February 2018 UPDATE – still love this BB Cream – it’s in new packaging now – same tube different label. A more recent review here.. The moisturiser is the same too – I think…
At last the sun is finally here, putting warmth and good light on everyone. It’s only natural to want to bask in the glorious rays, there is no doubt they put a happy spin on everything. There is also no doubt the damage they can cause if we aren’t sensible during the time we spend in the sun. The world of sun protection is a big one, it can be confusing and often conflicting. I’m not going to attempt to unravel it here, but I am going to share a couple of products that I use daily. They are both from British brand Balance Me, of which I’m a big fan, I couldn’t decide which one to do as product of the month so they both are…
First up is their Natural Protection Moisturiser with SPF 25. It contains a titanium dioxide based sun filter that blocks out both UVA and UVB rays – a very key point when choosing sun protection. Mineral filters can tend to give creams a thick, white consistency but this one is a lot more refined. I find it can take a little more blending into the skin than a moisturiser without the mineral filter, but once done so you can’t see it at all. In fact I feel it helps to brighten my skin a little bit – I am quite fair though, this might not be the case for darker skins.. It is perfect for general everyday protection. I use it once a day in the morning, but if I was going to be out in the sun for a long time then I would reapply.
The UVA rays are the ones that can penetrate deep into the skin causing serious longterm damage; the SPF therefore helps make the moisturiser a great anti-ager. Other ingredients include hyaluronic acid for hydration along with rosehip, camellia and jojoba oil to protect and shield. It is also meant to be good for prickly-heat prone skin, which I actually am so we’ll see if it helps as it gets hotter… I find the ingredients can separate a bit so just give it a shake before each use.
The second product is their BB cream. This contains the same sun filter with an SPF 25 – using both products does not increase your sun protection, you will still have SPF 25. You can use the BB cream as your everything cream, that is indeed what they were designed for, I like to use a moisturiser first however as I feel my skin needs it. As well as protecting the BB cream will hydrate, nourish, and help to smooth and firm skin. It will also calm any redness and help to even out the skintone. I find it really brightens my skin, it gives very lightweight coverage so I use a concealer with it as well and often set it with a mineral powder. However it is great on its own for people who don’t like a lot of make-up but want something. The fact it is so lightweight means that it can work with a good spectrum of skintones – on the lighter side though – hopefully one to come for darker skins please Balance Me? It’s perfect for the summer months and holidays when you want minimal product on your skin. Again though if you’re spending lots of time in the sun, you need to reapply your sun protection regularly.
