PRODUCT REVIEW: BLISS BLOCK STAR INVISIBLE DAILY SUNSCREEN - BEST TINTED SUNSCREEN, BEST SUNSCREEN FOR OILY SKIN
This product review was originally part of my blog article titled, Three Tinted Sunscreens I'm Obsessed with From Wander Beauty, Bliss and Solara Suncare - Best Tinted Sunscreen, Best Primer with SPF. You can catch the full piece here.
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Like nearly everyone else on the planet, I love summer. And probably unlike most, I loathe the cold. My greatest trauma as a child was waiting for the school bus in bone-chilling zero-degree weather. It was during those character-building moments that my adult life in warm, sunny Los Angeles had its origins. I spent 15 years in LA before moving to New York to work for Kiehl’s at the age of 37.
And while I was always an avid user of sunscreen, including around my eyes, it wasn’t until I got to New York City, interestingly, that I really understood the importance of sun protection. It was then that I began to view a sunscreen for face as the most important and effective anti-aging treatment available. In fact, a face cream with SPF doubles as the best anti-aging cream for wrinkles and pretty much all other visible signs of aging.
Even today, with irrefutable evidence that the sun’s UV rays are the most damaging to the skin and the greatest factor in skin aging, skincare marketers fail at communicating the vital importance that a daily sunscreen plays in overall skin health. I guess it’s just not sexy enough and there isn’t enough money to be made.
Whether or not sunscreen is sexy is, of course, beyond the point. Whether or not you use an SPF for face is the sole determining factor in the health and youthful appearance of your skin at any age.
Unprotected sun exposure and the resultant UV damage is the leading cause of lines and wrinkles, loss of collagen, hyperpigmentation and dark spots. And that’s just a quick list of all the skin-aging downsides of not wearing sunscreen every day.
One of my most cherished learnings from my work at Kiehl’s, and my favorite of the brand’s many wisdoms, was that it’s essential to wear sunscreen even on cloudy, seemingly sunless days. Too many people make the mistake of thinking that they can outsmart the sun; that they don’t need sun protection in winter or on a cloudy day.
Truthfully, the sun’s rays always find a way to our skin. You cannot hide.
The Best Sunscreens For Face
It is essential to wear sunscreen even on cloudy seemingly sunless days.
Did you know that a lack of daily sun protection in the eye area can exacerbate the appearance of dark circles? Not using a sunscreen around the eyes actually makes dark circles worse.
I’ve had so many conversations with people lately about whether or not they use sunscreen in the immediate eye area, right inside the orbital bone. It’s no coincidence that the skin around the eyes is the first place to show signs of aging. In the eye area, skin is the thinnest of anywhere on the face. It’s the most exposed to UV damage, whether you wear sunglasses or not.
I recently posted a TikTok video about what I referred to as The Most Important Product You're (Probably) Not Using! (Psst…it’s sunscreen for the eyes!) You can catch the video along with my recommendations of the best sunscreen for eyes on the blog here.
The Most Important Product You're (Probably) Not Using!
What’s the Difference Between Mineral and Chemical Sunscreens?
While I prefer a mineral sunscreen, it’s not a dealbreaker for me. What’s most important is that you love using your facial sunscreen product. If you love using a chemical sunscreen, that’s perfectly okay. One of my all-time favorite daily sunscreens for face is the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum PA+++ — a 100% chemical facial sunscreen that’s such a pleasure to use. As crazy as it sounds, I look forward to applying it! (You can catch my review of Daily Dose on the blog here.)
What’s the difference between a mineral sunscreen and a chemical sunscreen – and is a mineral sunscreen better than a chemical sunscreen? For helpful 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 the two — 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.
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Which Sunscreen is Best?
As we said, the right sunscreen for you is the one you’ll look forward to applying daily. It should be rated SPF 30 or higher and provide broad-spectrum protection to prevent damage from the sun’s killer UVA and UVB rays. Beyond that, to make an informed choice, you need to know how your skin type responds to different sunscreen ingredients and textures: those containing mineral actives, synthetic actives, or a combination of both.
Mineral sunscreens:
Begin to work immediately on application, but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
Have almost no risk of irritating skin.
May leave a white cast, especially on darker skin tones, but the best pure mineral sunscreens go on almost sheer.
May need more careful, liberal application because of the way they work in formulas. So, go ahead, slather these on for brilliant protection!
Do not penetrate past skin's uppermost layers.
Synthetic sunscreens:
Begin to work immediately on application, but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
Are generally found in products with thinner textures.
Tend to be preferred for water-resistant formulas because they don’t turn milky-looking when you sweat or get wet. But, as with any sunscreen, you must reapply them often.
Can be sensitizing for those with extra-sensitive skin.
Can penetrate the skin and be absorbed in small amounts that are not shown to have health risks.
Read the full article here.
THREE AMAZING SUNSCREENS I TOOK WITH ME TO CABO FROM SUPERGOOP, COCOKIND AND COSRX - BEST SUNSCREENS FOR FACE
So, an anti-aging sunscreen is a must for me. As is a sunscreen for the eyes. Chemical or mineral, it doesn’t matter. What matters is compliance. As one of my fave sunscreen brands, Supergoop!, says about wearing a facial sunscreen: Every. Single. Day.
Lately, I’ve been exploring tinted sunscreens, SPF with tint, and sunscreen primers — ideal for under makeup or alone. Funny, I have found that the right tinted sunscreen for face actually adds a little bit of color to my beard! Who knew?!
