Local Beauty: Here comes the sun...

We have all been seeing a lot sun of late, which for me is a reminder that summer is here and new sunscreen needs to go on the shopping list.

Whenever I’ve asked beauty experts – be they dermatologists, makeup artists or cosmetic surgeons – for their pick when it comes to anti-ageing solutions, they all agree that the most important thing you can do to keep your skin looking good well into old age is wear a sunscreen. Daily. No arguments, no forgetting on a cloudy day, no saying, “my olive complexion is a sunblock in itself”! Most last twelve months max after being opened too, so if you’re still got some sitting around in your beach bag or glove box from this time last year then chuck it - ASAP!

One of the best beauty brands on the block according to Allure magazine – along with many others – is France’s La Roche-Posay. They recently unveiled the amazing Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF50+ - the brand’s lightest sunscreen yet.

Renowned for their expertise in sun protection for sensitive skin, La Roche-Posay is always about innovation, and the secret behind the lightweight texture of the new Anthelios Invisible fluid SPF50+ is the innovative intelligent polymer (Netlock) Technology. This unique technology encircles oil and UV filters with micro-crystallised structures, to create a highly efficacious, non-greasy formulation. The micro- crystallised structures also group together to form a strong film to protect skin from harmful and prematurely ageing UV rays – and you barely know you have it on.

I love that the new formulation is non-stinging and so suitable for sensitive eyes, and that it leaves no white marks. It is non-comedogenic and fragrance-free, and creates the ideal makeup base with zero pilling as far as I can tell thus far. Oh and the new formulation is also available in a universal tinted finish for a little extra glow on makeup-free days, which again – gets a big tick from me. Key to getting the most out of the product is shaking it well before use – for better distribution and to ensure you’re getting all of the good stuff that the brand has put in there.

A local brand that has come to my attention of late – and that has received some amazing reviews – is My Sunshine. Growing at the beach saw My Sunshine founder, Sarah Studd being exposed to the most damaging sun in the world, like every other Kiwi kid. As a redhead with fair skin, Studd has always been a high consumer of sunscreen, and after having tested every suncare brand available but finding nothing that really fitted her brief when it came to efficacy and clean ingredients, she created her own. “The creation of My Sunshine had to tick all the boxes on the ‘conscious lifestyle’ checklist for me,” she says, “while delivering outstanding performance. That meant it had to be kind on the environment, especially our sea life and made in New Zealand. It had to feel lovely to wear every single day and finally, the packaging had to look great too.”

After extensive international research and local development, My Sunshine organic suncare was born, and it wasn’t long before it was named as one of only eight sunscreens to pass Consumer NZ secret testing for SPF & Broad spectrum claims. Its total ingredients are 97 per-cent from natural origin and 30 per-cent organic which makes it great for the most sensitive of skin types, including babies as young as six months old.

To purchase online, visit www.mysunshine.co.nz.