I haven’t yet been able to find a sunscreen that I can just go out and buy in a store, or even better, a drugstore. Garnier has just launched a new sunscreen in Germany that looks very promising, and of course, I had to buy it. I’ve tested it for a week now, and here’s my Garnier Anti-Age Super UV review.
Garnier belongs to L’Oreal, and that means that this sunscreen will likely be widely available soon. Right now, I’ve found it here in Germany, and also on the Boots website for people in the UK. There’re supposed to launch three new sunscreens, apparently: The Anti-Age super UV I tried, one called anti-dryness super UV and one called anti-oxidativ super UV.
The packaging is rather innovative: the tubes are made from a cardboard/plastic mix and can be recycled.
What is it?
A new, rather hyped sunscreen.
“This formula contains hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, and leaves skin looking hydrated, smooth and feeling firmer whilst also protected. Our formula is instantly absorbed and does not leave a greasy finish on skin.” (…)
Garnier
“Developed for the face and the delicate eye contour area, our Anti-Age Super UV Protection Cream reduces the appearance of wrinkles by up to 22%* as well as reducing the appearance of dark spots. This formula contains hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, and leaves skin looking hydrated, smooth and feeling firmer whilst also protected. Our formula is instantly absorbed and does not leave a greasy finish on skin.”
Ingredients
Notable is a rather high dose of niacinamide (it comes up right between sunscreen filters octocrylene and avobenzone). Then there’s hyaluronic acid and a few (not that many, tho) antioxidants. All in all, it reads like a nice formula: we all know that sunscreen is the best anti-aging product there is, but it’s nice to find some known brightening and hydrating ingredients on top that your skin will benefit from.
Sunscreen filters
I rather think that you don’t have to be afraid that this won’t reach the SPF it’s supposed to have (recent sunscreen scandals, coughcough): the Garnier Anti-Age Super UV is brimming with (chemical) filters:
Octocrylene (UVB)
Avobenzone (UVA)
Uvinul T 150 (UVB)
Mexoryl SX (UVA)
Mexoryl XL (UVA + UVB)
(The last two are L’Oreal patented, and just crop up in L’Oreal brands.)
I’m a bit iffy on the Octocrylene: it’s there to stabilise Avobenzone, but it’s also known to lead to photo contact allergies, and a new French study just found out that Octocrylene degrades into benzophenone over time that is carcinogenic. (So, don’t leave that lying around for a year or so.)
Garnier anti-age Super UV review:
Application
This is a NOT one of the super runny Asian sunscreens. It rather feels like a moisturiser. All my alarm bells rung at once, but it’s surprisingly easy to apply and distribute on the face. It definitely doesn’t ball up the more you work it in, so yay.
And this is, sadly, about the only positive thing I can say about it. (I seem to be an outlier, though – there’re oodles of people online praising it.) I’ve used about one finger-length (about 1g, I weighed it), and feel that I can’t use more on my face. For me, that’s not a lightweight sunscreen.
When I first tried it, I used Paula’s Choice’s Earth Sourced Toner, Calm Serum and CEM under it. I did another trial run where I used Keep Cool’s Toner, Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum and their Silicone-Free Priming Moisturiser, a routine that’s completely silicone-free. This worked much better, but more below.
Wear
I’ve never experienced a sunscreen before that stings my eyes immediately upon application – and I don’t even apply sunscreen up to my eyeballs, but rather give the eye region a berth. It also stung on my face a bit, which was definitely a novel experience, although that diminished quickly.
Its finish on its own is pleasant enough: it’s not deadly matte, but rather glowy without veering into the ‘omg I’ve been dipped into a bucket of oil’-territory. I can definitely feel it on my face. It also seems to highlight every bit of texture in my skin.
Over time, though, it starts to pill and flake off. I’ve never had that with a sunscreen before, and admit I was totally baffled. The worst offenders are on the drier regions on my face: after a few hours, little scraps of sunscreen flake off around my mouth and on my neck. If I touch my cheeks, balls of sunscreen form immediately.
Effect
The eye stinging I can keep in check, though, when I use an eye primer around the area.
When I wear foundation over Garnier’s Anti-Age Super UV I definitely have to use a completely silicone-free skincare routine. Otherwise, little sunscreen flakes will form when I (however gently) apply any liquid foundation. Even if I don’t use any product with silicone, the whole thing will degrade after about three hours into a mess of flakes. And don’t even get me started on wearing a mask when I used the Anti-Age Super UV. Not. Good.
Worth it?
I found that with Garnier’s Ambre Solaire Anti-Age Super UV it matters more than usual what I layer underneath it. (For me, it’s not an option to use it solo.) A sunscreen’s finish decides if I will like it: if it’s not comfortable to wear, why should I bother? I’m wearing sunscreen every day, and my ability to stand uncomfortable things is at an all-time low.
That being said, I guess its filters will protect you adequately from the sun even in summer. If it’ll be comfortable to wear in the heat is another question. It also doesn’t have a white cast. My search for a readily available (drugstore) sunscreen continues, but who knows, maybe it’ll work for you!
The 50ml tube was €9,95 at my local dm.
Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
3 Comments