Review: Sun Bum Face Mist, Aveeno Protect & Hydrate, Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Sunscreens

I tried out some new sunscreens! They are…

• Sun Bum Face Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45
• Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Face Lotion SPF 60
• Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Translucent Sunscreen Powder Brush SPF 30

Here are my thoughts!

Sun Bum Face Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45:

Sun Bum Face Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45 comes in a 3.4 fl. oz. (100 mL) spray bottle. The packaging is really cute. It’s a pale yellow color. It’s a nice color that I can look at, ha. The sunscreen is a face mist, but on the packaging, it says to spray liberally into the palm and apply evenly to the face and neck 15 minutes before sun exposure. Once again, it’s supposed to be a face mist, but it states to use it another way. I didn’t use it as a face mist, by the way. I sprayed it into my palm and applied it to my facial skin. I’m not a fan of spraying products on my face. The application would be uneven and a waste of product. Yeah, it defeats the purpose of a face mist, but whatever.

When I applied the sunscreen to my face, it smelled like bananas, felt really greasy, and ruined my makeup application. It smeared all over my face. I wasn’t happy about that, but I gave it a go anyway. I can’t tell if it protected my skin in a day of use on my face, but I noticed breakouts after using it once. It gave me pimples on my chin and jawline. I’m pretty sure it’s this sunscreen because it was the only new product I introduced. So, Sun Bum Face Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45 didn’t work for me. I used the rest of the sunscreen on my body instead. Since it contains alcohol denatured in it, the product sinks nicely into the skin. I loved that aspect of the product when used on the body. My face didn’t like it at all.

I was able to finish this sunscreen product within a month of using it on my body. It absorbs so well. But I won’t repurchase it because it is too costly for a sunscreen spray. I just don’t think it’s worth the money. It was nice to try, though.

Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Face Lotion SPF 60:

I’ve been eyeing Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Face Lotion SPF 60 for some time. I finally picked it up this summer. This is another sunscreen product that contains alcohol denatured. That is one of the reasons why I hesitated to purchase this product. My experience using sunscreen products with alcohol denatured (for my face) has been mainly misses. They don’t seem to agree with my skin. But here I am, giving Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Face Lotion SPF 60 a try.

Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Face Lotion SPF 60 comes in a 2.0 fl. oz. (60 mL) bottle. It is a sunscreen lotion. I love the texture of this lotion. It absorbs into the skin well and doesn’t leave it feeling sticky. Pretty sure it’s the alcohol that’s doing that. My oily skin really loved this sunscreen. It just sunk right into my skin without leaving it all messy like a bunch of other sunscreen products. Loved it! But not so fast! Unfortunately, my skin started breaking out after one day of use. Thankfully, I caught the breakouts on time! Yep, breakouts. This sunscreen made me break out. And yes, another sunscreen that contains alcohol denatured that clogged my pores.

This is another sunscreen that truly works well on my body. Just not my face. The smell of the product is pretty bad, too. It smells like plastic to me. I guess I finally killed my curiosity about this product. I won’t purchase again.

Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Translucent Sunscreen Powder Brush SPF 30:

I’ve been meaning to purchase Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Translucent Sunscreen Powder Brush SPF 30. I needed a face powder that would decrease the shine on my face. I’ve been walking around with an ultra-shiny face all summer, lol. So, I finally picked up a face powder. Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Translucent Sunscreen Powder Brush SPF 30 is a loose face powder that comes in a retractable bottle with a brush. The brush feels really soft on the skin. The packaging of the product is terrible. Do not twist open any caps on the bottle, or you’ll risk the powder spilling!! I can’t imagine tossing this product into my bag. The cap may loosen from movements and will get everywhere. I was disappointed in the type of packaging when I first received it. Fortunately, I was able to catch the powder from spilling everywhere. Just a heads up!

The ingredients in this product are fairly straightforward. The sunscreen active is Zinc Oxide (24.5%). Here’s the ingredient list if you’re interested:

Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 24.5%

Inactive ingredients: Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Fragrance, Sea Salt, Ceramide Np, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Iron Oxides.

The powder is fragranced, which I didn’t like so much. It’s pretty intense. If you are sensitive to fragrance or powerful scents in general, this may not work for you. Once again, I didn’t like it at all. Since it’s a loose powder, it can really get in the air, and you know what happens next. I had to transfer the powder into one of my powder containers to prevent spilling any of the product. The packaging is just plain terrible. Applying the powder was relatively simple. I would take a brush, tap the excess powder off, and lightly brush it onto my skin. The powder has amazing staying powder. It doesn’t budge. I tried applying concealer on top of the powder because I do light touch-ups sometimes. It didn’t work. I couldn’t even blend my concealer in. Not even a little bit of concealer. I’m amazed at the staying powder!!

