Why doesn't my sunscreen like me?

May 5, 2023 6:03 PM

Spurred by this question, I bought a tube of the Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen and used it yesterday. Ouch! 1.5 days later, my cheeks are still puffy, red, hot, and sore. It seems like I got a first degree burn from it. Why?

I used a bit less than the recommended amount of the offending product so I can't imagine I overdid it in some way. My sun exposure yesterday was about usual for me. I'm generally not sensitive to skin products and have very few allergies. Through the winter I wore the Trader Joe's Enrich moisturizer/sunscreen with no problems. My skin is not dry or really very problematic at all. I can't figure out why I had this reaction. Any ideas? I'd like to use this higher spf sunscreen in the summer to protect my skin, but I'm afraid to try it again until I understand better what happened and am sure I can prevent it from recurring.

posted by DrGail to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

It sounds like you are sensitive or allergic to an ingredient in your new sunscreen.
posted by heatherlogan at 6:05 PM on May 5, 2023 [7 favorites]

It sounds like you might need this thread about sunscreen without Avobenzone instead.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:13 PM on May 5, 2023 [3 favorites]

Yeah, my kid gets a rash like that from some chemical sunscreens. Sorry you found out the hard way that you do too! Hopefully TJ's will let you return it.
posted by potrzebie at 6:46 PM on May 5, 2023

Ouch, I’m sorry that happened. If you’re sensitive to an ingredient, and it sounds like you are, you won’t be able to prevent another reaction from happening, unfortunately. It’s especially annoying because that TJ’s sunscreen gets such rave reviews and is reasonably priced. You may need something without chemical sunscreens; I have to pay through the nose for Paula’s Choice mineral sunscreen but it’s the only thing that I can use without a similar reaction.
posted by corey flood at 7:05 PM on May 5, 2023 [1 favorite]

Luckily you can return anything to TJs. Bring a picture of your scorched face and maybe they will give you some flowers to cheer you up!

(Not to sound flippant: my skin is sensitive, too.)
posted by wenestvedt at 7:06 PM on May 5, 2023 [1 favorite]

"Fun" fact about allergies/sensitivities to sunscreen ingredients, in case you're feeling confused about the timeline on your reaction: many of them are only apparent after sufficient sun exposure. It looks like the lotion you used in winter is pretty benign as far as the typical suspects go, but it honestly wouldn't even surprise me if someone in the mid/upper northern hemisphere used a thing all through winter without issue and then started getting reactions as spring got going.
posted by teremala at 7:34 PM on May 5, 2023 [1 favorite]

I also can't use the Trader Joe's sunscreen. My face skin hates it. If your skin likes/hates the same things as mine, you may also find salvation in Japanese sunscreen.

Here are some I like:
Biore Barrier Me
Nivea Super Water Gel
Biore Perfect Milk (though I believe it might be discontinued unfortunately)
posted by phunniemee at 4:12 AM on May 6, 2023 [2 favorites]

Is the redness on your face pretty uniform, or if you get up close does it look like pimples? Have you ever had (possibly completely painless) redness in the past? It is possible you've just experienced your first major rosacea flare. Which is still a kind of sensitivity, but one that you might not be able to replicate with a patch test inside your elbow/on your forearm, which I'd recommend you do now just to help you pin down whether you are just straight out reactive or if you maybe had a situational reaction for some reason. Make sure you're giving it a proper shake first.

I do have rosacea and hate the feel of most sunscreens, and so stick almost entirely to Japanese and Korean products. My husband (who has a beard and hates sunscreen getting into it all gummy) will happily use NIVEA SUN Protect Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++, and because it's in a pump bottle and therefore quick to apply I like to keep it on a counter near the back door.

I just bought a tube of Missha All Around Safe Block Essence Sun SPF45/PA+++ on a rec from a friend who likes the Soft Finish version but thought my husband would not like the slightly matte-powdery finish, but I might pick some up for myself as I work my way through the Essence, because sometimes I would like a little matte finish when I'm not wearing makeup. "Milk" type Asian sunscreens can have a chalky cast (this is on purpose/desirable, from a "cultural beauty standards" perspective) that does look weird if you're not wearing it under makeup, so I always read the Amazon reviews carefully for that, and this one seems to be fine.

For US drugstore brands, I will carry around Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Moisturizing Face Serum with Vitamin E & SPF 60+, All Day Facial Sunscreen Serum with Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB Protection, Fragrance-Free, Oxybenzone-Free, which isn't "cheap"-cheap but a) I like a pump bottle (because it means the contents are pretty thin, which I want) and this one locks so it's safe in my purse b) it has no white cast c) it sits pretty nicely under makeup, which I occasionally wear d) doesn't flare me.

A little bit cheaper and I'm fine with the texture but my husband hates it is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Lotion - SPF 70 - I find this one a little easier to rub into my eyes but know that I am an Olympic-grade eye-rubber so this is primarily a me problem unless you are the same. This is also what I like on my arms and the backs of my hands.

I think this is one of those things best resolved to spend a bit more money because it's usually worth it in results.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:11 AM on May 6, 2023 [1 favorite]