Stila Oil Free Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer SPF30

Of course this is now being discontinued - why? And replaced by a tinted moisturiser with less SPF and less shade range

This TM is the bench mark by which I measure every other TM that I try hence my little series on tinted moisturisers for one day my stash will run out.

This product is quite thick in texture, and more like a sunscreen with a tint rather than a moisturiser with a sun protection factor and a bit of colour to it.

So whilst thick in texture it can be sheered out.

Cue my face without makeup

I have slapped this on as can be seen in the collection of product in my nose pores (!) but it covers sufficiently and on a good day with a following wind I can dispense with the concealer. I use this in fair (light 01) which is the lightest shade and has a slightly pinky hue, light 02 is more yellowy, but still very light. This is still available from cheapsmells for £5.95. 

Ultrasun High SPF30 Face Anti-aging Formula

It is the dog days of summer and I am reviewing a sunscreen - ah well I was never one to have my finger on the pulse, too young for punk (I was 11 in 1977), too old for garage (the '90s were the decade of babies and nappies for me).

But sunscreen is something that I use everyday, day in day out, rain or shine, winter or summer, night or day...I made that last bit up honest. Infact I have used sunscreen so much that I wonder if I have caused my teabag staining and dark spots on my face.

Ultrasun SPF30 Face has been a product that I have used for a good few years. Ultrasun's USP is that it is applied to clean dry skin before any other skin care product and that is it, it needs no further application throughout the day, it is a once a day application. Now to be fair there is P20 which can also be applied just once a day so it is not unique, but this is a moisturiser, it has moisturising ingredients, wait a little while and one can apply serums and moisturisers over the top, which may seem a bit arse about face but it does work.

Here is a list of the ingredients

This product applies like a moisturiser, and I have no irritation to it, even around my eyes, but the formula I find quite drying even for my oily skin.

My concern with sunscreen has always been this; I get up at 5.45am and apply my skincare and makeup including sunscreen. I go to work in the car. I may or may not encounter the sun at this point. I work indoors and at lunchtime go out and the sun is blazing down, on my face, some 6hrs post sunscreen application.....er will it still protect me?

 Ultrasun caters for this scenario and for the scenario of going to some far flung hot country where the temperature is regularly in the 80s and the sun shines all the time.

I buy mine from QVC here but they now do a 100mls tube which is better value. My concern is that do I really need this? seeing as my favourite place when the sunshines is indoors.

Hissy Fit Saving Face SPF50

I first heard about this from Meeta at makeuppicnic. I was amazed that here was a brand I had never heard of.

This is marketed as an all in one high SPF with a tint. Now frankly I am completely confused about sunscreen and SPF, do I rely on my day moisturiser with SPF whatever number which I apply at 5.45am only to have its sunprotection properties depleted by midday when the sun comes out and I am outside? And the same goes for any product with an SPF, if it is applied in the morning it is unlikely to still be effective on the journey home at 5.00pm with the sun streaming in through the window of whatever mode of transport is one's wont. I know that one is advised to reapply during the day, but how practical is that:  6.00am apply SPF15 day moisturiser, TM SPF30, powder. 10.00am breakoff from what one is doing to reapply SPF cue bloody mess.

However this product with its tint could conceivable be reapplied maybe at intervals.

Unfortunately the lightest shade available in UK is nude which is yellow, (in the US there is an alabaster tint which I think would be better for me) and a dark yellow at that here it is swatched on left and rubbed in on right, I think that is gangrene at the top of my wrist on the right.

The texture is thicker than say Laura Mercier TM, this is more of a cream texture. There is no sunscreen smell that I can discern.

And as for coverage - well it is not bad.

Here is my skin sans any makeup cue open pores blackheads and thread veins.

And here it is on my face, no other makeup ie concealer.

So there is some coverage, not loads but then it is a TM, but it calms everything somewhat - I do tend to look a bit darker than I would want.

I used this today as something to slap on in order not to frighten the horses when I went for my morning constitutional and believe me I don't stroll but go at a bit of a lick, cue sweaty face on return and this product coped with this and there has been no breakup or piling. I think that this is pretty good for days when I need to do something but nobody other than the family are likely to see me.

This is not the easiest of products to track down in UK but Escentuals have it, as does some branches of HoF 

BECCA Mineral Primer SPF30

So good I have a backup, it is my most re-purchased product from the BECCA brand which is probably my most favourite brand of makeup. I have a bit of a thing about SPF and like the idea of a primer and SPF together.


Here is the blurb on the back

And a list of the ingredients

It is white in colour although being married to an Art Teacher there are arguments as to whether white is a colour but whatevs, it is white white.

And here it is rubbed in

It is quite liquid in texture, but not as liquid as say Clarins SPF40 UV Daily, and has a distinctive scent which to me is of parma violets. What I like about this product is that its paleness cancels out the redness in my face - I am an original ruddy porcelain in skin tone, it smoothes out the dips and hollows which are my pores, and it leaves my skin feeling cool and calm. I can apply a tinted moisturiser, liquid, cream or powder foundation over the top and there is no piling of product later in the day.

I have a feeling that this is not to be had for love nor money, it is out of stock at zuneta, beccacosmetics.com/uk, beautyexpert, cultbeauty this happened to me last year hence the dual purchase and the general response was not a reformulation but a problem with the packaging. I do not know why it is currently out of stock and fear that it maybe that a reformulation is in the offing.