The Vine: August 1, 2008
Sars,
This might be a good question for the readers.I’m looking for new foundation.I’m currently using Prescriptives and I like the lightweight coverage, but I don’t like how it feels after a few hours.I’ve seen ads for lots of different foundations that claim to feel light and silky all day long, but I was wondering if you (or the readers) had any suggestions based on actual experience. I do have somewhat oily skin, but there’s got to be something out there that will work.
Thanks,
Does not want to feel slimy at 2 PM
Dear 2,
I’ve had good luck with Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer 20; it’s actually my regular “make-up” although it’s packaged as a tinted moisturizer.I put it on over my regular facial sunscreen, and it’s not too oily (I have T-zone skin).
The bad news is that 1) “not too oily” is, at least in the summertime, about as good as you can expect, so get some blotting papers and try to spin it to yourself as a “glow”; and 2) what works for me is not necessarily going to work for you, so you often have to buy a few things and try them, or have the Sephora consultants let you come in a few times and see what works and what doesn’t.Wing and Alli both swear by a certain make-up that looks fantastic and natural on them but turned me into a consumptive drag queen; you just have to keep getting makeovers at Macy’s (or borrowing your sister-in-law’s shit; whatever works) until you find a good product.
The good news is that the readers love to talk make-up.Readers?
Hi Sars!
Here’s a question for your readers that has me stumped. I am the whitest girl who ever whited and I have ALREADY been burned TWICE in the last three weeks while wearing SPF 30 sunscreen. I am happy to slather on 45 or higher if I can find some that a) doesn’t smell like “the beach” and b) is not super-sticky once applied.
Ideally I’d like something that has no fragrance at all and is made to stay on, while not being so tacky as to have cat hair adhere to it once it’s on my body. I can be fine with a bit of fragrance, I just don’t want to smell like Coppertone 24/7. I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 55 on my face, and it has a perfect finish but it’s a bit pricey to be slathering all over me once or twice a day.
I’m happy buying online as well as at my local chain so anything goes as long as it works!Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Lobster is NOT the new black
Dear Lob,
I use a jumbo bottle of…some off-brand shteez from CVS that was on sale the last time I ran out of sunscreen.”No-Ad”?I think that’s the name of it.It has some coconut overtones to it, but after half a dozen molectomies to the tune of a hundred stitches total, I kind of don’t give a shit what it smells like. “Now in durian scent!”Fine.Whatever keeps the scalpel away from me.
But for a while, I used Coppertone Sport 50, which smelled a little beachy going on, but didn’t smell like anything afterwards.And the Neutrogena spray-on sunscreens don’t smell beachy and go on quite dry (but there is a chemical odor during the spraying, and I didn’t feel confident about the coverage, so I stopped using it).I can’t recall how high up in SPF that stuff goes; I think you can get the Coppertone Sport in an SPF even higher than 50, but I’ve found that, once you get into 65 or 70 range, the lotion doesn’t go on very easily because it’s too thick and spackly.
Readers, we need a high-SPF lotion priced for all-over use that doesn’t smell like a piña colada.
Tags: Ask The Readers cat hair Coppertone health and beauty Neutrogena
Makeup: Unfortunately, Bare Escentuals doesn’t have a wide range of colors. Black women, look elsewhere.
@ Does not want to feel slimy at 2 PM
I use Wet & Wild tinted moisturizer, it’s dead cheap (like $3/bottle) and keeps me oil-free. The added SPF is a bonus in my book. On my extra-oily days, I usually dust a little powder over it and it’s good to go. I’ve worn it all day and into the night with no touch ups and it never gets greasy and never starts to dull or fade.
I learn something everyday at this site–I’m buying the Neutrogena stuff tomorrow.
And here’s a tip I picked up from the interwebs: after lathering on your moisturizer/sunblock, use your hairdryer on the cold setting and blow the cold air on your face and body. It helps dry and set the stuff, reduces shine, cools you down and prevents the Pet Hair Shirt.
I second blotting papers. I buy the drugstore brand and they do an amazing job of removing the late-afternoon grease slick and leaving me nice and matte. After using one of these my foundation is ready to go for the rest of the evening, plus you get the fun of seeing all the oil being blotted off your face. Make sure you get the ones that simply remove oil, and not ones that lay down a layer of powder. Mine are actually some sort of space-agey plastic material.