The finish of the powder is light and smooth while absorbing excess powder. I really liked how it made my skin look! But, sadly, I experienced breakouts from this powder. It reminded me of those mineral makeup days. Those powders also irritated my skin and gave me acne. I had the same experience with Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Translucent Sunscreen Powder Brush SPF 30. I stopped using it on my face and am attempting to finish the rest of it. I won’t purchase it again. Another product I was curious about that didn’t work on my skin.

That’s my review of some of the summer sunscreens I’ve tried. I hope this was helpful! 🙂

An Update on My Health Goals!!

Summer is officially over. Well, it’s been over for some time now. 😔 It’s time to move on to another chapter of my life…

What health goals did I create this summer? Here’s the link to my health goals! I’m going to go over each one and how it went! Enjoy! 🙂

#1. Drink more water, less coffee:

I started drinking more water. It was pretty simple. That’s what I usually drink anyways. And yes, I stopped drinking coffee. No more dry skin and hair. Goodbye migraines. No more insomnia. Oh those sleepless nights because of *ahem* decaf coffee. Me and my coffee sensitivity. Oh well. I was never a coffee person in the first place anyways. Love the smell of it! But it’s not good for my well-being. So it wasn’t too difficult to kick the coffee habit, which only lasted for about a month. I gave the rest of my coffee bags away to someone who else loves coffee. ☕ I don’t even miss it. 👋🏻

#2. Back to my exercise routine:

I’m on a consistent workout routine, but it’s nothing crazy. I started lifting weights again too like I used to. I’m more focused on building muscle mass with some cardio. Weight loss wasn’t a goal of mine this summer. It was more about getting healthy and exercise helps to relieve stress. It also helps with my mental health. I like the way it makes me feel. It went well without overdoing it.

#3. Cutting down on skin care products:

I have a mad addiction for skin care products. Finally, it’s been tamed (once again). So I’m currently only using the basics — face wash, moisturizer, some eye care products, acne treatments, and sunscreen. I don’t use them all at once. It’s a very simple skin care routine that takes a few minutes to do in the morning and at night. I don’t use any serums, essences, ampoules, gel moisturizers (did nothing for my dry, irritated skin!!). They were a waste of money and didn’t do anything to solve my acne problem. Just money and hope down the drain. During this time, I was able to clear my acne too. How I achieved this goal was by adding a new acne treatment and not using a lot of products on my skin. Less products means less ingredients to clog the skin. So yay for acne-free skin (once again!)!! Finally! 🎉

#4. Eat more vegetables & healthier:

I’ve been skimping out on vegetables still, lol. I eat them, but I still need to eat more. I forgot that I even made this goal. I need to get back on it and get on the green smoothies. I’ve been eating healthier than before though, so I’m just taking baby steps to get there. Baby steps…hehe.

#5. Get enough sleep:

I’ve been getting enough sleep (as much as possible). Zzzzzzz…

#6. No more dairy/Eat less dairy:

I don’t eat much dairy, but it hasn’t been an issue when I do as of late. It doesn’t seem to be messing with my skin like it used to. I had a whole jar of cheese dip, mac ‘n cheese, shredded cheese, cheesy lasagna. No blemishes popped up. 🤷🏻‍♀️ We’ll see what happens in the next few months…

Some of these goals, I need to work on a little more. But, I think I did a pretty decent job. I’ll add more veggies into my meals tomorrow. Yay for veggies! 🫑🥕🍅🥒

End of Summer Thoughts on My Sunscreens 🌞

It’s the end of summer. August must’ve been the hottest month of the summer. Here are my thoughts on sunscreens I finished and am almost done with!

Differin Oil Absorbing Moisturizer with SPF 30:

I have about 1/4 left of this sunscreen. I haven’t been using it on my face. It burns my eyes, makes my face appear more oily, and irritates the crap out of my facial skin. Yes, my face is very sensitive right now. So I’ve been using it mainly on my hands. It works amazingly for the hands. I wash my hands so much in a day. After I dry off my hands, I use the Differin Oil Absorbing Moisturizer with SPF 30 to protect my skin from UV damage. It works for that! But I’m not repurchasing when I’m done with it. This is what I do when I’m trying to finish up a product that I don’t like. At least it works for something. Just not my face.

Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50:

This sunscreen is awful. I’m using it on my body when I’m working out outdoors. Maybe my nose is just sensitive, but Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50 has an terrible smell. It smells like plastic. Yuck! It also leaves a subtle white cast behind. Thank goodness my legs are super white anyways, so this sunscreen works on my legs, lol. Here’s to another sunscreen that I can’t wait to finish up and toss it out! I won’t repurchase this one again either.

Neutrogena Sport Face Oil-Free Lotion Sunscreen SPF 70+:

I finished a bottle of Neutrogena Sport Face Oil-Free Lotion Sunscreen SPF 70+ this summer! I’m so happy! I used it mainly on my hands when I’m outdoors. It’s moisturizing, water-resistant, and has a high SPF of 70+! Too bad I can’t use this sunscreen on my face. It contains beeswax, so it clogs my pores. Yes, I have tried it on my face. It indeed clogged my pores pretty fast. Another sunscreen that doesn’t work on my face. I have one bottle left to finish, but I think it’ll be easy to finish. The texture of the sunscreen isn’t too bad, and I love water-resistant sunscreens. They stick to my skin and works to protect my skin! Love! But that’s all I really love about this sunscreen besides the high SPF, haha!

Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen Stick Sensitive SPF 50+:

I went overboard and purchased a bunch of Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen Stick Sensitive SPF 50+. I knocked out a couple of sunscreen sticks already, but I still have a lot left to go. This sunscreen stick is soft, moisturizing, and feels very smooth, so it leaves the skin feel extremely moisturized and protected. But it is too heavy on my facial skin. I’ve been using it around my eyes, ears, neck, hands, feet. I think those are the best places to use this product. I haven’t had any skin irritations using it. It’s pretty good for sensitive skin (as it states it is). Too bad it didn’t work on my facial skin. It’s extremely heavy and pore-clogging. That’s not the only reason why I’m not going to purchase this sunscreen again. It also leaves an awful white cast behind. It contains 20% zinc oxide. I’m not a huge fan of the texture and consistency of the product either. It feels terrible on the skin. I just didn’t like it.

Kose Suncut UV Perfect Essence Super Waterproof SPF 50+ PA++++:

I always stash this sunscreen in my bag (my last Kose sunscreen!). It’s lightweight, absorbs quick, great for touch-ups (not the face). I use it mainly on my hands. This sunscreen is also water-proof and sticks to the skin well. I wished it worked on my face. It feels clean when applied to the skin. It’s like I’m not wearing any sunscreen at all. But I experienced skin irritation while using it. It made my skin itchy, red, and dry. It’s most likely have to do with the alcohol content. Well, it sure smells like it.

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++ (White):

I’ve been trying to use up Canmake in White for the past month, lol. This sunscreen doesn’t cause any skin issues like breakouts, redness, or other skin irritations, but the white cast is truly awful. It’s also super drying on the skin too. If you’re trying to choose which Canmake sunscreen you should buy, get the Clear. I’m so close to being done with Canmake White! ha!

Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50+:

I love how convenient this sunscreen is. It’s easy to use and goes on the skin smoothly. It’s moisturizing. But, it feels sticky and unpleasant on the skin. I’m having trouble finishing this sunscreen. I don’t use it too often due to the stickiness. I’m trying to, but it’s been difficult. I just don’t like the texture of this sunscreen. It feels gross on the skin.

Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer SPF 30:

Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 used to be my HG sunscreen. I couldn’t find anything better during that time. I just stuck with it because I needed a sunscreen for daily use to protect my skin. So I tried this sunscreen again. It felt lightweight and moisturizing on the skin. It contains SPF 30, but honestly, I don’t think this sunscreen is that amazing. I remember using it and still burned while using it. I also developed a ton of freckles. I think it works better as a moisturizer than a sunscreen. I don’t think this product is available anymore. I’ve looked everywhere and can’t find it. Oh well. I stopped using it a while ago. I’m just trying to finish up what I have left. I can’t believe I still have it. lol.

I’m hoping to finish these sunscreens by the end of the year. I wish I could use them on my face, but they are failed sunscreens for a reason. I hope my reviews were helpful! Have a good one. 😊

Go here to check out my acne journey if you haven’t yet!

