Summer Beauty: Tropic Sun Care Discovery Kit + Sun Balm SPF 50 review #MineralSunscreen

Jetting off on your summer holidays soon? Need some sunscreen for yourself and the family? Don't forget to pack this super handy Sun Care Discovery Kit from Tropic before you go if you're looking for the best in mineral-based sun protection.

Chemical vs Mineral

Most big brand sunscreens that you'll find in the shops are called 'chemical' sunscreens because they absorb UV rays which are converted into heat energy on the skin. 'Natural' or 'mineral' sunscreens on the other hand, use minerals such as Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide to reflect the UV rays, and this acts as a physical barrier which stops them from penetrating the skin. Both methods have been scientifically proven to be effective against sun damage, however, I have noticed a trend in more consumers wanting to go natural with their sunscreens because they don't contain certain ingredients which are harmful to the environment, and are less likely to cause allergic reactions in sensitive skin types.

A recent study by National Geographic found that a staggering 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreen washes off swimmers into the oceans worldwide every year and this has been causing a problem because Oxybenzone, a common ingredient in chemical sunscreens, has been linked to coral reef bleaching which causes them to die. When you think about how vital coral reefs are to our ecosystem, it makes sense to switch to a sunscreen that doesn't contain Oxybenzone!

Thankfully, there are plenty of natural/mineral sunscreens out there, including this cruelty-free, vegan-friendly Sun Care Discovery Kit from Tropic which is perfect for the whole family to use. The kit contains a full set of travel-sized, mineral sun protection products and I've been enjoying testing these out recently during these wonderfully sunny spells that we've been having here in the UK. 

Inside the sunny tropical print, cotton drawstring bag, you'll find the following contents.

Tropic Skin Shade Mineral Sun Protection SPF 30 & SPF 50 (100ml each)

This water-resistant, broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen will protect against both UVA and UVB rays so you have the peace of mind that you're fully covered, whether you're in the UK or holidaying abroad. As mentioned earlier, the mineral sun protection in this formula comes from Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, and there's also Kahai and Roucou oils included to keep your skin feeling softer and hydrated for longer, whilst extracts of Kakadu and Illawarra Plum have been added for their natural antioxidant properties. 

Both of these have the same kind of texture and once fully rubbed in, don't leave a white residue on the skin. I have also tried these on my face and haven't had any problems with breakouts, but I do prefer using the specialised Tropic Tinted Skin Shade Mineral Facial Sun Protection (reviewed here), just because I like the tinted finish that it gives.

Tropic Sun Soothe Cooling Aftersun Lotion (100ml)

Even with the best of intentions, it can be all too easy to want to stay out in the sun for longer than you know you should, which is why I always, always pack an aftersun product in my suitcase. Tropic's Sun Soothe Cooling Aftersun Lotion ticks all of the right boxes that I look for in a high-quality aftersun that I can trust to work when I need it the most, and with Aloe Vera as its first ingredient, you know it's going to be good! 

In addition to Aloe Vera, it also has Argan Oil, Vitamin E, Bisabolol and Eucalyptus, to instantly soothe redness and irritation, as well as hydrating and repairing the skin at the same time. Needless to say, it feels absolutely lovely on and also helps to prolong your tan which is a welcome bonus.

Tropic Sun Balm SPF 50 (20ml)

This convenient travel-sized balm has been specially designed as a top-up sunscreen, and comes in especially useful as a way to keep those tricky areas that are prone to burning (such as ears, noses, cheeks, shoulders etc) fully protected whilst you're out and about. I was expecting this to be quite thick but was pleasantly surprised by how light it actually feels. As well as the water-resistant SPF 50 factor, key ingredients include Tamanu Oil which helps with healing the skin, Vitamin E, and Rosemary Leaf Oil to protect the skin from free radicals. Worth £16 on its own, you can add Tropic's Sun Balm SPF 50 to the Sun Care Discovery Kit for an extra tenner and given how much use I've gotten out of it recently, it's something that I would definitely suggest spending the extra money on!

Tropic Sun Care Discovery Kit* retails for £40 or £50 with the Sun Balm added. Available from tropicskincare.com

Do you use mineral sun protection?

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Summer Haircare: Aveda Suncare Protective Hair Veil & After Sun Masque review

We all know about the effects of the sun's rays on our skin, but what about on our hair? If your locks are feeling frazzled by too much sun, grab one of these products!

Whenever I use heat styling tools on my hair, be it a hairdryer or the straightening irons, I almost always use a heat protector product. It's become something of a habit that I don't really think about anymore, but on the rare occasion where I've been in a rush and skipped this step, my hair has really suffered for it. Everyone's hair is different of course, but as mine is naturally very fine and dry (not to mention already a bit damaged from too many blow dries), a helping hand in the form of a heat protector really helps, and the same goes for a protector against the sun.

Too much UV exposure on hair can cause it to become weak and brittle due to a loss of natural proteins in the hair. Add to this a summer holiday with lots of swimming in chlorinated water and a build up of natural salt from those long windswept walks on the beach, and your hair could be looking worse for wear by the end of a week-long trip abroad. Those with naturally thicker, darker hair tend to fare better than those with finer, lighter or colour treated hair, but too much of anything is going to take its toll.

This may be why there are so many products on the market right now which are basically 'suncare for your hair', to help keep you looking your best in all of those holiday Instagram selfies. So two products that I've been enjoying using during this recent heat wave have come from Aveda, whose suncare/haircare range has dedicated formulas to protect your locks against the damaging effects of UV, sun, salt and chlorine.