Aw, I’m so glad to know that there are so many other pale people out there! As a teenager, a stranger once stopped me by the beach to ask if I was wearing white nylons, and then proceeded to call her friend over to gawk at my legs when I told her I wasn’t. In retrospect, what a bitch.
Anyway, I recently moved to Phoenix and had to start using sun protection on a daily basis. I have liked the spray stuff because I hate slathering lotion on, and I feel like I get a little better coverage on my back since I’m not a contortionist. But in general, I’ve just had to go for avoidance–big hat and parasol if I’m out for more than five minutes. I felt like a great big dumb ass at first, but then I just thought of nasty, blistery burns, and I embraced the parasol thing. And the only comments I’ve had so far are ones of envy at sunny bus stops. :)
Many years ago I was on a fishing boat in Port Aransas, Texas and found some sunscreen in the bait shop.
It was called Lil’ Gator. I forgot to put some on myself until I realized my arm was starting to burn, applied some and IMMEDIATELY felt the burning stop.
I never found it in my local store but did find some by Googling.
Here’s another vote for Bare Escentuals. I have combo skin, and live in Texas (we’re on what … our fifteenth 100+ day in a row?) so I’m pretty much hosed. I used to use MAC for the coverage because at 25 my skin still thinks it’s 15, but I too felt icky. I switched to Bare Escentuals and look far better, more natural *and* my skin has improved, as an added bonus. Even my facialist noticed my pores weren’t as clogged up.
Take yourself to a BE store if one’s in your area or a Sephora and ask them to do a demo on you. I was astounded the first time I tried it. It took me about a month to get the hang of it, but it totally rocks. And I no longer feel ooky by the afternoon.
Good luck!
As a whitey McWhite person that happend to fall in love and marry a man whose grandfather was full blooded American Indian, I have to say, I get lots of odd looks. He is way dark, and I am like a piece of paper. I stick out like a sore thunb with his family. And they NEVER use sunscreen. But as the child of a man that has had countless places carved off of him by a dermatologist (thankfully none of them cancerous, just BAD) and a woman with serious red hair, I have come to love Neutragena (recommneded by said dermotologist). They keep improving their sunscreens too. I have very sensitive skin and mostly avoid using anything but moisturizer with suncreen in it on my face and wearing a hat. But for everything else, Neutragena it is. I usually stop around the SPF 55 or so, because really, what is the difference between that and SPF 85. It goes on without feeling like most sunscreens, and it doesn’t smell like most sunscreens. It is the one thing I willingly pay for even if I think it is pricey.
As for make up, I will say I don’t like to wear make up much because of the oily face plus WHITE makes it hard to find a make up that actually will stay on and look normal. But I finally found one that I feel works for me. The Almay Smart Shade mentioned up thread works really well. It doesn’t always cover all the blemishes, so a concealer is needed. Then I dust with a loose powder. I have used several and don’t really have any one in particular to rave about. They just tend to keep the oil at bay longer than pressed powders do, and they cover more evenly without using as much.
I used to use Prescriptives too, but have since abandoned foundation for tinted moisturizer-type products. My summer fave is Fresh’s High Noon Freshface Glow: http://www.fresh.com/html/new/glow.shtml, super light, a hint of color, not fakey bronze (which is rare for someone who glows in the dark), smells like cucumber going on and feels cool. You only need a dot for your whole face. I second the rec for DHC velvet skin coat http://tinyurl.com/28yzxg to minimize shine. In the summer, some degree of blotting, powdering, or reconciling yourself to glowing is probably inevitable ’round about 2:00 p.m.
I’m a fan of the Neutrogena spray — I think mine goes up to 70 SPF. I’ve seen it for reasonably cheap at the Costco. Whatever sunscreen you’re using, make sure you apply enough of it and cover everything in enough time to have it work before you head out. Because I’m all about the belt and the suspenders, I try to cover with as much clothing/head gear as I can get away with.
As one of those super-McWhiteys who burn under flourescent bulbs, I’ve tended just to avoid sunlight. This year, however, the joy of the Neutrogena spray-on 80 SPF came into my life & there are no more 2nd-degree burns in 15 minutes while still wearing 30 SPF. I also have incredibly allergic skin, and it doesn’t react at all. It’s a bit pricier than Coppertone, but then again, so are aloe baths & treatment for skin cancer, so I’ll take it (speaking of which, JadeBlue, hope you’re responding to treatment & recovering well :) ).
@Sars – word on the hate for Kiehl’s, overpriced & overrated brand that it is. A friend whose product recos I usually trust once suggested their spot treatment. I tried it, and yes, the spot went away…but the rest of my face broke out badly. Feh.
