The Vine: August 13, 2010
Oh Wise Nation,
After spending two days of my honeymoon with hives, and another day half asleep from Benadryl, I need help.
My go-to facial moisturizer/sunscreen for years (years!!) has been Oil of Olay for oily/combination skin with SPF 15. I also use a mineral makeup, so between the two I thought I was in pretty good shape, UV-ray-prevention wise.
However, OofO has apparently changed their formulation to include avobenzone (or at least it wasn’t included in the list of active ingredients on the old bottle that I still have at home). Which I am apparently allergic to, to the point of serious hives (see above re: three lousy days of honeymoon). So I decided to check out my other options, and very few sunscreens seem to not be using it these days.
However, one day of the Aveeno body moisturizer with sunscreen in it, and I can see the hives forming already. The Neutrogena facial sunscreen that you recommended in a previous Vine does not have it, but my drugstore didn’t have an oily or combination version, and I don’t love how greasy the regular version feels. I still have some trouble with acne, and so I try not to add too much extra oil. Also don’t exactly love the tint, but I can live with it.
Do the Vine readers have any suggestions? Both facial sunscreen and for the rest of the body. Cost is a bit of a concern, since my husband has been laid off since December and severely underemployed since last July. Then again, skin cancer is going to be more expensive than blowing a wad on a department store moisturizer/sunscreen combo.
Texture (non-greasy feeling) is more important than scent, within reason. And I don’t mind ordering online, as long as I can read the ingredients list before I order. Thank you so much!!
Wishing I was pale, pale, paler
Dear Pale,
You may have to make your peace with the greasy feeling, especially if you have to switch to a sunscreen that relies more on a physical block like zinc oxide to protect your skin. I know it’s a hassle, but what I always tell myself when the glare off my forehead is visible from space is that the extra oil is keeping me young-looking.
Start with baby and kids’ sunscreens; the ones I looked at (Banana Boat spray for kids; Neutrogena’s “pure & free” SPF 60 stick for babies) didn’t have avobenzone listed as an ingredient.
Go to a dermatologist to make sure it’s the avobenzone that’s causing the problem; whether or not it is, she’ll have recommendations for OTC products that won’t give you problems (well, she should; don’t let her hard-sell you on the in-house stuff that’s $55 for a lip-gloss-sized pot).
Readers?
Tags: Ask The Readers health and beauty
Try California baby
http://www.californiababy.com/no-fragrance-spf-30-sunscreen-lotion-2-9-oz.html
It is chemical and fragrance free and I have found it to be fairly non-greasy, though as Sarah says, you to make your peace with a little bit of weight. It isn’t too bad though-even under makeup.
On my face I use Philosophy’s Hope Oil-Free SPF 30. It is spendy but avobenzone-free and non-greasy. Before the Philosophy I was using Olay Complete SPF 30 Daily Defense for Sensitive Skin: also non-avobenzone but definitely more shiny-making than the Philosophy.
For body, Lubriderm’s Daily Moisture with SPF 15 does not contain avobenzone. They are making a higher SPF version now, but it DOES contain the evil avo.
I’ll be interested to read everyone’s suggestions since it sounds like Pale and I are the same skin type and I have a different reason for wanting to avoid avobenzone: we are on well water here at my house and avobenzone residue on light-colored clothes turns into orange rust stains when washed in our mineral-heavy water.
I have the same problem. For years I thought I was allergic to the sun. My dermatologist never suggested the Avobenzone/Oxysalate allergy. I learned on my own when I bought that Olay moisturizer and had my face breakout like my body did over the summer. Compared ingredients, made connection, Bingo!
I use a topical vs. chemical sunscreen. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. The problem is you look like a lifeguard’s nose all over. The best I’ve found is SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense SPF 30. They microgrind the minerals so they blend and sink in better. It is super expensive ($36 for 3 oz) but is worth every dime. You don’t need that much b/c it’s thick, so a tube lasts a while. I brought 3 to a week long surf camp in Costa Rica and went through 1 and a 1/3. If you find a cheaper one that works as well, please let me know.
