Mineral Sunscreen with no silicone

[AnneSteph]

I really need help guys,it doesn't have to be from sephora. I'm looking for a mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide only) WITHOUT silicone in it. It needs to also be able to go over a few layers of skin care without piling/beading off. I don't like to look like I'm shedding 😕 I would LOVE for it to feel not greasy too but everything else is more important. The best I've found ever is Derma E Baby sunscreen, but sadly it will peel off if I even have only moisturizer on ;-;

[Anonymous]

After thinking, avoiding work, I am going buy these two sunscreens:

I am getting these in travel size, for "on the go" but will stick to COOLA for mainstay. A Bergdorf concierge recommended this brand to my sister-in-law since she buys Cle de Peau. But even the rep didn't recommend CDP sunscreen, but rather this one!

Impressive ingredients and excellent price from Pipette, no white cast (acc. to reviews) and moms use it too.

As far as COOLA, reviews were not good for the one I wanted. I decided on the below, solely based on it's ingredient list (and 95% positive reviews). Water is the second to last ingredient and that's impressive! Less water means less preservatives, and those are toxic. Plus, water dilutes so it stands to reason it would dilute the potency ingredients in anything if there's too much. Water is a solvent by nature.

COOLA Sun Silk Face Sunscreen Drops with SPF 30 and Hyaluronic Acid 1 oz / 30 mL  

Excited, I love COOLA. But the reviews, lead me to this one! 95% positive!

Mineral/organic sunscreen and silicone/chemical sunscreens protect against rays very different.

Mineral ones deflect rays away from your skin so they have no chance to penetrate, instead they bounce off.

Chemical/silicone ones let rays penetrate and absorb but then very quickly converts what's absorbed to release it. It is a bunch of chemical reactions literally happening on your skin.

It is how a silicone spatula takes heat, it doesn't reject it but can rapidly dissipates it at a very fast rate via chemical reactions (many at once).

Silicone is irritating to some people for this reason, but it never bothered me.

[sabby2020]

I use two: one for everyday with no makeup, and another for days I'm going to wear makeup. The only one I found that has truly good harmless ingredients with no silicones and a high zinc content is MAD HIPPIE sunscreen. I heard it pills maybe but I don't care because i use this every day when I'm NOT wearing makeup, if you read the ingredients list, it reads like a moisturizer with zinc in it. Something that's actually good for your skin with no mass produced CRAP in it! The best ones for makeup are australian Gold SPF 50 for face, it does have silicone I think but it's like at the bottom of the list and is good under makeup doesn't make you greasy like LITERALLY ALL THE OTHER ONES. You just let it dry down 15 mins or so before makeup. Another good one for makeup days that's mineral is PACIFICA, I saw someone else post a pic of it, I haven't tried that one yet but the indregients list is good. For special occasions, but is not mineral is Clinique. Almost all replies to your posts are people listing items with silicones, and some that are not even mineral lol. People please do your research on the silicone NAMES, they have alot of different names!

[luckybug]

Pratima Skincare. It's a mineral sunscreen, absolutely no silicones, and a bare-bones ingredients list. It absorbs very quickly. My skin is quite oily and I think it actually helps keep my skin more matte throughout the day. It has changed my life. 

[YogaBee]

This is what I use, no silicones 🙂 

[echocin]

La roche posay .

It hasn’t no silicone ,  it uses bees wax 

[Sunblockquest]

What sunblock are you using? I don't see a pic in your post? I need help! Zinc sunblock with no silicones please! Thank you!!

[naturalooks15]

Drunk Elephant Umbra does have silicones, though it’s pretty low amount. @amanda0543 

[amanda0543]

Ok, I'm back and I have good news and bad news.

First, the bad news: I tried a couple different silicone-free mineral sunscreens, largely without luck. The Badger Facial Sunscreen was so heavily fragranced that I actually had my boyfriend ask me why I had put on rose perfume... 5 feet away. I also tried a sunscreen by DeVita, but it is prone to pilling. I tried and tried, but it would pill very badly and I was concerned about sun protection considering all the Zinc seemed to be pilling away. I tested a sunscreen by MyChelle instore, and it seemed like it might be a good option, but it is very expensive at $20+ an oz.

