I’m still hoping to find the perfect SPF I can easily buy in store here in Germany. Ladival’s Urban Fluid beckoned with that, an alluring filter combo and a supposedly matte finish. I succumbed – and was disappointed. Find out why in my Ladival Urban Fluid SPF50 review.
The brand
Ladival is a German sunscreen brand under the umbrella of Stada (a pharmaceutical company). Stada was founded in 1895, and Ladival sunscreen has been a mainstay in German households for a long time. It seems to have been around forever. I can remember it from my childhood, and that certainly feels like ages away. The brand has been famous for their sunscreens for sensitive and reactive skin, but hasn’t really been on my radar.
The brand is available in the following regions: Germany, Serbia, Spain, Austria, Ireland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, MENA region.
Ladival Urban Fluid SPF50 review: description
Ladival® Urban Fluid offers high and immediately effective protection against sunburn, the first sun wrinkles and mattifies the skin for a long time. The ultra-light texture is quickly absorbed, non-greasy and absorbs excess sebum on the skin. The anti-pollution complex also protects the skin cells with effective antioxidants against premature skin aging and harmful environmental influences – making the matting sunscreen ideal for daily use.
Claims
- Ultra-light mattifying fluid for facial skin with an anti-pollution complex
- For sensitive skin and combination skin
- UV-A/UV-B protection according to EU recommendations
- Protects against the effects of harmful infrared A radiation
- No fragrances, colors or preservatives
- Without Octocrylene
- Dermatologically tested
- 0% microplastic
- coral friendly
- Produced according to pharmaceutical standards
Ingredients
I don’t know about the anti-pollution complex (I guess that’s why the antioxidants are in there), but there’re some nice goodies included. Mainly those are antioxidants. Those are always nice to have in a sunscreen. There’s neither essential oils or fragrance, but a minimal amount of alcohol on the fifth-last position on the inci-list.
Full ingredient list:
Aqua, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Phenoxyethyl Caprylate, Titanium Dioxide (nano), Glycerin, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, BisEthylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine (nano), Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Cellulose, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Silica, Myristyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Beta-Carotene, Xantophylls, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Ubiquinone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Decyl Glucoside, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Lecithin, Diisopropyl Adipate
Filters
| Sunscreen Filter | Type | Spectrum | Remarks |
| Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate / Uvinul A Plus | chemical / organic | high UVA protection (320-400 nm) with peak protection at 354nm | high photostability, can be used up to 10%, available anywhere but the US & Canada |
| Octisalate / Ethylhexyl Salicylate / Octyl Salicylate | chemical / organic | UVB (280-320 nm) with peak at 306 nm | not a strong filter, used with other filters to solubilize. |
| Titanium Dioxide (nano) | physical / inorganic | UVB & UVA II – less good at UVA I | possible white cast |
| Tinosorb S / Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine | chemical / organic | broad spectrum (UVA & UVB, 280-400 nm, peak at 310-345 nm) | very photostable, available everywhere but the US |
| Tinosorb A2B / Tris-Biphenyl Triazine | chemical / organic | most efficient UVB and UVA2 filter | highly photostable and has high SPF performance at low concentrations, only available in the EU (as 2016) |
| Ethylhexyl Triazone / Uvinul T 150 | chemical / organic | photostable UVB filter,(280-320nm) with a peak protection of 314nm | oil soluble, odorless & colorless powder, available anywhere 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 |
About six weeks ago I emailed their CS team to enquire about the PPD of this product and haven’t heard back. Nada. Nothing. Not even a “we got your message”. NOTHING. Absolutely love that. As it stands, their snippy little “UVA and UVB protection adhering to EU recommendations” (YES, OBVIOUSLY, because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to sell it in the EU, would you?! Gah!) means that we can expect a PPD that’s around 16.
Sustainability
Meh. Coral safe, blahblah.
Packaging
I rarely mention packaging, and when I do, it’s mainly because I hate it. This is also the case here. The bottle has a plastic sleeve on which everything is printed. Which is awkward, because I nearly accidentally ripping the whole thing off when I opened the bottle for the first time.
Application
The Urban Fluid is a white fluid. (Surprising, I know.) It’s rather liquid, and I can already tell you that the two finger method won’t get you far with this one, because the product will drip all over the place. I use a full 1/4tsp.
My first attempts to wear the Urban Fluid were a disaster. Not only has this a white cast from hell (on me!!! Who is white as the proverbial wall!), but is also extremely finicky to apply, because one false move and it pills.
This again works best over a minimal skincare routine (DON’T use a hyaluronic acid serum!). Then, apply the recommended amount in two steps. I’m giving it ample time to sink in and set in between. Still, it has a noticeable white cast and a tendency to pill. It’ll also get caught in your eyebrows and hairline. (See the pic above.)
All in all, it’s a disaster, and I don’t use that term lightly.
Makeup Application
To counter the pronounced white cast, you need a full coverage foundation. The result looks slightly cakey and streaky. I tried it with powder and liquid foundations, and wasn’t really happy with any of the results.
Finish
This is where I get sad, because the finish is so incredibly nice. It’s matte, but not deathly matte. It’s absolutely non-sticky, and feels like nothing on my skin. If only…
Comparison
I can’t remember any sunscreen that had such an incredibly bad white cast on me. Texture-wise, it’s similar to Garnier’s Super UV Face Fluid.
Ladival Urban Fluid SPF50 review: Checklist
Ladival Urban Fluid SPF50 review: Rating
This is the second time this year I want to bin a sunscreen immediately. This time though (Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen was the first) it’s due to the horrible white cast. That makes it, in my opinion, therefore completely unwearable. Which is a pity.
I always ask myself in instances like this if ANYONE has tested the product? Apparently not. What’s more, it seems to me the last candidate in a long line of SPFs I tested that seems to only work well when using about the half of the recommended amount. If it’s designed with that in mind, I find this more than questionable.
Availability & Price
I bought the 50ml bottle from an online pharmacy for around 16€. I wouldn’t recommend buying one, obviously, though.
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.
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