Word on the Neutragena Ultra-Sheer SPF 70! It doesn’t have that ‘sunscreen fumes you can taste’ thing that I hate.
I’ve also had really good luck with a little pot of zinc oxide cream (spf 45) I picked up at walgreens for 4 bucks. Looks like a thick white lotion/cream, but goes on clear and doesn’t have that smell.
I hate to be a hater, but here’s some “do not try” advice, at least for the sensitive-skinned like myself. I used Aveeno Continuous Protection for Face SPF 50, and it took me many days to recover. My skin turned red and flaked off. I didn’t expect that from Aveeno, which is supposed to be all “yay natural ingredients.”
I really love Neutrogena in general. In Florida I’ve been able to find something called, I think Neutrogena Active. It comes in a blue bottle, and it is AMAZING. I put it on my face and body before I go running, and it does not run in my eyes, it does not get all nasty like sunblock usually does after it mixes with sweat. It just soaks right in, and it doesn’t make me break out. I sometimes use it as face moisturizer and body lotion if I’m trying to travel light.
My people! The glare off of my legs could burn your retinas. I’m so pale, I actually have more a bluish look. I’m also a red head with super sensitive skin, and I really don’t use anything but Neutrogena. Everything else gives me a rash, though Bullfrog doesn’t give me as much of a rash as some of the others. I’ve also found that the Neutrogena isn’t as sticky and actually feels more like lotion. And buy a big ridiculous hat. Getting things biopsied from your scalp sucks.
One note with the sprays through: make sure you rub them in. My friend has lovely stripes because she thought you just sprayed it and it magically covered every inch of your body whether it touched your skin or not.
I’m also a mineral makeup user. Everything else just felt gross, I would watch my face as soon as I got home from work. But the mineral makeup works wonderfully and feels nice.
Yes! Also super-duper pale here, also a fan of the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer. I agree that it’s so good, Lobster should try and find a way to buy in bulk. After many childhood burns following sticky, greasy applications of drugstore cheapo sunblock, I’m willing to give up other things to buy myself some good quality stuff.
I like Bare Minerals too, I only really wear foundation when it’s a special occasion and it always looks flawless. This is a big deal because I may be the greasiest person alive. I’m talking about soaking through 4 or 5 sheets of blotting paper a day, and Bare Minerals has done an amazing job working with my horrible skin.
I had no idea I was in such good company – pale people who actually want to protect their skin! Like Kate, I’m suffering through summer in Texas, and if I’m not careful, I get a sunburn driving home from work.
My game plan for a trip to Mexico in 2 weeks: 1-2 Mystic Tan sessions the week before, then Neutrogena Color Boosting SPF 30 in the mornings to maintain, and Coppertone SPF 80 spray several times per day. I’m determined not to let sunburn ruin an expensive and much-needed vacation!
Also, amen to the Kiehl’s. Their concealer is cheap and caky and the packaging sucks. The $8 tube of lip balm could be replaced by Crisco. The hair serum is decent but no better than something I could get at Walgreen’s.
“Also super-duper pale here”
Ok is it just me or should we start some sort of club?! ;)
I use Aveeno daily moisturizer with sunscreen, and when I know I’ll be exposed I use Aveeno Baby sunscreen. As a redhead i burn easily, and those two products keep me pretty safe. Neither one has any particular scent. They both rub in and are fairly non-greasy, although not as non-greasy as the powder sprays. I love that they don’t aggravate any skin allergies.
As a fellow super-pale-y, who has spent the past decade watching her mother visit the derm monthly to get skin lesions burned off of her face, this is a topic near and dear to my heart.
I have two non-facial sunscreens I want to echo recommendations for. The Coppertone Oil-Free is good stuff: cheaper per ounce than Neutrogena, scent-free, and seriously non-sticky. I don’t walk around wearing a wig’s worth of cat hair on my arms. Plus, because it’s so inconspicuous while on, I tend to slather it like you’re supposed to (see the shot glass recommendation above). It’s widely available, too.
If you want something a little more exotic, I use a zinc-based sunscreen called Blue Lizard around my neck and arms. (I’ve had problems with chemical sunscreens staining my white shirts, grr.) It’s quite thick, and leaves a white cast — not much of a problem if you’re as pale as I am, heh — but oddly non-sticky once it dries. Plus it’s as tenacious as hell, in my experience. You can get it at Amazon or Drugstore.com, etc.
