I’ve tried 2 of Dr Sam’s products prior to this (Flawless Cleanser and Flawless Moisturiser), and I’ve enjoyed them both.
When I saw she also had the Dr. Sam’s Flawless Daily Sunscreen, I was curious enough to pick up a bottle, even though I already have my favourite sunscreen, and am usually loathe to try something new.
But it’s a SUNSCREEN! And I’m always curious about sunscreen.
This especially also because I have a soft spot for Dr. Sam Bunting. I enjoy watching her videos. Her voice is soothing, and her advice often makes sense, without shoving it in your face as many do.
So, might I have found a brand new sunscreen to love? 🙂
Dr. Sam’s Flawless Daily Sunscreen
Dr. Sam Bunting is a dermatologist, and when a dermatologist formulates a sunscreen, I was naturally very curious about it.
The Dr. Sam’s Flawless Daily Sunscreen is supposed to be formulated to have an elegant velvety finish on skin, perform well under makeup, does not clog pores, while protecting skin against UVA and UVB rays with 11.8% Zinc Oxide and 7% Octinoxate. It also contains 5% Niacinamide to brighten and boost skin.
Gosh, on paper, I was loving it already!
It is SPF50 which I appreciated. Very few western brands start out with an SPF50 product. Most of them start with SPF30 before later releasing an SPF50. But because she’s a dermatologist and therefore understands the need for high UV protection, the Flawless Daily Sunscreen is SPF50.
Creamy, lightweight texture…
The texture is quite nice, to be honest. It is creamy, but also quite lightweight once you apply it on skin and allow it to sink in.
I do have drier skin, so perhaps it might be why I find it comfortable even in our humid weather. It does not feel heavy, and it does have a satin finish on the skin that I find comfortable.
It does however take a little while to get there, so patience is key. I have not worn makeup over it (lockdown dictates that makeup is gathering dust 😛 ) so I cannot say how well it fares. However, due to how it feels on my skin, I can safely say that makeup will sit well over it.
But it pills…
As comfortable as I find the texture, there is something that bugs me about the Dr. Sam’s Flawless Daily Sunscreen.
It pills.
It doesn’t feel uncomfortable, but when I run my finger on my cheek, I feel it rubbing off in little tiny balls. That is very irritating, because I imagine that if I had makeup over it, it might make my makeup pill too. And that would look quite unsightly.
And with this, I run into a new problem.
… and it isn’t cost efficient!
Dr. Sam recommends that you use 3 (yes, THREE!) whole pumps of the Flawless Daily Sunscreen on your face, and 3 more on your neck. This is so you achieve the full SPF50 protection that this sunscreen promises. That’s 3 times the amount of what you see in the photo above.
Now, while all that is ideal, and while the texture is fairly comfortable, I have a problem with this for a few reasons.
First, it will be heavy once you pump 3 pumps. No matter how you want to do it, 3 pumps is quite a lot of product to be applying on your skin, on top of everything else you’ve already applied. You cannot stint, if you want the full protection.
Second, you run out of product very quickly. The sunscreen comes in a 50ml bottle. 3 pumps of it daily means you might finish the bottle in a week or maybe 2 at most. That doesn’t make it a cost-efficient sunscreen to use, no matter how good it is.
Is it worth the splurge?
That’s a challenging question to have to answer.
Personally, I think it’s an OK product. I only wear it at home, when I’m indoors, so I skimp a little and not use 3 pumps. My skin seems protected well enough, but it’s easier to be contented with a sunscreen when you’re using it primarily for indoor protection.
RELATED READING: This is the sunscreen I use when I’m outdoors doing outdoorsy things READ HERE
Despite the high zinc oxide content, I do not perceive a white cast on my skin. I am fairer skinned, so perhaps there is and I’m not noticing it.
At £29 (approx RM160) for 50ml, it is perhaps considered reasonable for a dermatologist formulated product.
