Alba Botanica very emollient sunscreen with SPF 30 is a facial sunscreen, but I’ve been using it mostly for my neck and arms. Every time I try it on the face, my eyes start burning and watering within less than an hour. This is obviously quite inconvenient and I’m not sure which ingredient causes the reaction.
Packaging
Alba Botanica very emollient sunscreen comes in a pink tube with an attached cap. The tube has a large bottom and somehow it seems to not create enough of a vacuum near the end. Getting the remaining 20% out of the tube involves some tapping and shaking.
Texture
The lotion is bright white, but doesn’t leave any white markings on the skin. It is easy to spread out though tends to be somewhat on the greasy side. Don’t expect to put makeup over (or under) this sunscreen lotion – it would slip right off, or loose its purpose. After a few months, the remaining lotion in the tube started to separate into cream and water. Now there’s something I wasn’t expecting from a sunscreen that isn’t even all that natural compared to others!
Scent
This facial sunscreen doesn’t have a very natural scent, it smells sort of plastic-y. You may have concluded by now that my overall experience with the Alba botanica very emollient sunscreen hasn’t been all that positive. Even a delicious frangrance would have a hard time making up for the other flaws, and I haven’t been mesmerized by the scent at all. It’s not exactly violently off-putting, just nothing special and even smells slightly artificial.
Ingredients
Ingredients, INCI: Active Ingredients: Homosalate 7.5 %, Octocrylene 7.5 %, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5.0 %, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3.0 %, Titanium Dioxide 1.0 %
Inactive Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice(1), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract(1), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract(1), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract(1), Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Lecithin, Polysorbate 60, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol(1), Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate. (1)Certified Organic Ingredient
Whereas Alba Botanica very emollient sunscreen is marketed as “natural” by various on- and offline venues, the brand itself does not claim to be “just natural”. Five of the six active ingredients are chemical sunscreen agents and a few of the inactive ingredients aren’t very natural either, but again – in all fairness this product doesn’t claim to be all natural.
Four of the botanical extracts are certified organic though, which is a pleasant surprise.
What I like about Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunscreen
- Those four ingredients that are sourced organically.
- Uhm… the pink color of the packaging, for lack of anything else.
What I like less about Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunscreen
It burns! And when checking reviews on Amazon out of mere curiosity, it turns out I’m not the only one complaining about this stuff burning in the eyes. I’ve really tried to work with this lotion, but even when I put it two inches away from my eyes, they’ll start burning – every single time. After way too many attempts, the remainder is now banned from my face, even though that is precisely what I needed it for in the first place. Bummer. Probably for the best though, as I don’t quite trust the now separated cream to go on my face either.
Final thoughts & Other Natural/Organic Sunscreens
A little stubborn, I haven’t stopped using Alba Botanica very emollient facial sunscreen completely, just on the face. It has decent protection (SPF30) and does the job on neck and arms. This is not a completely natural sunscreen – it relies mostly on chemical sunscreen ingredients, though it does contain four organic plant extracts. As for the things mentioned on the packaging: it won’t clog pores, is hypo-allergenic, 80 minutes water resistant, biodegradable, gluten free, 100% vegetarian, and free of parabens, phtalates or animal testing. Fiew! Alright, this could almost make up for the burning in the eyes, except that it doesn’t. This just asks for a rhetorical question: what good is a facial sunscreen that I can’t use on my face?
Pricetag: around $11 on Amazon, a bit more in local stores.
To be perfectly clear, the one I’ve tried, which this review is about, is this one, Alba Botanica very emollient sunscreen for face with SPF 30.
What do you think of the Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunscreen?
Please share your own reviews and organic skincare tips!