I also really like Bare Minerals, but last time I was running out cheaped out and bought a Physicians Formula loose mineral-powder foundation at Target, which surprisingly enough works fine for me at about half the price. The brush that comes with it is for crap, but if you already have a good brush, worth a shot.
Dear Lobster,
if you like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry SPF 55, you might want to try and find it at places like Costco, which sell humongous sizes of them, so there’s more to go around. I bought some there, and it lasted me a whole year (and I live in Texas, so sunscreen on at least half of your body is a must for more than six months a year).
I second the pot of zinc oxide cream from the drugstore–the brand I have is Solar Sense. It doesn’t break me out, it dries quickly, doesn’t feel sticky. I keep it in my purse for those times I realize that I’ve been outside longer than my daily application of SPF 30 can handle.
One more for the mineral makeup–I started with the Bare Escentuals, but I like the one from L’Oreal just as well–actually, better. Easier to use.
I recommend Estee Lauder Equalizer foundation for combination skin. I have terribly oily, acne-prone skin, and Equalizer has been the only foundation that applies so effortlessly and light while giving really good coverage. It stays put on my face really well. Plus, since I have a light olive skin tone, I was able to find a color that matched my skin almost perfectly.
I spend a ton of time out in the sun and I hate the feel of sunscreen.
One thing that really really helped me was the discovery of SPF clothing from MEC. I’m a fan of their “bare” long-sleeved shirts – the less of me that needs to have lotion rubbed on it the better.
Ooh, I *third* the Everydayminerals.com recommendation … their samples are HUGE and last forever. And you can buy multiple samples of anything so you can have a teeny container of it in each bag. Being the efficient person I am, I buy the “Multitask” shade, which I don’t actually use as all-over foundation but it is a kickass concealer. You can apply it with an eyeshadow brush. I put on primer first (and the DHC Velvet Skin Coat is really good, AND if you get on their catalog mailing list they will send you samples of it for the rest of your natural life) and/or sometimes Kiehl’s Abyssine Serum (which is the only Kiehl’s stuff I really like).
Laura Mercier also just came out with a nice little kit from Sephora (maybe just online?) that’s a little tube of primer, a little tube of SPF tinted moisturizer, some nice brushes, and a combination Secret Camouflage concealer/finishing powder pot.
And as another pale (although not translucent) person who has had to kick up her sunscreen usage since going on Accutane, I’m really appreciating all the recs …
[Quick digression on Accutane: it’s a scary, scary drug with serious side effects, and picking it up from the pharmacy is like planning the D-Day invasion, but I am loving it … I have not had a serious zit for months. Find a sympathetic dermo who will let you do a low-dose regimen … I’m on 20mg/day and have just had a little minor peeling and chapped lips.]
I was on the Accutane /Retin-A combo in high school–the high dosage. It’s super scary and you have to not mind making a leper look like a Botticelli angel for a few months, but it clears your skin up like nobody’s business. Plus, it helps prevent wrinkling–I’m 36 and still look mid-20s (well, with the right very dim lighting and a few glasses of wine, anyway.) But if you do it, take all the sunscreen advice here and triple it.
I milliionth the Bare Escentuals recommendation. All these women I worked with who I thought just had perfect skin and no makeup? Yeah, that’s what they used. I’ve used it since, and now people say that they thought that about me! I don’t know how well it works for darker skin tones because I’m translucent like Lob (sorry, the Neutrogena that you think is too pricey is the only thing I’ve ever liked, but I’m not in the sun very often).
I use a bottle of something called “Sea and Ski” that comes in a blue aluminum can with an orange cap (I didn’t actually buy it myself, it was handed down to me by my dermatologist mom, although a quick google search seems to yield a pretty wide array of purchase options). I think often the problem isn’t the strength of the SPF but how quickly it wears off, and this stuff is formulated to stay on for eight hours even in the water! It’s a foam sunscreen so it’s fun to put on (and throw at friends) and not sticky at all. I’ve used it for whole days at the beach without reapplying and have left as pasty-white as I arrived!
Re: sunscreen — my skin tone is frequently compared to Nicole Kidman’s (or to a sheep, if my brother is the one doing the comparing) and I’ve had great luck with Murad’s SPF 30 sunblock. Drugstore SPF 30 does nothing for me, but I haven’t gotten a single serious sunburn since I started using the Murad. It absorbs quickly, it’s truly waterproof, and it has a lovely, subtle scent. I often use it instead of body lotion when I plan to be in the sun.
