, such as yours truly. The most common recommendation request from phys-only sunscreen hunters is for a high protection rated sunscreen with no white cast.

Sadly, with phys-only sunscreens, that just doesn't exist. One of the two options, Titanium dioxide, is literally used as white pigment. Think back to your trusty tube of Titanium White in art class. That's your sunscreen filter bro giving your paints the "whitest white" and also making your sunscreen search hell.

When my former favourite all-phys sunscreen was possibly reformulated (it's not, but more on this later) and I was blown away by a chemical sunscreen I could actually use from Make P:rem, I needed to get my ass in gear and test out some new all-physical options, stat. But I can't review the (orange cap) one I've been using. More on that later too.

So here's a first impression of the Make P:rem UV Defense Me Blue Ray Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++. That's right, four PA ratings.

Our backyard wild bunnies were displeased that I plunked this down in their bun buffet patch.

(Incidentally, if you'd like to see one of the bun patch bunnies in action, I tweeted a short video of one that visited during this post here.)

In this post:

• Why this is a first impression instead of a full review, aka I'm lightly brined by unfortunate developments
• Differences between the orange (Natural) and blue (Blue Ray) cap versions
• First impressions of the Blue Ray Sun Cream
• White cast swatches on NC10 and NC30 skin tones
• Is it worth it & where to get it

I was initially put off buying this version because I'm highly suspicious of anything "cooling" because that usually means either 1. massive amounts of alcohol, or 2. added menthol, which can be highly irritating.

Just give me a high-rated sunscreen with physical (inorganic) filters that's pleasant to wear, doesn't break me out, and has minimal white cast. So how does the Make P:rem Blue Ray Sun Cream stack up?

Chemical Love: Make P:rem Capsule Sun Gel Review

Yes, the Make P:rem UV Defense Me Capsule Sun Gel SPF50+ PA+++ is an all-chemical/organic sunscreen. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill: this a chemical sunscreen review, on my blog.  I know, I can scarcely believe it either.

If you told me two months ago I would be writing a review on a chemical sunscreen with anything to say but "it made my face break out into burning pimples of angry rage" I would never have believed you. All my life, chemical sunscreens have made me want to claw my own face off. It's been all-physical/inorganic sunscreens or bust for me.

When you're that friend who brings a tray and their camera to Sunday afternoon dinners because they need to take photos while the light is still good. #bloggerfriendproblems

It's fitting that the combined enabling powers of the HolyFan duo from The Snailcast are to blame for this unexpected development. During our first ever live snail rout in NYC, we converged on Fanserviced-b's HQ loaded with travel-friendly sample sizes and decants.

After wearing this sunscreen on my neck and chest without incident, I was willing to risk it. Drunk on the spirit of yolo (or maybe it was the White Girl Rosé) I patch tested it on my face, expecting the usual burning, itchy reaction. Nothing untoward happened, unless you count our decision to try freezing the dregs of the wine in an adult novelty mold. Which I don't. 🍆

In this post

• Product details
• Ingredients & UV filters
• My theories on why this isn't destroying my face
• Swatches
• Final thoughts, wear time, and how it plays with makeup

On the final day, I recklessly wore this sunscreen all over my face, determined to test it as much as possible in the time we had left. To my amazement, my skin didn't protest and I made it to my PM routine without incident.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?! A chemical sunscreen! On my face! I have some theories on what might be going on, and after chatting with a few others who have the same sunscreen woes, there may be hope for us yet.

First Impressions: 5 K-Beauty Sunscreens for Summer

I get asked "what makes Korean beauty products better?" all the time, and the answer is always the same: they're not somehow magically better, because you can find good, bad, and mediocre products anywhere. They are quite innovative however, and where Asian cosmetics (including Korean beauty) really shine (in my eyes) is sunscreen.

If I could send a message to myself 10 years ago, before I moved to the US and into the desert, I'd tell myself about Asian sunscreens. I used to think I couldn't wear sunscreen, period! It gave me terrible skin reactions and felt unbearable. I got away with skipping sunscreen due to the relative weak sunlight in my region of Canada, but when I moved far south to an area of Texas that gets sandstorms, premature aging from epic sun damage happened fast.

I've rudely plunked my tray in the middle of the local wild bunny buffet

If I'd known there existed cosmetically elegant sunscreens that wouldn't cause my skin to erupt in painful breakouts within hours, I'd still be enjoying the same wrinkle-free smoothness the women in my family normally have until their 40's. Not to mention a lowered risk of, y'know, skin cancer.

In this post

• First impressions of 5 sunscreens from Goodal, Innisfree, & Make P:rem

I have reviewed one of these already, and I'm currently testing some of the others. Full reviews will come in the future, but after people on my Instagram expressed interest in a first impressions post, here they are!

Goodal Mild Protect Natural Filter Sun Fluid SPF50+ PA++++ Review: When You Need to Express Your Inner Mime

Sunscreen: like a seat belt, it's something we endure because the alternative possibly leads to death or disfigurement. Wearing it isn't optional, so the best one can hope for is that it's as unobtrusive as possible, but at minimum the seat belt doesn't mash your bosom when you wear it. This sunscreen isn't it. Sunscreens should be cosmetically elegant, meaning light and comfortable on the skin, and they should have full-spectrum high sun protection (SPF 50+, PA+++ or higher), with minimal white cast.