I’d like to second Neurtogena’s Pure and Free Baby line.
I also have a hard time with ultra-sensitivity to facial sunscreens (to the point that I just rely on my MAC foundation – which does not come in an SPF-free version, but my skin tolerates – and then completely stay out of the sun). But, required attendance at a company picnic this summer forced me to try to find something and just pray my face wouldn’t break out.
I am happy to report that after a day in the sun and multiple re-applications, I was both burn, oil slick, and rash free. Good Luck!
I’m currently obsessed with Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me by Paula Begoun. It has been around a while and is periodically updated and contains a zillion brand and specific product reviews. Her reviews include really detailed discussions/explanations about ingredients in skin care and make up products (including the products main active ingredient and why it does/does not work). Also, she has a lot of rants about the hokum perpetuated by the entire industry, which I enjoy. She also has a line of products, so I take things with a grain of salt, but the book is the first thing that has made me feel like I have a fighting chance to not waste money and find legitimately good products. There is also a free website (beautypedia.com) with a lot of free reviews, but the kindle book is $8 or so, so why pay for the website? (Uck, this reads like a planted amazon review — I swear my enthusiasm is legit. Now that I’m old I’m just so delighted to find something consumer reports-y about makeup and moisturizer, because I’m a sucker for a pretty jar of good smelling cream that will make me beautiful overnight.)
What about a powder-based sunscreen? My husband sweats profusely if he uses any sort of cream-based sunscreen on his face and forehead, so he’s taken to using this Peter Thomas Roth stuff. Bare Escentuals has something similar. Neither has avobenzone (in fact, both seem to be mineralized titanium dioxide). The powder might help with the oiliness as well.
My husband complains that the Peter Thomas Roth stuff is visible in his hair when he tries to apply it into his hairline (he has very short thinning hair), but has had no issues with how it looks on his actual face.
I’m also sensitve to chemical sunscreens. I second the California Baby recommendation from above. I have also used Alba Organics (slightly cheaper than CB) and been happy with it. And I also warn you that you may have to get over the heavy feeling of physical sunblock. (To me, it doesn’t usually feel greasy, but chalky, and impossible to rinse off.) On the plus side, it doesn’t make your clothes smell like sunscreen for the next three washes, and it is way better for you, as oxybenzone/avobenzone are kind of scary. See here:
http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/full-report/
(If you click on the ‘best sunscreens’ sidebar link on that page, you can also get EWG’s recommendations for best mineral sunscreens, sorted by category.)
Check out the big sunscreen database that accompanied the report about hormone disruptors in sunblock this year:
http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/
You can search by ingredients (or lack of), and California Baby mentioned above is one of their top recommendations. Their top recs are pretty expensive, but like you said, it’s probably worth it. Good luck!
I used to use Biotherm for oily skin until funds became too tight and recently found this at the Body Shop:
http://www.thebodyshop.ca/aloespf.html
It’s SPF 15, not too expensive and doesn’t include avobenzone. I highly recommend it.
I recently went off the pill and had to visit the dermatologist for adult acne and we discussed my sensitivity to ingredients. Anyway, she recommended that I not use spf in my moisturizer– I know, odd, but for daily wear she said I didn’t really need it. When I asked for a recommendation for pool/beach/all day outside sunscreen that wouldn’t make me break out she recommended powdered sunscreen and a hat. I use one by Bare Minerals and she approved it. As for my daily moisturizer she gave me a list of good ones and recommended Neutrogena oil-free for sensitive skin ($7.00) and I am happy with that. She also listed Purpose Redness Reducing or Purpose Dual Treatment($8ish).
Years and years ago, my dermatologist recommended Purpose moisturizer. It’s SPF 15 and inexpensive (Drugstore.com has it for under $10). I’ve got sensitive, acne prone skin, and I use this under my mineral makeup every day. At $10, it’s worth a try!