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

My Acne Journey: 6 Weeks Results…

My Acne Journey: 7 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 2 MONTHS!! 

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 1 Week Results!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 2 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 3 MONTHS!! 😃

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

Here are my 5th week results! 🙌🏻

At the beginning of the week, I started off with what I was doing before, which is using tret and lactic acid every other day. Turns out that was way too much for my skin. I couldn’t handle the dryness and peeling skin any longer. My skin looked terrible with sunscreen on. It would cling to every dry patch and flaky skin at every corner of my face. It just didn’t look good, and it was impossible for me to go through the day like that. I just can’t. I have to see and talk to people. lol. By the end of the week, I stopped using tret and lactic acid on my skin. I took a break. No exfoliants. Nothing. Just moisturizing my skin. My skin improved for once this week! It was peeling, looking softer and smoother, and just overall brighter! So yeah, there’s such a thing as over-exfoliating. 😬

Also, I ended up dropping some more skin care products from my routine. And guess what? My skin looked so much better without them. I think I may have been doing way too much. I wasn’t seeing results using a bunch of products either. Just a waste of time and money. My skin care routine has dialed down a ton, but I’m really liking it. It allows me to focus on letting my skin heal in its natural state (as much as possible) instead of having blobs of products on my face. I’ve also been trying to reapply sunscreen more often too. I did some updated reviews on Cetaphil mineral sunscreen products this week, don’t forget to check them out!

What I’m Using Right Now…

The sunscreen I’m still using is Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++ Clear. I also have it in White. The White version is horrid. Don’t buy it. It doesn’t blend well into the skin and leaves a very noticeable white cast on the skin. I guess some people might like that type of look. I didn’t. I thought it was atrocious. It just looked terrible on my skin. Like white face paint. lol. The texture and consistency of the sunscreen is just like the Clear, but it just leaves an obvious white cast behind, doesn’t blend into the skin well, and dries out the skin a lot more. I’m currently looking for a better sunscreen. I like Canmake, but it dries my skin out when I reapply. I do wear moisturizer underneath and my skin still dries out after applying and reapplying the sunscreen. It gives the skin a dewy look but also feels like plastic silicone on the skin. Well, on my skin it does, lol. Also, I want a sunscreen that is water-resistant. It’s summer and sunscreen comes off much more easily during this time of the year. Canmake isn’t water-resistant.

So I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this sunscreen. Maybe I’ll keep using it. All I know is that it’s the only sunscreen that I have that doesn’t break me out. It might work better on days when it’s less sunny and when I’m not outdoors often. Because when using this sunscreen, I noticed that my face became a little tanner than usual. Hmmmmm. 🤔 I’ll be on the search for another sunscreen in the meantime.

So what products did I remove from my skin care routine??

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence:

It took me a while to see if I wanted to remove this product or not. Looking back, I used it for a few years, I think it’s been about 2-3 years already. Honestly, it hasn’t helped much with hydration. It hasn’t helped with fine lines and wrinkles either. I don’t think it really did anything significant. Absolutely nothing. So! I decided to stop using this product. I didn’t see the point anymore.

The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5:

Here’s to another serum that I saw ZERO results from. It’s not even hydrating. I don’t even know why I’m using it anymore. It’s pretty much a waste of time using it. It didn’t break me out or irritate my skin. It just felt like I was applying expensive water to my skin.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence:

I had a chance to try this essence again. It felt very lightweight and soothing on the skin. I didn’t use it long enough to see the full benefits of this product (if there’s any). I used it, stopped using it. I didn’t notice any breakouts this time. I didn’t think this essence was super moisturizing. It’s somewhat drying on the skin. I think I’m over it. Apparently I still have it, lol. That’s why I tried it again.

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream:

I started using this cream last week but decided to stop using it. I know, it’s way too soon. But, this is another product that I don’t need. What’s the point in using it when I have other exfoliants and retinol/retinoid products? Also, I think it’s too moisturizing on my skin as well. I didn’t think it was working for me. FYI, I’ve used this product before in the past. I guess I stopped using it for a reason.

RoC Line Smoothing Daily Cleansing Pads:

I loved these cleansing pads, and they do work to cleanse the skin. I’ve been using them whenever my skin starts to peel. I think this is a good product, but it’s another product that I don’t necessarily need in my life. And I don’t feel like wasting my money on it anymore. I feel like the dead skin cells on my face comes off naturally as I continue to moisturize my skin and let it heal. I’m not into cleansing pads or even scrubs right now. It’s not my thing at the current moment, so I decided not to buy it again when I’m done with it.

