A German brand that’s easily available in drugstores, releasing a sunscreen that’s supposed to have a higher UVA than usual, for a rather palatable price point. Intrigued!
The Brand
A German brand for only sun products (they also carry after sun products and body sunscreen). They’re particularly environmentally conscious and their products are supposed to be free from nanoparticles, microplastics, and octocrylene that could be harmful to coral reefs.
V.SUN combines reliable sun protection with perfectly balanced skin care, a summery light fragrance and responsible ingredients. The creams leave skin feeling velvety, absorb quickly and completely and are waterproof.
Description Catch The Sun SPF50
Premium sun screen for the face (sun protection factor 50) perfume-free – with ectoine and vitamin E. Protects against sunburn as well as free radicals for sun-sensitive skin. Quickly absorbed cream free from fragrances. Hyaluronic acid and aloe vera provide the skin with moisture and strengthen the collagen and skin structure.
The UVA protection is 23.
Ingredients
The ingredients aren’t that particularly exciting: you’ll get a lotion with some emollients (glycerin, shea butter) for a creamy and rich skin-feel, with some added antioxidants and soothing aloe.
If you’re ever wondering if your sunscreen reaches the protection printed on the label, V.Sun’s SIX filters will likely ease your mind.
Sunscreen Filter
| Sunscreen Filter | Type | Spectrum | Remarks |
| Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate / Uvinul A Plus | chemical / organic | high UVA protection (320-400nm) with peak protection at 354nm | high photostability, can be used up to 10%, available elsewhere but the US & Canada |
| Ethylhexyl Salicylate / Octisalate | chemical / organic | UVB (280-320 nm) with peak at 306 nm | not a strong filter, used with other filters to solubilize |
| Ethylhexyl Triazone (Uvinul T 150) | chemical / organic | photostable UVB filter | oil soluble, odorless & colorless powder, available everywhere except the US & Canada |
| Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone (Iscotrizinol) | chemical / organic | UVB and UVA II (peak protection at 310 nm) | very oil soluble, suitable for water-repellent and water-resistant formulations, VERY photostable |
| Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid (Ensulizole) | chemical / organic | strong UVB protection (280-320nm) range with its peak protection at 306 nm | Not oil but water soluble, ideal to create light, oily skin compatible formula. Fairly photostable and can be used to protect other less stable UV filters (eg. avobenzone). Approved worldwide and can be used up to 4% in the US and up to 8% in the EU. |
| Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine / Tinosorb S | chemical / organic | broad-spectrum (UVA & UVB, 280-400 nm, peak at 310-345 nm) | very photostable, available everywhere but the US |
Sustainability
Cruelty-free, Peta-certified, “coral-friendly” (again, it’s a complicated issue, but Labmuffin explains it rather well). They’re also supporting ocean preservation organisations. Their products are manufactured in Germany and they strive to use the shortest transport routes possible.
Application
I’ve got extreme combination skin and used the V.Sun Catch the Sun at first as an everyday (office, city walks) kind of sunscreen. That means I used minimal skincare underneath it, but used the full 1/4 teaspoon amount on my face. Annoyingly, V.Sun doesn’t advise on how much to use: they advise to apply their cream “generously” and reapply. The texture somehow reminds me of the Clinique Take the Day Off cleansing balm. It’s a bit more solid at first, but it will melt into an oil-like consistency on the skin. It then continues to feel like a layer on top of the skin that never sinks in. Compared to Beyer & Soehnes sunscreen oil (review), the sunscreen oil felt lighter (!!!), while the Catch the Sun felt like something I should clean my skin with.
Finish
While it never properly sets nor sinks into the skin, on pictures and videos it looks amazing. There, it looks truly like the right kind of glow (even if it doesn’t feel like it). It works well when I used the Fenty Powder Foundation and didn’t have a white cast on its own. I’d be careful to layer too many products or a liquid foundation on top: because it lies on the face, there’s a high possibility of pilling.
My opinion on V.Sun’s Catch the Sun started to change a bit though when I used it on vacation. For sunny pool hangouts, it performed the same as above. Spending a whole day in a sunny – windy beach setting, my skin felt drier than usual, and I didn’t bother wearing makeup. It provides both moisturizing properties and a really nice skin feel. So perhaps, if you are actually spending your whole day at the beach, where your skin can get dryer than usual and you’re not wearing makeup, this product could be great. Still, when I used it on my limbs as a body SPF, I could still feel the somewhat oily finish. It didn’t really bother me that much as on my face, though!
Claims
Provide skin with moisture – yes
Leave(s) skin feeling velvety – not at all, instead it’s an oily finish
Absorb quickly and completely – absolutely not
Waterproof – yes, I spent some time in the ocean and it held up well.
Checklist
Rating
This one had a lot going for it: availability and price are a big plus, as is the comparatively high UVA rating. But for me, the oily finish spoils it in the end.
This might be for you if:
- Your skin is on the dry side.
- You don’t plan to wear makeup on top.
- You don’t mind a more oily finish.
The only reason I still consider repurchasing is that it works really well for me under a very specific condition: a beach holiday setting.
Availability & Price
At Müller drugstore in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Spain, Hungary, and Croatia and their own webstore. 75ml are 14,95€.
Please note that this post 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.
1 Comment