I was definitely feeling the hanbang-inspired packaging this came in

This is pretty easy if you use chemical (also known as 'organic') UV filters, but as they cause skin irritation and reactions for many people (including yours truly), many people with sensitive skin can only use physical (also known as 'inorganic') UV filters. Some of which are white. Literally white pigment. Nanoparticle forms of physical filters are supposed to have less white cast, but there's some debate about their safety. The point of this dry paragraph is that physical sunscreens with minimal white cast are very rare. People like me hunt them in murky corners of the internet and have underground swap networks for decants.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients
• Swatches on NC10 and NC30 skin
• What I'll repurchase instead
• Final thoughts & why I'll use it up

I had high hopes for this one, because I loved the Goodal Mild Protect Natural Filter Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++, so surely this almost-the-same-name-but-one-more-PA-rating sunscreen should also be good? Are you looking for the perfect undead base makeup-and-sunscreen combo for your daytime Hallowe'en beach party or possibly playing Marley's Ghost in an afternoon matinée of A Christmas Carol at an outdoor theatre?

No? Then the Goodal Mild Protect Natural Filter Sun Fluid ain't what you're looking for. I'm a Mac NC10 and it looks white as hell on me. I had to double check that it wasn't meant to be a brightening cream. Re-reading the marketing copy while writing this review, I'm beginning to suspect that "light finish" isn't a reference to the texture, it's an invitation to a vampire cosplay. You'll see what I mean. *cue ominous organ music and the flapping of bats*

Goodal Mild Protect Natural Filter Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++ Review

In my post A Haul Before the Storm: Eye candy, Details, First Impressions, & some Mini Reviews I mentioned there was a small snafu on my part when I ordered the Goodal Mild Protect Natural Filter Sun Cream in my Club Clio USA haul, and that I would be going into more detail about it later.  And here we are!

It's a long and slightly boring story, so here's the short version: I messed up my order, I received two sunscreens instead of one, and when I contacted Clio to let them know, they very graciously offered to refund me, exchange it, or whatever I wanted to do.  That's pretty spiffy considering that I was the one who made the mistake.  I suggested an alternative: what about a giveaway?

Image from original haul post

So is this sponsored?  Er, maybe?  They let me keep it, so I guess so?  I'm not into sponsored posts but I was willing to make an exception because this was something I had purchased myself, it was not something that was offered to me, I couldn't see blazing through two sunscreens when I live in an at-home vampire cave, and it didn't seem fair for me to make Clio pay for a refund when it wasn't their mistake.  They sent me a different product (the Clio Vf21 Volume Brightener) instead of a refund for the extra sunscreen, and all was well.  A++ on the customer service; I love that they were willing to make it right despite the miscommunication that was really technically my fault.

So, I decided that once I was finished with testing and using the product, if I liked it I would give away the second tube, and if I didn't, I'd send it back to Clio.  I've been using this since mid-June and it's the end of September, so I've used for two seasons and am confident in saying it's been thoroughly tested and is ready for review.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients & what's the deal with all-physical sunscreens?
• Review & white cast demo on NC30 skin
• Giveaway details (also includes sheet masks!)

Sunscreen Showdown: Battle of 3 Physical-Only Sunscreens

This week I will be doing a showdown between 3 physical-only sunscreens, which means they are full-spectrum UVA and UVB protection and contain no chemical sunscreen agents.

Samples are your friend, especially when you can buy them in packs of 10, as I did/do.

One thing I regret is not knowing earlier about Asian sunscreens.  As I mentioned in my Skin type and history post, I skipped wearing sunscreens most of my life because my skin wouldn't tolerate them, period.  *slaps self from the past, yelling "ASIAN SUNSCREENS!"*

I didn't used to have to avoid the sun like a vampire, though, most of my life I got along just fine without sunscreen.

Grocery shopping after nightfall coping method (img source)

Back in Canada, I enjoyed (?) the benefits of being so baby-faced I was lectured (at age 27) for getting married "too young" by a girl more than 5 years my junior.  Bouncers spent a long time suspiciously eyeing my ID.

I comforted myself that even if I had lingering acne, at least I wouldn't have wrinkles until my late 30's, if my family was anything to go by.  My mother was continuously carded until she was 35, so I had high hopes.

I had a good decade or more of genetic resistance to wrinkles and aging to look forward to, even if I was afflicted by those pesky zits.

Then I moved to the desert.  I had no idea that the sun could be so harsh, and I rapidly aged from looking in my late teens to looking in my early 30's, all within 5 years.  Almost 20 years of aging in 5 years. Dear lord.  Sun damage is no joke.

I tried sunscreens: so many sunscreens.  I tried Asian sunscreens, touted as so 'cosmetically elegant' that you'd feel like you were barely wearing anything at all.  Nope.  Every single one made me want to claw my own face off within an hour, and left my face full of angry breakouts.

I got into BB cream, naively thinking that that sun protection would be enough, but I know now that a whopping 1/4th teaspoon (for the face) is a common guideline and there's just no way your delicate layer of BB cream is going to give you that density.

But I couldn't wear sunscreen, my skin flared up in revolt every time I tried. Some BB creams also made me break out. Then I discovered  Cosdna and started cross-referencing the products that broke me out.  The thing they all had in common?  Chemical sunscreens.

The BB creams that didn't?  Contained only physical sunscreens.  Cue angels singing.

In this post:

• Swatches, ingredients analysis, and mini-reviews of:
• Nature California Aloe Fresh Sun Milk SPF50+ PA+++
• Sunkiller Baby Milk SPF45 PA+++ 
• IOPE UV Shield Sun Mild Clinic SPF25 PA++
• Final thoughts