Over the last several weeks, I’ve tried maybe a half dozen or so tinted sunscreens and three of them stand out. I first reviewed the Wander Beauty Pack Up & Glow Priming Broad Spectrum SPF 40 Mineral Sunscreen on the blog at the start of spring. It has a super lightweight texture, a high level of mineral sun protection, and is a real pleasure to use.
Since I first discovered Solara Suncare in 2018, it’s become one of my go-to sunscreen brands. And Solara Suncare’s Time Traveler Ageless Daily Face Sunscreen SPF 30 is one of my favorite sunscreens of all time. You can catch my review of it on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SOLARA SUNCARE TIME TRAVELER AGELESS DAILY FACE SUNSCREEN – BEST MINERAL SUNSCREEN
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!
The Best Sunscreens For Eyes
So I was excited to have the opportunity to try Solara Suncare’s new collection of on-the-go sunscreen products. Among my favorites from the range is the Solara Suncare Go! Vacation Glow Illuminating Mineral Sunscreen. The product spreads easily over the skin, unifies your complexion and leaves it with a subtle luminosity.
Last in the trio is the new Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen. It’s been a while since I tried a Bliss product and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away. But I was! I love the texture and spreadability of Block Star.
Unlike the Wander Beauty Pack Up & Glow and Solara Suncare Vacation Glow sunscreens, Block Star has a mattifying effect – something I know I’ll appreciate on a 90-degree August day standing on the hot AF subway platform with my face melting down my neck and onto my new Supreme T-shirt.
With that, let’s take a look at the Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen – one of the tinted sunscreens that have caught my attention as summer kicks off here in New York City…
Bliss | Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen
It’s been so long since I experienced a single product from Bliss that I can’t even recall when the last time I tried the brand was. I remember there was this iconic Lemon & Sage Body Butter that a good friend was infatuated with. That had to be 15-20 years ago. Interestingly, even though Bliss has gone through a major rebrand, the Lemon & Sage Body Butter is still around. (In fact, I just text him and he says he still uses it!)
But I haven’t personally been a Bliss fan, though I have followed the classic skincare brand as it was rebranded and repositioned to target a younger, Gen Z consumer. That’s sure not me!
So I’m eager to experience Bliss anew! And I’m happy to say that the Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen 100% mineral SPF for face is quite a solid formula. I really love the stuff. The single most distinguishing factor in comparison to the two others reviewed in today’s blog is that Block Star has a mattifying effect on the skin.
While I love a healthy glow as much as anyone, in the dog days of summer when heat and humidity are on full blast, the last thing I need or want is skincare that makes me glow too much! Standing on the subway platform waiting for the train in the middle of August is one of the most unpleasant experiences of every New Yorker. The air is stale and rancid. The heat is excruciating. And your face is a greasy mess.
So the Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen couldn’t have come at a better time. This summer, I like to think I’m grease-proofed!
Block Star is a 100% mineral sunscreen with 4.1% Titanium Dioxide and 11.5% Zinc Oxide for a solid SPF 30 coverage. Don’t be fooled by the whole “you gotta have an SPF 50 to really protect yourself from sun damage thing.” The difference in UV defense between SPF 30 and SPF 50 is negligible – just one percent.
What’s the percentage of UV rays blocked by sunscreen?
SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays
SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays.
So, the difference in UV rays blocked by SPF 30 and SPF 50 is about 1 percent.
While the Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen doesn’t contain the robust antioxidant defense of Solara Suncare’s Go! Vacation Glow Illuminating Mineral Sunscreen, it’s does contain a similar blend of antioxidant botanicals. They’re just not in the top ten of the INCI.
Much of the Block Star formula’s top ten is the two mineral sun filters and multiple forms of silicone. That’s not a deal-breaker for me, but I know a lot of people prefer to avoid them in their skincare. They do a lot to enhance the formula’s texture, but don’t have much of a benefit for the skin beyond preventing dehydration.
As I say repeatedly, what’s important is that you find a daily facial sunscreen that you love so much you look forward to applying it. The Block Star is clean, full of pro-skin health actives, and has solid mineral sunscreen protection. That all makes it a winner for me.
I love its mattifying effect and appreciate the smattering of replenishing plant oils like Squalane, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil and Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Fruit Oil — one of the best anti-aging face oils. Regrettably, none of these beneficial oils, as with the antioxidant extracts in the formula, is at a significant level. Let’s say they’re nice to have but don’t have enough oomph to be truly effective.
What I like about it: The Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen is a terrific mineral sunscreen for face with a mattifying effect that I really love. At just $25, it’s well-formulated for the price.
What I don’t like about it: The level of antioxidant extracts in the formula isn’t sufficient to meet my expectations for antioxidant protection. And, the concentration of replenishing plant oils is too low to do much replenishing.
Who it’s for: All skin types, especially oily skin.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen for $25 here.
The Ingredient List of the Bliss Block Star Invisible Daily Sunscreen:
sii|h 0 0, Dicaprylyl Carbonate emo, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate emo|vc, Disiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer vc, Dimethicone emo 0 1, PEG-10 Dimethicone emu, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Butyloctyl Salicylate solv, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer vc, Vaccinium Angustifolium(Blueberry) Fruit Extract so, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract 
aox|so, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract h, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract h, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil 
amic|perf, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil emo, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil so|perf, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Oleanolic Acid, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Glyceryl Caprylate pres, Aluminum Hydroxide emo|h|vc, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate emu, Sorbitan Caprylate emu, Stearic Acid emo|vc 0 2-3, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite vc, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Dipropylene Glycol solv, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer emu, Disteardimonium Hectorite vc, Magnesium Sulfate vc, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Iron Oxides col 0 0WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
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