I had the exact same problem, I used the Oil of Olay moisturizer for years and loved it, but then all of a sudden I got a new bottle and it started to do weird things to my face. I switched to Eucerin Everyday Protection face lotion and haven’t had any problems. It’s relatively cheap (on sale for 8 bucks or so at Target occasionally) and it absorbs really quickly so it’s not greasy feeling (which was my favorite thing about the OofO stuff). As far as I can tell it doesn’t have avobenzone in it, so it might be worth a try? Here’s a link: http://tiny.cc/ce4gd
If you’re already using Neutrogena, try their Ultra Sheer Dry Touch. I have it in 85, and I love it for every day use because it doesn’t make my face feel gross or smell like the beach.
Also, it’s on sale on their website right now.
My mother recently developed several conditions that she has to take several varieties of drugs for – the side effects of the drugs require she either stay out of the sun all together, or have sunscreen all over her body at all times.
She’s also highly allergic to many of the chemicals in most sunscreens, and has been since she was little.
We got her Juice Beauty’s Green Apple Moisturizer w/ SPF 15 ( http://tinyurl.com/25j4hte ) for all over her body. They also have a facial moisturizer on offer with SPF 30 from the same brand, and an assortment of tinted moisturizers that you can pick from other brands that also have the SPF component to them – and you can see the ingredient list before you buy it, so you can tell if there’s something in there you don’t want or can’t have.
I can’t recommend powder sunscreens enough. I’ve got oily combination skin and at 30+ I still get acne. I’m not putting anything on my face that might make either of those things worse! I’ve used two, one by Jane Iredale, and one by Colorescience. I like the Colorescience application system better (brush v. Jane Iredale’s sponge), but they both did the job. I use them daily (as a finishing powder on top of my moisturizer or foundation if I’m feeling fancy), but they’ve also held up in serious sun situations (eg. whitewater rafting and a full day of snorkeling in the Caribbean). Colorescience is pricey to start out with, but you can buy refills which are relatively cheap. As a general rule, since it sounds like you might be sticking with physical as opposed to chemical sunscreens, be sure that whatever you buy has zinc oxide and not just titanium dioxide. There’s been research that titanium dioxide does little to block UVA radiation, which is the one that causes long-term damage (aging and wrinkling). Zinc oxide is a little better. One of the reasons so many sunscreens have added avobenzone is because it is one of the few chemical sunscreens approved in the US that really does protect against longer UVA rays. (Note, all I know about sunscreen I learned from google, so . . . you know, sorry if you find contradictory information. But powder sunscreen is great!)
For my face, I use the Body Shop’s Aloe SPF 15 face lotion. I have really sensitive skin, and it’s the only thing that’s worked since they changed the ingredients for the Neutrogena SPF 15 lotion and completely fried my skin. (I have atopic skin)
For my hair, I use the Body Shop’s bilberry line, since it’s got SPF: shampoo, conditioner AND leave-in detangler. Plus I’ve got really dry, curly, THIN hair, and so far it’s the best I’ve found to moisturize yet not weigh down my hair.
For my body, I also used to use Lubriderm SPF 15, but lately it doesn’t moisturize long enough, so I switched to Eucerin, which is beautiful, but has no SPF, so I spray on Coppertone sport, SPF 70 (but it ´s got avo). Or, when I can find it, Eclipsol. Whenever I see a bottle I stock up. Highly recommended by myself, and all my doctors.
Seconding the recommendation for “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter without Me.” Paula Begoun’s also got a website, with a mix of free and subscription info, at http://www.cosmeticscop.com; if I had skin allergies I would probably just shell out for a subscription, as my impression is that the books aren’t being updated but the website is, and the formulas on this stuff change all the time. She’s particularly good at clarifying obfuscatory terms and identifying what ingredients do and don’t do in various concentrations.
If nothing else works, a dermatologist could write a prescription for a sunscreen/moisturizer without the problem ingredients, which a compounding pharmacy can make for you. The bad part is that it might be pricey, but you can ask the dermatologist to write for a quantity that will last awhile, which would help. Health insurance may cover some of the prescription costs too.
