PRODUCT REVIEW: ZITSTICKA MEGASHADE BREAKOUT-PROOF SPF 50 SUNSCREEN SERUM - BEST SUNSCREEN FOR ACNE, BEST ANTIOXIDANT SUNSCREEN FOR OILY SKIN
ZITSTICKA | MEGASHADE BREAKOUT-PROOF SPF 50 SUNSCREEN SERUM
This product review was originally part of my blog article titled, Surprisingly Light Sunscreens for a Hot Summer Day from Glossier, Supergoop! and Zitsticka - Best Sunscreens for Face, Best Sunscreens for Oily Skin (And All Skins In The Heat!). You can catch the full piece here.
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No matter what season it is, what the climate is like, or where I am in the world, sunscreen is indispensable to my morning skincare routine. I apply sunscreen every day, unless I don’t plan to leave the house — or if it’s seriously storming outside and day has ominously turned to dark. (Regrettably, we’ve had one too many of those days this summer in NYC!)
When I was working at Kiehl’s, one of my favorite of the brand’s philosophies was that it is essential to wear sunscreen even on cloudy, seemingly sunless days. Of course, the mistake so many people make is in thinking that they can somehow outsmart the sun; that they don’t need sun protection in winter. Truthfully, the sun’s rays always find a way to our skin.
While I make it a practice of consistently applying sunscreen every day, all year round, the one thing that isn’t consistent is the texture of the facial sunscreen product itself. I prefer something heavier in the winter — a richer cream does the trick.
For those in the Southern Hemisphere right now, my most recent blog article on heavier sunscreens came this past fall, just as the colder months were kicking into high gear. The article, titled, New Sunscreens I'm Crushing On For Fall, is available to read here.
NEW SUNSCREENS I'M CRUSHING ON FOR FALL - BEST MINERAL SUNSCREENS FOR FACE FROM FARMACY, PURITO AND MORE!
In the spring and summer months, the lighter the better. I prefer super lightweight A-beauty or K-beauty sunscreen products, which I consider the best sunscreens for face period – any time of year.
One of my favorite sunscreens of all time, and a staple for me in the summer, is the Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk from the Japanese personal care conglomerate Rohto. I’ve included it in multiple blog articles, including one of my all-time faves, A Complete $100 Skincare Routine with The Inkey List, The Ordinary, Benton & More! (You can catch it here!)
PRODUCT REVIEW: SKIN AQUA SUPER MOISTURE MILK SPF 50 – ONE OF THE BEST SUNSCREENS FOR OILY SKIN
I’ve often joked around about how Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk is so exceptional that I suspect it may be some sort of alien technology that made its way to Earth. Even the bottle looks like an alien obelisk! It’s just so otherworldly and I’ve never tried anything like it.
Whether you get your hands on alien sunscreen technology or prefer sunscreen from a corner drugstore here on Earth, what’s important is that you find a facial sunscreen you love to use so much that you wouldn’t even think of skipping it.
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
COOL CLEAN FACIAL SUNSCREENS TO KEEP US SAFE AND SMILING IN THE SUN!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
“It is essential to wear sunscreen even on cloudy seemingly sunless days.”
The Best Sunscreens for Face
So with hot summer days upon us here in NYC and much of the Northern Hemisphere, I thought I’d pull together a few new super lightweight favorites for my SS21 sunscreen recommendations.
Among the three are the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum PA+++. As the sunscreen authority, the brand’s Daily Dose is one of the best facial sunscreens with Vitamin C that combines both broad-spectrum UV protection and free radical defense. It’s a light, silky serum that’s a pleasure to use. (Remember, if you love it, you’ll use it!)
PRODUCT REVIEW: GLOSSIER SUPER GLOW VITAMIN C + MAGNESIUM SERUM - BEST BRIGHTENING SERUM FOR OILY SKIN
Throughout 2021, I’ve taken a deep dive into the cult skincare brand, Glossier. At just $28 each, Glossier’s Super Pure Niacinamide + Zinc Serum and Super Glow Vitamin C + Magnesium Serum are superb serums, especially ideal for oily skin. In fact, the Glossier Super Glow Vitamin C + Magnesium Serum is one of the best Vitamin C serums for oily skin and acne-prone skin alike.
And, as those two serums are, the Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen+ SPF 35 is an excellent lightweight formula that’s ideal for oily skin and all skin types in the summer heat. I love the formula’s gel texture!
The newest of my SS21 collection is the Zitsticka MEGASHADE Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum. It literally just launched a month or so ago and, like the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum, has an amazing serum texture that feels like nothing on the skin. True to the Zitsticka mission to bring skincare innovation to the marketplace for acne products, MEGASHADE is among the best sunscreens for acne-prone skin.
Let’s have a look at one of the three super light sunscreens that I think are ideal for summer…
Zitsticka | Megashade Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum
I’m a longtime fan of the classic Zitsticka acne patches. Those things actually work! The brand has been on a roll with new product launches over the past year and I’ve been waiting for Zitsticka to introduce serious skincare beyond acne treatments. And boom! A cool new super light sunscreen serum, the Zitsticka MEGASHADE Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum for oily, acne-prone skin.
Is it just me or are “sunscreen serums” suddenly a thing? I feel like the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum was the first breakthrough sunscreen serum and they kicked off a whole new (and fun!) way to protect your skin on a hot summer day.
