You should be replacing your sunscreen every year to ensure you get the protection you need from the sun. Photo / 123RF
You should be replacing your sunscreen every year to ensure you get the protection you need from the sun. Photo / 123RF
You should be replacing your sunscreen every year to ensure you get the protection you need from our sun’s harsh rays, so if you’re still using your go-to from 2022, this is your sign to invest in a new one.
The best sunscreen is the one you’re actually going to use, so if you have a favourite already, go ahead and repurchase. If you’re looking for something new for this summer, you’ve come to the right place, as these are all face-friendly SPF sunscreens that have recently hit the shelves here in Aotearoa.
A friendly reminder, too, that to protect your skin at the SPF level shown on the packaging, you should reapply your sunblock every two hours when outdoors, or immediately after swimming or sweating.
For your face and neck, you need around half a teaspoon of sunscreen, and two teaspoons each for every limb and the front and back of your torso.
Coola's refreshing water hydration stick (SPF 50).
Coola’s refreshing water hydration stick (SPF 50), $59
If you’re looking for a sunscreen to keep in your handbag for re-application on the go, this is a great, mess-free option. The stick design means there’s no chance of leakage occurring, and application is a breeze as the lightweight formula glides effortlessly over skin. What’s more, it’s incredibly cooling to apply and also protects your skin from blue light (from your digital devices), infrared light and pollution.
This Australian brand’s much-loved SPF balm has been given a makeover for 2023, featuring a new and improved silicone applicator tip and a fresh yet subtle peppermint scent. Fans of the OG formula need not worry, though - aside from the new scent, the balm remains the same, providing a sheer wash of colour in six glossy shades with broad spectrum protection to keep you covered.
Bondi Sands' fragrance-free tinted face fluid (SPF 50-plus).
Bondi Sands’ fragrance-free tinted face fluid (SPF 50-plus), $20.99
My pick for the sunscreen of the summer has to go to this new, weightless formula, which is lightly tinted with a universal sheer tint, so it’s suitable for a range of skin tones. It has no fragrance, making it great for sensitive skin, blends into skin seamlessly with no white cast and sits well under make-up without pilling or adding unwanted shine.
The Cancer Society's Daily Face three-in-one (SPF 50).
The Cancer Society’s Daily Face three-in-one (SPF 50), $19.49
Those with oily or combination skin will be into this new mattifying formula, which dries incredibly quickly with a non-greasy, barely-there finish. The sunscreen contains jojoba oil to hydrate and soften skin, along with vitamin E to help prevent free radical cell damage. Think of it as your moisturiser and sunscreen, all in one step.
This latest launch from wellness company Jeuneora is a sunscreen-skincare hybrid, which is designed to give you a lit-from-within glow while also hydrating and supporting the skin barrier. In terms of protection, it blocks UVA, UVB and blue light rays, and contains a number of innovative, naturally-derived ingredients which have been shown to provide natural protection from environmental stressors while also working to nourish skin.
Dermalogica's Porescreen (SPF 40).
Dermalogica’s Porescreen (SPF 40), $110
Mineral sunscreens get a bad rap for being thick, heavy and leaving a white film on the skin, but this newbie from Dermalogica is quite the opposite. Lightly tinted to avoid leaving any white residue and extremely lightweight, it has been designed specifically for anyone looking to minimise the appearance of pores by helping to blur the skin, much like a pre-makeup primer. The mineral SPF protection comes in the form of zinc oxide, which is combined with niacinamide to help balance skin and clear pores, along with green microalgae, squalene and vitamin E, also prized for their skin-loving benefits.
Beauty school
De Lorenzo's Allevi8 Quick Fix is a fabulous product for taming baby hair on the go.
Q: I love the slick bun look, but I have so many baby hairs. How do I make sure they stay in place?
A: To slick down those baby hairs without your hair looking too stiff, a great little trick is to spray hairspray to the palms of your hands and then gently press the loose strands into place. Because these hairs can have a mind of their own, a fabulous product for taming on the go is De Lorenzo’s Allevi8 Quick Fix, $25, which has a mascara spoolie applicator. The formula locks those little hairs in place without it looking crunchy, and the wand helps give you a bit more precision than you’d get using your hands.
Farmers Sylvia Park is now the exclusive New Zealand stockist of Jo Loves.
We love: Jo Loves
Farmers Sylvia Park is now the exclusive New Zealand stockist of Jo Loves, the perfume brand founded by one of the most well-known and extraordinary “noses” in the fragrance world, Jo Malone.
Jo Loves launched in 2011, and has created unique, innovative and captivating scents in the form of candles, perfume, diffusers and bath and body products for more than a decade. The pop-up location at Sylvia Park allows customers to enjoy the full Jo Loves fragrance experience, also known as “fragrance tapas”, which encourages scent combining and immersion with the products; think scented steam, cleansers shaken over ice and whipped lotions painted on to the skin like art.
The pop-up space is available to visit now, and online shopping will be available via Farmers.co.nz from December.
Stockists: Bondi Sands from Farmers, Chemist Warehouse and Life Pharmacy; Cancer Society from supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide; Coola from Coola.co.nz; De Lorenzo from selected salons and shampoo shops; Dermalogica from Dermalogica.co.nz; Jeuneora from Jeuneora.com; Jo Loves from Farmers.co.nz; Ultra Violette from Sephora.nz.