I’m a huge Paula Begoun fan too. From her recommendations, I went with Kiss My Face Face Factor, SPF 30. It does not have avobenzone and feels super light on the face. It’s not expensive, though is a bit hard to find locally for me. The natural grocery store has it. It’s available for a good price on drugstore.com so I shop there a lot. I am prone to breakouts as well and this, along with a regimen gleaned from Paula on skin care, has worked wonderfully.
That OoO was my moisterizer too and I was so disappointed when they went and “improved” it. The new formula didn’t cause me to break out in hives but I found it was SO greasy I couldn’t stand it anymore (and it smelled a little funny too). I ended up switching to Dove Deep Moisture facial lotion with SPF 15 for, get this, DRY skin. I had terrible acne as a teenager and still break out on occasion in my late 30’s and because of that I’ve always gone for the oily/combo formula in ANY product. But this one works so well for me it leaves you to wonder what difference, if any, those skin type labels really make.
Former Oil of Olay user here, also. I switched to Eucerin’s Everyday Protection Face Lotion and love it.
I used Oil of Olay for years, and then one day it started burning my eyes to the point of not being able to see – it would be fine all morning, then suddenly around 3/4pm, horrible sudden onset of fire in my eyeballs. It was bizarre. I switched to the CVS generic knock-off, and haven’t had the same problem since. It’s cheaper, and seems to work exactly the same. Not sure if it’s the same problem you’re having, though, since I never had any hives.
Thank you. The nation has done it again (I hope). I’m heading to the store tonight with a list of your recommendations. I have been considering switching from the mineral makeup that I use now to Bare Escentuals, and all of the info about powdered sunscreens definitely have me leaning even further that way.
But since I’m holding a yard sale tomorrow, I need something quick. I might buy a couple different kinds, just in case.
Thank you all again!
Now I’m wondering if they changed the formula in the OofO eyecreams, because *something* is irritating my eyelids lately. But as for sunscreen, I’m pale, don’t like grease, and have been burn-free with the Alba Botanicals sunscreens and facial moisturizers. They’re mostly natural, but can be found in places like Fred Meyer/Kroger for under $10. Trader Joe’s also has a *cheap* moisturizer with sunscreen in it that seems to work and isn’t too oily. I can’t vouch for the ingredients, though (I can for the Alba stuff; I just went and looked them up online… no icky avobenzone)
I’m also sensitive to avobenzone, although not to the point of hives, thank goodness!
Oil of Olay does make a sensitive skin SPF moisturizer but I admit it can be hard to find. You may have to shop around.
I have also had luck with Neutrogena sunscreen that is just sunscreen.
I also found moisturizer with SPF 15 and no avobenzone at Trader Joe’s but I haven’t really put it to the test yet, but it is less than $10 for a regular sized bottle which is why I decided to give it a try.
I am a devoted wide-brimmed hat wearer You should be able to find basic, washable cotton hat at a department store. I’ve found cute ones at a thrift shop too.
I used to use Olay sunscreen until they added avobenzone, which I don’t like because of the issue of staining with hard water. I found equivalents to the old formula at Rite Aid, Target, and Trader Joe’s; I like the [lack of] smell of the Trader Joe’s the best.
Interestingly, if you do a web search you can find a forum discussing the formula change. An Olay representative there claimed that they were bringing back the old formula as “Classic Gentle” in May, but it’s way past May and I haven’t seen it anywhere yet.
Fourthing the Paula Begoun recommendations. I actually use a few of her products, although I’ve never used her sensitive-skin sunscreen (it’s avobenzone-free, I believe), and I can’t say enough about the difference it has made in my oily, acne-prone skin. I’ve also tried a lot of products in other lines that she recommends, and she is on the money. It’s worth subscribing to her free emails, if you don’t want to pay for the book. I dug up this summer’s sunscreen recommendations:
Best Facial Sunscreens for Normal to Oily Skin
* Avon Mark For Goodness Face Antioxidant Skin Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ($15 for 1.7 ounces)
* *Good Skin Clean Skin Oil-Free Lotion SPF 15 ($16 for 1.7 ounces)
* M.A.C. Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15 ($29.50 for 1.7 ounces)
* Olay Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion SPF 15 ($18.99 for 2.5 ounces)
* Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Daily Mattifying Lotion with SPF 15 & Antioxidants ($20.95 for 2 ounces)
*The Good Skin brand is exclusive to Kohl’s department stores.