Aveda Suncare Protective Hair Veil* (100ml, £22.50, link)

One of the easiest ways to protect your hair against the sun is to use a leave-in spray that contains a clever UV filter in its formula. Aveda's Protective Hair Veil does just that, and uses naturally derived UVA/UVB inhibitors which are found in Wintergreen and Cinnamon Bark Oils to help to protect the hair from receiving any further damage from the sun's harmful rays. The formula is also water-resistant and promises to provide sun protection for the hair for up to 16 hours (but make sure to reapply it after swimming). To use it, you just spritz onto dry or damp hair and style your hair as normal. It feels lightweight and non-sticky so it won't interfere with your hairstyle, or cause any product build up afterwards. I really like it as it's so easy and simple to use, and it's definitely been helping to stop my hair from getting frazzled with all this sun we've been having recently.

Aveda Suncare After-Sun Masque* (125ml, £24, link)

If your hair has already had too much sun exposure and is feeling worse for wear, you can rescue it with an intensive hair treatment/mask. Whilst any ultra-hydrating hair mask will do the job, Aveda have some fantastic hair masks in their range and their After Sun Masque is a real SOS treat for anyone who has dry or damaged hair. Formulated with key nourishing ingredients such as Tamanu Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil and Green Tea, it also contains Morikue Protein and Vitamin E to further repair and protect the hair. You only need to leave it on for a couple of minutes to see it work its magic (around 5 minutes is optimum), so it's a fantastic quick fix product to use when you're on holiday and have better things to be doing than waiting for a hair mask to develop!

Have you tried any of Aveda's suncare range for hair?

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Tried & Tested: dr. skin's Suncare Lotion SPF 30 and Sun Drink review

The sun has finally come out to play, so it's a good time to throw out any old expired sunscreen from last year and pick up a new bottle.  I've been trialling these products from dr. skin's Sun Care Concept range recently which include a SPF 30 Lotion and an interesting 'Sun Drink'.

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Outdoors Beauty: My Essentials for Camping & Festival Trips

As part of my last uni module for this year, I'm undertaking a mini camping trip later today near the beautiful Lake District which involves an overnight stay.  And as the weather is slowly (but surely), starting to brighten up, I thought I'd do a quick post on the 'outdoor beauty essentials' I'm taking with me.  All of these would be perfect to pack for any camping and upcoming festival trips that you may have, so I hope it's helpful!

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Amarya Organic / Natural Beauty Box - July

They say that good things come in small packages, and this month's Amarya box certainly lives up to that saying.  Here's a run down of July's contents:-

• A full size Inika Mineral Eye Shadow in Peach Fetish - I have tried Inika mineral eye shadows in the past and really rate them.  This one is absolutely gorgeous and I'll do a separate post on this soon!  I know I'll be wearing this shade a LOT!
• 50ml travel size of REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream - Another winner for me, REN and rose scents are just like a happy marriage for me.  Can't wait to try this out, it smells lovely.
• 3ml sample of REN Photoactive Sun Veil SPF 15 - This sunscreen has been hyped a lot on blogs lately, so I'm looking forward to testing this out and seeing how it compares formula wise to JĀSÖN's Facial Natural Sunblock which I've been loving lately.
• 5ml sachet of Antipodes Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream - I was very happy to see this in the box because Antipodes have been recommended to me countless times, so I'm interested to see what all the fuss is about.

A great box this month IMO.  I know the products might look small, but I'd rather have a box that is more varied like this with samples that I know I'll use!

Did you get an Amarya box this month?  What did you think?

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Summer Essential: JASON Natural Sunblock/Sunscreen

Summer seems to be evading us in the UK at the moment, but apparently the good weather is "on its way".  Fingers crossed!  Or if you are lucky enough to be jet setting out of this grey and rainy country soon to warmer sunnier shores, then this post might be useful to you.  I was kindly sent these two products by the US natural brand, JĀSÖN to try out, and I've managed to sneak some samplings into my routine on the few sunny days that we've had recently.

First up is JĀSÖN Mineral Natural Sunblock SPF 30* - an all mineral sun screen that is fragrance free as well as being free from chemicals.  It's a broad spectrum sun screen meaning that will protect against both UVA and UVB rays.  Unlike most conventional sun screens I have always used in the past, this one feels light on the skin and doesn't take forever to rub in.  It just soaks straight in, no fuss whatsoever.  I also had no issues with my sensitive skin because it's hypoallergenic too.  Is there anything this sun screen doesn't do?!  Well the only downside is that it isn't waterproof, so you'll need the 'Sport' sun screen if you plan on doing any swimming etc.  But if you're going on a non-swimming holiday like a city break or just want a general, all round sun screen for your body when the weather warms up, this would certainly be a good option.

For the face, there is JĀSÖN Facial Natural Sunblock SPF 20* which is a sheer translucent sun screen that you can wear under make-up (make sure to always put your facial sunscreen on BEFORE applying make-up, not after, because you want your sun protection to be the first layer next to your skin!).  It has a handy pump that dispenses just the right amount at a time.  I really love this one because like the Mineral Sunblock above, it soaks straight into the skin and doesn't leave any greasy residue.  It also suits my oily/combination skin because it has a lightweight oil-free formula and doesn't feel like it's clogging my pores, so I'm not worried about it breaking me out like some sun screens do.

To summarise, both of these natural sunscreen products are:-

• Hypoallergenic - Suitable for Very Sensitive Skin 
• Broad Spectrum - Will protect against both UVA and UVB rays
• Paraben free
• Cruelty free - BUAV approved
• Fragrance free
• Light & non greasy formulas which absorb into skin straight away

Have you tried anything from JASON?

*PR sample  

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