PRODUCT REVIEW: ZITSTICKA KILLA ACNE PATCHES - THE BEST ACNE TREATMENT FOR BLEMISHES
No Skincarma Blog review about sunscreen products and the importance of sun protection would be complete without mention of Jeanne and Susan, identical twin sisters.
Seriously, I can’t imagine a Skincarma Blog article about the best facial sunscreen products for the summer heat without an introduction to my friends Jeanne and Susan — identical twin sisters.
No, they're not my actual friends; in fact, we’ve never met. But I feel like I know them. As good friends would, they inspire me to be better — and to wear sunscreen every single day of the year. If you need proof of the very real effects of sun damage on your skin, look no further than these two ladies.
The sisters looked exactly alike growing up. But Susan has spent her life in Florida worshiping the sun (she’s also a heavy smoker!) while sister Jeanne lives in Ohio and has generally avoided overexposure to the sun (and smoking) throughout her life. While both were 61 when the adjacent photo was taken, a scientific study of Susan’s skin at Case Western Reserve University showed an 11-year age difference — Susan has extreme hyperpigmentation (sun spots), deeper wrinkles and degradation in skin elasticity.
Be a Jeanne, not a Susan!
It’s been 90 degrees here in NYC for most of the past month and on those days, I don’t want to put anything heavy on my face. The new Zitsticka MEGASHADE Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum is mega lightweight and ideal for intense heat.
Zitsticka says MEGASHADE is formulated for oily, acne-prone skin (of course, that’s so Zitsticka!). But it’s a perfectly legitimate sunscreen for the rest of us, too.
Zitsticka’s MEGASHADE Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum is a chemical-mineral hybrid with sun filter concentrations of 7.5% Homosalate, 7.5% Octinoxate, 5% Octisalate and 3% Zinc Oxide.
What’s the Difference between Mineral and Chemical Sunscreens?
For some real insights, there’s an excellent article by the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, Mineral vs. Synthetic Sunscreen Ingredients available here. In the piece, the experts explain the differences and benefits between mineral and chemical sunscreens — and even dispel a myth or two:
“The two types of sunscreen ingredients are mineral and synthetic [chemical], and both are equally protective. Further reassuring is that each can be included in formulas created for every skin type. For example, if you have normal to oily skin, there are weightless, non-greasy options; if you have normal to dry skin, it’s possible to find skin-smoothing, hydrating SPF products.
What’s the Difference Between Mineral and Synthetic Sunscreen Ingredients?
The differences aren’t about which type is more effective; rather, it comes down to personal preference and how sensitive your skin is—mineral sunscreens are considered the most gentle options.
Mineral sunscreens: There are only two mineral sunscreen ingredients: titanium dioxideand zinc oxide. They work in skin's uppermost layers to both absorb and, to a lesser extent, deflect and scatter the sun’s harmful rays. These mineral ingredients are sometimes referred to as physical sunscreens or physical blockers, although that’s not a factual representation of how they work.
Synthetic sunscreens: There are over 30 synthetic sunscreen ingredients, all of which absorb into the top layers of skin, where they work similar to mineral sunscreens: by scattering and deflecting the sun’s harmful rays, and by converting UV rays into heat and “deactivating” them. (Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing.) Common synthetic sunscreen ingredients include oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, and avobenzone. These are sometimes labeled “chemical sunscreens,” which is both misleading and false. All skin care ingredients, even water, are chemicals.
I do prefer 100% mineral sunscreens most of the year; but hey with an SPF 50, a cocktail of antioxidants, and a light, silky texture that reminds me of A-beauty sunscreens like the Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk, I’m cool with it.
Plus the Zitsticka MEGASHADE formula is non-comedogenic and fragrance-free to prevent clogged pores and irritation of sensitive skin. That makes it even more ideal for a seriously hot, icky summer day!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Zitsticka MEGASHADE Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum for $40 here.
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
MY 2021 VITAMIN C PICKS + THE BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS TO BRIGHTEN UP THE COMPLEXION!
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The Ingredient List of the Supergoop! Ultra Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum PA+++:
aox|sb, C13-15 Alkane solv|emo, Glycerin 
sii|h 0 0, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate emu, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyhydroxystearate emu, Octyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer h, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, Phenethyl Benzoate emo|perf, Polyester-25, Silica vc, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract aox|sb, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract perf, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate h, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract so|h, Glyceryl Caprylate emo|emu, Disteardimonium Hectorite vc, Xanthan Gum vc, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate emu, Magnesium Sulfate vc, Sodium Chloride vc, Citric Acid buff, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chel, Sodium Citrate chel|buff, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Propanediol solv|h, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Chlorphenesin pres|amicThe Ingredient List of the Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen+ SPF 35:
aox, Betaine h, Acrylates Copolymer vc, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer vc, Hydroxyacetophenone aox, Phenoxyethanol pres, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/Pvp Crosspolymer, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide vc, Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide vc, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil 
perf, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate so|h, Carbomer vc 0 1, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Aminomethyl Propanol buff, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Disodium Edta chel|vc, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract so|emo|h, Silica vc, Bioflavonoids so, Potassium Sorbate pres, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid so, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract aox|so, Ascorbyl Palmitate aox 0 2The Ingredient List of the Zitsticka MEGASHADE Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum:
Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Zinc Oxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera Gel) Juice, Amodimethicone, Aqua (Deionized Water), Butylene Glycol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Extract, Ceramide NG, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Colloidal Oatmeal, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Extract, Ferulic Acid, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrogenated Methyl Abietate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Polysorbate-20, Terminalia Ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Oil, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract.