Best Facial Sunscreens for Normal to Dry Skin
* BeautiControl Cell Block-C New Cell Protection SPF 20 ($30.50 for 1 ounce)
* Clinique City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25 ($17.50 for 1.4 ounces)
* Elizabeth Arden Extreme Conditioning Cream SPF 15 ($38.50 for 1.7 ounces)
* Kiss My Face Face Factor Face + Neck SPF 30 ($12.95 for 2 ounces)
* Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Daily Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 15 & Antioxidants ($20.95 for 2 ounces)
Good luck!
I’ve used the Eucerin Everyday Protection Face Lotion, and it doesn’t make my skin mad. (Also in the 30+ and still battling acne crowd – there are more of us than you’d think.) However, I don’t care for the sun and rarely spend enough time in it to need much in the way of sunscreen. My everyday foundation is Tarte’s Smooth Operator (they sell it as tinted moisturizer, but it’s really more of a sheer foundation), and it happens to have an SPF of 20. It’s about $35 a tube, but it lasts a long time if you’re only using it on your face. The sunscreen in it is just titanium and zinc oxides, and my hypersensitive skin has never had any problems tolerating daily use.
I got dragged to a Jafra party once, and I made a token purchase of some of their Face Protector SPF 40. It worked very well for me (super pale, oily/dry combo skin, living in Phoenix). I normally do not wear any make-up, and I didn’t notice this stuff much at all when I would put it on for a day of running errands.
Are you 100% sure it’s not the mineral makeup that’s doing this? I used Bare Ecscentuals for a few months and I loved it. But then, all of a sudden, I started getting hives the minute I put it on my face. I think it might be the ingredient called bismuth. I still haven’t found a replacement makeup that I like as much. Bah
Nicole, I have scleroderma (my immune system is at war with my skin) and Bare Esc. just shredded my face. After a lot of research, I found that everydayminerals.com is an excellent product. Bonuses: it’s cheap and they will send you sample kits for shipping costs to find your correct shades. Bonus for me – they actually have a shade that’s pale enough for my not-on-purpose clown white skin, while covering up the red & pink mess. They say it’s sunscreen as well, but I avg about 3 minutes in the sun a day, so I can’t speak to that.
Pale, I hardly ever wear makeup but when I do it’s Physicians Formula from good old CVS. They have an organic line which I’m betting doesn’t have avobenzone. They also have a tinted moisturizer that is spf15. As for just a regular moisturizer, do you live near a Whole Foods? I get moisturizer there that is spf15 and organic, they usually have a decent selection.
And if you wait around a bit, they seem to do a buy one item get one 50% off fairly frequently for the Physicians Formula.
Chiming in late, here, but I have a Biore “nourish” moisture lotion with SPF 15 that’s very reminiscent of Oil of Olay, and doesn’t have avobenzone in it. However, my bottle’s about a year old, so they, too, might have changed their formula.
Thanks, Shayne — I’m going to try that, I think.
I had a similar thing happen to me when the TSA took my Oil of Olay on a trip to Florida. I replaced it with a new bottle there and broke out in a terrible rash due to Avobenzone. Last summer (2011) I found out that Oil of Olay has started selling their original formulation with zinc oxide again… SPF 15 …labelled “gentle”. Everything else about the bottle looks the same for the sensitive skin version…it’s the packaging that has the green “gentle” label.
A 2013 comment to this post for anyone who comes across it in a Google search, like I did. :-)
body lotions with spf that contain avobenzone:
– Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion with sunscreen
– Lubriderm daily moisture lotion (reformulated to add avobenzone in the past couple of years)
– Vaseline aloe fresh protecting body lotion (reformulated to add avobenzone this year)
I’m gonna try Eucerin starting this week because it appears to be avobenzone-free… for now. :-|