★★★★★ 5
Quick and easy to apply, plus NO white cast on brown skin!
Style: Face, Size: 2 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), Style: Face, Size: 2 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Admittedly, I don't normally wear sunscreen (maybe for a rare day at the beach, but certainly not on a daily basis). However, upon getting my first tattoo, I learned that the sun is a tattoo's mortal enemy, so I did a ton of research on sunscreens to find a good brand that would be effective in preventing the premature fading of my ink (gotta protect my investment, y'know?). Many people recommend mineral sunscreen instead of chemical for tattoos, and since I'm Black / brown / African American, my main concern was choosing a product that wouldn't leave a white cast. After reading the reviews of countless products, I finally settled on trying Thrive (the SPF 30 Face Sunscreen), and after two months of using this product, I can confidently say I hit the jackpot on the first try.
The consistency of this sunscreen is creamy (similar to that of a standard lotion), so it spreads very easily and is "absorbed" into/onto the skin within seconds. And the best part is, there is absolutely NO white cast -- I've attached photos of both my tattooed and non-tattooed forearms post-sunscreen application for reference. You can see that there a little shine on my tattoo (which I actually like), but otherwise no discoloration from the product. In hindsight I probably should have taken before-and-after photos for both arms, but just take my word for it: there's seriously no cast. Also, the product has a slight smell (kind of citrusy, like grapefruit), but it's not strong nor unpleasant and it doesn't linger. After being rubbed in, the product feels a little sticky as it dries, but it dries pretty quickly and then leaves the skin feeling smooth/normal.
The only semi-con I have is that after applying and reapplying multiple times in a single day (like 3+ times), I've noticed some slight white flakiness (I'm thinking this is just product build-up, since the minerals in this sunscreen sit on top of your skin as opposed to being fully absorbed). However, this is not really a big deal to me, as the flakes can be wiped away, but if it were really noticeable or if I knew I would need to continue reapplying that day, I could probably just wash my arm off real quick with some soap and water, then dry and reapply to resolve the problem.
As a final note, I'm not actually sure if this sunscreen is effective in providing sun protection. I don't get sunburnt, so I don't really have any way of knowing whether this product is fulfilling its intended purpose (I guess time will tell; for now I'll just keep an eye out for my ink fading). But assuming it is in fact working, I 100% recommend this product!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2023