The good news is that I think I found out what my issue with Drunk Elephant was, and I believe I can use the Umbra Sunscreen without issue: I had gotten the Sukari Baby Facial around the same time, and didn't notice any issues with SBF itself. However, I think it was compromising my skin barrier, making my sensitivities increase. I took a break from SBF, and noticed that Umbra was causing significantly less burning. I also tried putting a moisturizer on my skin before Umbra (I was initially applying it to clean/bare skin), and all burning seems to have ceased. I've used it a couple times now without issue. So, I think my issues were due to a product reaction with Sukari Baby Facial.

[mmacleod2]

I also prefer mineral sunscreens (for their broad spectrum coverage, and general environmental friendliness), and unfortunately (despite trying to convince myself otherwise b/c they are in so many products) have found that most silicones just make my face oilier and often (within hours) cause me to break out. I have tried many products as I have exceptionally sensitive acne prone skin. 

Also worth noting, I have found my skin better tolerates volatile silicones like cyclopentasiloxane - because they are lighter and evaporate (hence ,volatile). I wonder if you may want to explore how your skin reacts to different varieties of silicones. 

For products available at Sephora - I'd look at the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue and BareSkin Serum - no silicones, but they only use titanium dioxide which I gather isn't completely full spectrum. 

I would also look at brands like Derma E, Mychelle, Juice Beauty. 

[Anonymous]

Yes, silicone coats it's why it's in so many hair conditioners and after a rinse it feels softer after because of that coating. It does form a barrier, and while it does those chem rxns to cancel out the ray's damages, it is locking in your bacteria, dirt, helps clog your pores. I'll use it but not in general. I think more about water loss from my skin during all the chem rxns going on. I'd prefer to keep my moisture and the product I put on as well.

[mishmish3]

You could try the tinted sunscreen from Marie Veronique. It's very light and I wear it on top of a serum and face oil with no problems. But this one may pill depending on what you wear it over, I've had that happen sometimes when I wore it with random moisturizer samples. 

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[ac6464ac]

I like the dr. g green mild sunscreen and sanitas skincare ones!

[ac6464ac]

Also atopalm tone up sunscreen! (this one is physical like you are asking!) this is my favorite cause it gives a glow too 

[AnneSteph]

If anyone looks at this topic again, I found one that fits all my requirements. I am currently using the Tarte sunscreen. 100% mineral suncreen, no silicones, no alcohol, doesnt break me out, doesn't feel terrible on the skin (it's light and most of it absorbs), no white cast at all, and goes easily over layers of skincare. Bonus besides what I said: vegan, cruelty free, soothing & anti aging ingredients, and hydrating. My face feels so soft afterwards

[sofiagv]

FYI the tarte’s tarteguard SPF 30 lotion does contain a silicone: Polymethylsilsesquioxane

[Anonymous]

Nice catch. Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone structure marketed as being “highly resistant to heat.” It is not resistant to heat. LOL. It just rapidly catalyzes solar heat by first absorbing it, then through chemical rxns on your face it condensates the sun’s heat off your skin. Brand marketers should use more honest phraseology.

Resist and absorb have opposite meanings.

[snoflakefaerie]

When you say no silicone do you just mean ones like di/trimethicone, or are you avoiding things like silsesquioxanes and other silanes?

If it's the latter, it may be difficult to find anything using zinc oxide as triethoxycaprylylsilane seems to be the ingredient used to keep the zinc from giving such a white cast.

[makeitup305]

@AnneSteph I was actually talking about this with another member the other day over at the National Skincare Thread. Here are some options we found that either have no silicones or the silicone is very far down the ingredient list. They are all mineral sunscreens-

However I can't say how well they work under makeup, but they're worth looking into. I currently use the Bare Minerals Prep Step but it's been discontinued.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much. 🛀

[AnneSteph]

Thank you I will look into these!