That’s all I changed and have done this week. I spent the week mostly re-evaluating my sun care products and how I’m applying them (how often too). I’ve been eliminating skin care products from left to right too. My skin is still adjusting to tret after 5 weeks. In all honesty, I feel like this acne journey shifted from using tret to lactic acid. The results I’m getting from lactic acid have been amazzziiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnng! ✨

My Acne Experience:

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 🙌🏻

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

Review: Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40

I picked up a box of Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 over the weekend. I’ve been searching for a new sunscreen that’s more affordable and convenient to purchase. I haven’t purchased a new skin care item in so long. I made an exception for SPFs, since I go through bottles of this stuff very quick. So this sunscreen is supposedly a dupe of the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. I haven’t used the Supergoop before, but I’ve seen it. I’ve never had the urge to buy it. The Supergoop is $36 for 1.7 fl. oz. (50 mL) of product. That’s way too much for a sunscreen for me. The amount of sunscreen I use in a day…that would eat my wallet up so fast! IMO, it’s just not worth it. Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 is $8.99 for 1.7 fl. oz. (50 mL). It’s way much less expensive compared to Supergoop at the same size. I can see what the fuss is about! Similar product and better price, why not?! Let’s try it out!

The product comes in a pretty tannish color (box and tube). The tube is sealed (see photo). That’s awesome. I love products that are sealed, so I know it’s new, unopened. The product itself smells like plastic vinyl. Looking at the ingredients, I’m not shocked. The first three ingredients are isododecane, dimethicone crosspolymer, and polymethylsilsesquioxane. They’re silicones. Here’s the full ingredient list if you’re interested:

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 12%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 6%

Inactive ingredients: Isododecane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Polyester-7, Isohexadecane, Jojoba Esters, Silica, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol.

The ingredients are short and simple. It’s a chemical sunscreen. It’s oil-free, invisible gel formula, fragrance-free, water and sweat-resistant (40 minutes), and has a broad spectrum of SPF 40. That sounds really nice, especially the sunscreen being an invisible gel formula and is water/sweat-resistant. I’ve been trying to find a sunscreen that is invisible on the skin (no white cast) and stays on the skin well. This could be the one if it works.

The product claims to be fragrance-free. In fact, it is. But I’m able to pick up smells easily. This sunscreen smells too plastic and too chemical-like to me. In saying that, I would be able to let this aspect of the product go if the sunscreen actually works on my skin. The product when dispensed is a gel. It looks and feels like a primer (if you have used any of those). That’s exactly what it felt like on my skin. It’s soft, smooth, silky, and glides over the skin nicely. Blends into the skin without leaving a white cast behind. The sunscreen simply just vanishes into the skin. It’s truly invisible. It settles into the skin comfortably. It has a smoothing effect on the skin. My skin looked pretty good with this sunscreen on. It makes a good makeup base too due to it being a primer as well. I loved how it felt on the skin and how it looked on my skin. All was well…until…

Unfortunately, I had issues with this sunscreen. I noticed breakouts after using it the first day. I developed some closed comedones in random places. Also, I wasn’t able to use this sunscreen around my eyes. The product burned my eyes and made me teary. The smell of this product is irritating on my skin (face only). I’m able to use it on other parts of my body without any issues. I think it’s because it’s a chemical sunscreen. The sunscreens I’m using on my face right now are hybrid and physical sunscreens. They seem to work better for my eyes that get irritated and red easily. Even though I like how convenient this product is, meaning that I can go to Trader Joe’s to pick it up when I’m shopping for other essentials. It’s not something I would repurchase again. It didn’t work on my skin that is oily and acne-prone.

This is what the sunscreen looks like. It looks and feels like a typical makeup primer.

A quick recap on my thoughts. 🙂

✅ Pros

• Oil-free
• Invisible gel formula
• Water and sweat-resistant (40 minutes)
• SPF 40 (Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 12%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 6%)
• Works as a makeup primer
• Feels silky smooth on the skin
• Easy application
• Affordable ($8.99) compared to Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 that is $36 for the same size!

❌ Cons

• Can cause breakouts if skin is sensitive to silicones
• Burned my eyes
• Says it’s fragrance-free but the product itself (smell of it) irritates my eyes and nose

Those are my thoughts on Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40. I hope this was helpful! Have a nice day! 😊