But all that said, it isn’t a sunscreen I’m going to repurchase. Sunscreen is a product you must use daily to protect your skin. And when the product costs more, you will be loathe to use enough of it each time. Too little sunscreen is about as bad as not wearing sunscreen.
Further, while £29 might be reasonable to someone in the UK (I’m not sure if it is considered to be. I know £29 can buy a week’s worth of groceries to feed a family so that puts things into perspective), RM160 is a lot for someone in Malaysia.
Personally therefore, I would prefer to buy a sunscreen product that I am comfortable to use in generous amounts, everyday. For me, that is Avene mineral sunscreen and Allie, both of which are available in pharmacies and go on sale regularly.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Dr. Sam’s Flawless Daily Sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays and is quite nicely formulated. It sits well on my drier skin, and has a satin finish. There is quite a high content of Zinc Oxide and Octinoxate to protect against UV rays and Niacinamide as well to soothe and brighten skin. It is quite comfortable to wear. However, I noticed that it pills, which doesn’t sit well with me. Also, the recommended amount to use is 3 pumps, which is a lot of product, and that reduces how comfortable it feels on the skin. It also makes it expensive to keep using. For these reasons, I am loathe to repurchase once I finish, which will be very quickly!
PROS:
Not scented
Feels comfortable on skin
Has a satin finish
High SPF protection
Well formulated to feel comfortable and protect skinCONS:
Pricey
Product will pill on skin
Recommended use of 3 pumps means you’ll run through a bottle very quicklyWHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants a dermatologist formulated sunscreen that is comfortable on skin and contains high sunscreen protection
PRICE: £29
WHERE TO BUY: Dr Sam’s website – ships internationally (use code PARISBMWS to get 10% off!)
For those interested, this is the ingredients list for the Dr. Sam’s Flawless Daily Sunscreen.
Aqua (Water), Zinc Oxide (nano), Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Polysorbate 60, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Isostearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Citric Acid.
Have you tried this Dr. Sam’s Flawless Daily Sunscreen? Any other products?
I just bought her serums to try, so I’ll report back with what I think of those when I get them! 🙂
Paris B
I agree with you. 3 pumps is a lot and yes it pills. Tried it under make up (pre-MCO days) and it was not good.
I have been buying Dr. Sam’s Cleanser and both moisturisers (light & normal) on the regular and I love them. I use the light for day and the normal one for night.
I am currently trying the Brightly serum and yet to make up my mine about it. I alternate it with Timeless Vit C but not sure whether I need it in my routine. Have you tried it?
I just received the Brightly Serum and will try to find a way to slot it into my routine. I’m really glad she dropped the international shipping costs – made it less prohibitive to try her stuff 😀
Dr. Sam’s is one of those brand that really intrigues me, specially because they’re part of the few retailers that still send to Mexico after Covid-19 (even before Covid, neither Space NK or Cult Beauty sent to Mexico). Also the ingredients seem to be well- thought, I’m super close about buying the Brightly serum since my derm recommended me using azelaic acid.
About this sunscreen, I still don’t understand how people pay for expensive ones, I use around a tube per month so everything over 15 USD is too steep for my budget. Luckily Nivea created two new sunscreens that are good and cheap, I was actually surprised when I felt the texture and realized they were actually light.
Oh I didn’t realize that Mexico had even more limited shipping options than we did! I did purchase Brightly serum, but haven’t gotten around to try it haha! And yes I totally hear you about sunscreen use. When something is expensive, we are less likely to be generous with use, and with something as important as sunscreen, that’s a big no-no! Glad you found one to suit your skin and your wallet!
Thanks for the review. But one thing bothers me. The three pumps are 1.25 ml in total. That is the recommended amount for ALL sunscreens, not only this one. Taking that into account this bottle lasts for more 40 days, if you use it in your face only, not one to two weeks. It is still pricey, but I still have it a try and like it. But it is not better than the less pricey ones from my local drugstore here in Germany.