Sunscreen is my biggest indulgence when it comes to my skincare routine. I don’t skimp on it whether in costs or in usage. Recently, I found that La Roche Posay Anthelios XL cream works very well for me. However, as its not readily available in Malaysia, I had to find a substitute.
Find one I did in Vichy UV-Activ Daily Protective Anti-pigmentation Fluid sunscreen with SPF50 PA+++. What a mouthful! We’ll call it Vichy UV-Activ sunscreen from now on.
First off, Vichy as well as La Roche Posay are in the L’Oreal stable so they use the L’Oreal patented Mexoryl XL and SX as their chemical sun filters to block UV-A and UV-B rays. It also contains Titanium Dioxide as a physical blocker. I’ve worked out by now that my skin is friendly with both Mexoryl and Titanium Dioxide so I did not expect any untoward breakouts and truly I got none.
If you are sensitive to Mexoryl or Titanium Dioxide do take note that this may not work for you.
Light lotion texture
I liked the texture which I found light and fluid like a creamy lotion rather than like water (Sunplay, Biore) or thick cream like the La Roche Posay. It applies easily on the skin and absorbs quickly without any sticky oily feel. I’ve read of a few people who complained that this Vichy UV-Activ sunscreen makes them oily. Well, I did not experience this – it might be due to the fact that my skin may be a little drier but even on the oilier T-zone area, I did not experience an oil slick.
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