My other anti-burn tip: if you’ve burned because you’re hanging out at the beach, Lob, invest in a beach umbrella. The purchase of my beloved $15 Target beach umbrella has made a huge difference for me! Of course, if you’re surfing or playing sports this is useless.
Make-up: I get nasty oily skin too, throw in living in the humid tropics, its disgusting. I find that if I used a very light moisturizer then pat on powder foundation, the oil is less forthcoming. Also, it helps if you frequently use those thin sheets of blotting paper and re-touch with some more powder through the day.
Lobster: Don’t know if they have it where you are, but in Singapore and Hong Kong, there’s this brand of Japanese sun screen called ‘Sunkiller’. Weird name aside, it goes as high as SPF 135 and comes in liquid and gel form. It doesn’t smell too bad and the liquid ones dry to a powdery finish.
My favourite foundation is Lancome’s Adaptive SPF 10. I have combination skin, and this stuff lasts all day on me.
And I am ANOTHER super pale girl and am very careful about sunscreen. I have given up on higher SPFs – I don’t find that they make that much of a difference – and have dedicated myself to Riemann’s SPF 20 sunscreen. This stuff lasts all day, isn’t sticky, and even lets you pick up a bit of a tan. And you can swim while you’re wearing it. Seriously – this stuff is the business. I used it on a summer holiday in South Africa earlier this year and I didn’t get burned at all.
Lobster:
I agree with the Ocean Potion recommendations. The anti-aging spf 50 has a vague floral scent to me (I wish it smelled like orange dreamsicle!) and the Gentle & Sensitive is pretty odorless.
I don’t so much mind the beachy smell as that horrid chemical smell most sunscreens have. Thanks for all the other recomendations. Good to know I’m not the only woman of my generation who wants to protect her skin and embrace the paleness.
It’s already been said, but I will add in my vote for Clinique’s Superbalanced makeup. I was a frequent user of another of their lines, but when they were out of my color, I tried this one. I was astonished that it gave me such good coverage, and at the same time, it felt like there was nothing on my skin. I have very sensitive skin, and even expensive brands have been known to irritate it, but I’ve never had any problems with Clinique.
I liked Bare Essentuals/Bare Minerals/etc. for a while, but got sick of it coming off on my clothes, and my boyfriend’s clothes. I didn’t like it at all when I had a bit of a dry patch – it just accentuated it. I think I’m going to be sticking to liquid foundations from here on out.
Slimy at 2: I really like The Body Shop’s All-in-One Face Base. They have it in liquid and in a powder cake form, and I’ve used both. I’m t-zone-y with sensitive skin, and I find I can put these on in the morning and they last through the workday without a need for an afternoon powder touch-up.
Sidenote: I’m admittedly weird about smells, but does anyone else find that Cover Girl makeup (both the liquid-powder- any of it, really) smells really, really odd & strong & chemically? Ick. It’s a shame too, because they have some pretty colors out there, but I can’t get past the smell.
Since I haven’t seen this suggestion yet: Bobbi Brown foundation is my favorite! I usually hate wearing foundation, but to me, Bobbi Brown feels the most natural and comfortable. The line you get should depend on your skin type, and how much coverage you want. Best of luck!
KRIS – the Cover Girl smell is also the Noxema smell.
I argree with the poster that suggested baby sunscreen. I buy Baby Blanket Faces Sunscreen for Babies for me and my daughter. It has no scent and isn’t greasy or pore cloggy. It only goes up to 45 spf, though. It also comes in wipes, which makes it easy to reapply during the day.
I am super pale and have sensitive skin that breaks out easily and I absolutely swear by La Roche Posay – Anthelios Lait spf 45. They also make a n SPF 60 but it’s a cream so take a pass if you have oily skin or are prone to break outs. The spf 45 is noticeably lighter and works great. I don’t know if it’s available in the US but its in most drug stores in Canada.
When it comes to the sun, I not only burn easily, but also get a rash. Horrible, horrible…
I can, however, wholeheartedly recommend p20 from Riemann – http://www.p20.dk/. It goes on once a day, lasts for up to 10 hours, smells a bit and is sticky for about 30 minutes. After that – you’re good to go!! I even tan with it on ;o)
Sunscreen wise – Anything with Zinc or titanium dioxide. i kind of love cotz for the face, and durascreen for body. TerraSport is really nice for not looking quite as ghostly as anything else.