Earlier this year I won a few giveaways on Instagram and part of those winnings were these sunscreens from AlumierMD and SkinMedica. These brands are pharmaceutical (medical?) grade and you would usually buy them at medical spas or Doctor’s office. I’ve been wanting to try medical-grade skincare for a while so I was excited to win these sunscreens. Let’s take a closer look…
Are you wondering what’s the main difference between store brands and pharmaceutical brands? I know I was. Here are a few explanations that I found online:
Pharmaceutical products are regulated as drugs—their ingredients must be pure, undiluted, conform to what is claimed and lack impurities… Cosmetic-grade products may be made with ingredients that are very non-pure, may contain numerous filler ingredients and offer minimal effectiveness. (source)
Cosmetic skincare products only work on the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Pharmaceutical-grade skincare products penetrate deep into the thick subcutaneous layer of living tissue called the dermis, and they are required to contain 99% pure active ingredients. (source)
I read many other sources and they all say the same thing. It makes sense.
Now let’s take a look at what goes into these sunscreens.
AlumierMd Clear Shield Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 42
Inactive Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aluminum Stearate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Resveratrol, Lecithin (Syn. Phosphatidycholine), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glutathione, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cellulose Gum, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Polysilicone-11, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ceteareth-20, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Synthetic Wax, C20-40 Pareth-10, Hydroxyethyl Behenamidopropyl Dimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-67, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Alumina, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
source: product label / read more on INCIDecoder.
SkinMedica Total Defense and Repair SPF 34 (Tinted)
Inactive Ingredients: Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Silica, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetostearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Batyl Alcohol, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, dl-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Physalis Angulata Extract, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, dl-Panthenol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Aminomethyl Propanol, Isostearic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Potassium Sorbate, Polygonum Aviculare Extract, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Ubiquinone-10, Hydrolyzed Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Melanin, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherols, Sorbic Acid
source: product label / read more on INCIDecoder.
SkinMedica Total Defense and Repair SPF 34 (Tinted)
I’m starting with SkinMedica since it’s the first one that I won and the story kind of ties in with AlumierMD below. I won this one from @thechicacademic in collaboration with Concept Medical (including other products and a BBL photofacial). The sunscreen included in the prize package was the regular non-tinted one. When I had my consultation with Dr. Hetz at Concept Medical I mentioned that I always use tinted sunscreens and he happily offered me the tinted version instead. And here we are!
This product is not only a sunscreen but an extension of your skincare. Ok, so sunscreen should always be seen as an extension of your skincare, but what I mean is that this sunscreen is not just a sunscreen.
Revolutionary superscreen goes beyond UV protection to defend against harmful infrared rays while supporting the skin’s ability to restore itself.
Key Benefits of Total Defense + Repair
– Protect skin from harmful infrared rays (IR-A rays)
– Reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles*
– Improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin*
See what I mean? It has anti-ageing properties too.
The pump dispenser makes it really easy to use. And I like that they put it at the bottom of the bottle because it’ll make it easier to get the last drops when it’s getting empty.
The first thing I noticed when I saw the product was how dark the tint was! It was definitely too dark for my natural pale winter skin so I could not use it right away (back in February). Fast-forward to this summer and us being out in the sun daily, and usually for multiple hours. I currently have the darkest tan that I’ve probably ever had in my life! And I’ve never used so much sunscreen! Protection first, always. 🙂 Anywho, now that I have this tan, the tinted sunscreen is perfect for me.
I’ve been using it daily for about a month now and I really like it. It spreads over my skin very well and does not leave a greasy feeling whatsoever. The tint blends in with my tan and gives a light coverage that is perfect for a natural look. I’m really happy with this sunscreen. I just wish that it wasn’t as dark or that it had more shade options so that I could wear it for a longer period of time and not just when I’m deeply tanned.
After winning this product I started looking at other medical-grade brands. While looking at their sunscreens I found out that AlumierMD has a tinted sunscreen with three different shades. Hmm…
AlumierMD Clear Shield Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 42
A couple of months later I won this sunscreen by AlumierMD from @thechicconfidential. This is not their tinted version, but I found it quite a coincidence since I was interested in this brand to try their tinted sunscreen.
This sunscreen has some little added benefits to it as well.
A lightweight, non-comedogenic, 100% physical broad-spectrum facial sunscreen.
Niacinamide soothes and relieves redness and sodium hyaluronate hydrates.
Reducing redness and hydrating my skin are two things I love for my face!
Since this one is not tinted I use it on my neck and décolleté because I don’t use tinted products there. It has a white cast when I first put it on, but after rubbing it in the whiteness goes away. Just don’t use too much otherwise it will leave a greyish cast on your skin. But with the right amount you’re ok, and it won’t leave a greasy feeling either.
What you don’t see in the picture is that this one has a tiny hole that you have to squeeze the product out of, and I find I have to squeeze hard to get some out – way harder than I feel I should have to.
Final Thoughts
Both these sunscreens work well and I’m happy that I got to try them. I really like the added anti-ageing benefits of the SkinMedica sunscreen so I really wish that it came in more shades. I may just have to get the non-tinted version for the winter months and use a light foundation on top. This one costs $75 CAD, but given the extra benefits that come with it, I find it worth it.
I was not able to find a price for the AlumierMD sunscreen online. I’m still curious to see how light their lightest shade is in their tinted sunscreen. But, I prefer the added benefits of the SkinMedica sunscreen so that is the one I’ll most likely purchase.
Have you tried these brands?
– Chantal 🙂
