Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+

This post will be reviewing the Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+.

I’m not sure I remember the first time I heard about this sunscreen. I think it was on a sunscreen recommendations thread on Twitter. I have different Twitter lists for all my interests and Skincare is one of them. Someone did a demo of this sunscreen and I loved how it immediately absorbed without leaving a white cast. Before it gained popularity and went out of stock, I quickly rushed to Boots to pick a bottle. That was last year.

At the moment, Bondi Sands is currently doing a campaign with skincare influencers promoting this product. So, I thought this is a perfect time to put up this review as I’m sure the search volume will be rising on Google over the next few weeks.

I’ve been using the Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+ on and off over the past few months and I’m finally ready to talk about it.

Let’s get right into it!

First Impressions of the Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+

If you’re not familiar with the Bondi Sands brand, they are an Australian brand that formulates self-tan, suncare and skincare products. They’re actually popularly known for their self-tanning products. But recently have decided to push more publicity to the suncare products.

According to Bondi Sands;

Enjoy a sun-soaked day the Bondi Sands way with our Daily Moisturising Face SPF 50+ Sunscreen Lotion. Providing UVA and UVB protection, our water-resistant formula is gentle, fast-absorbing and dries to an invisible finish.

Formulated to deliver up to 72 hours of hydration, with added aloe vera and vitamin E to leave your skin feeling deeply moisturised. Can be worn alone or under makeup. Paraben-free. Sulphate free.

In one of my previous SPF posts, I mentioned that in terms of high protection sunscreens, Austrailian sunscreens are top tier. This is because they have crazy sunshine over there and as such have strict sunscreen regulations. This was also one of the reasons why I was curious about this product. Followed closely after Austrailian sunscreens are European sunscreens. The EU is also very strict about sunscreen regulations so you tend to get products with very high protection. My current favourites are Japanese sunscreens because they have a more cosmetically elegant formulations that are pleasant to use.

So, if you’re gonna be outdoor a lot during this Summer, I suggest you’re well-armoured with Austrailian and/or European sunscreens.

Sunscreen Features & Claims:

• UV Filters: Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Avobenzone ( all chemical filters)
• 3*** UVA protection & UVB
• Water resistant for up to 4 hours.
• Lightweight moisturizing lotion formula with Beeswax, Aloe Vera & Vitamin E
• Alcohol, Fragrance, Essential Oil and Cruelty free.
• Reef friendly
• Greasy and dries down to a dewy/glowly finish.
• Best suited for dry skin.

Texture & Consistency

My favourite thing about the Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+ is the deceitful texture. At first sight, it looks like a lightweight lotion which should work for all skin types right? WRONG! It’s not until you use the recommeded quantity of 2-3 fingers that you’ll notice just how much it packs a punch! It’s also deceitful because you’ll think it’s too thick and would need to a few extra minutes to be blended in completely. WRONG AGAIN! It literally takes less than five minutes to blend in. As a chemical sunscreen, I’m not suprised just impressed with the texture.

Avalibility & Price

Before now, it was only avaliable at select online and offline retail stores. But now, it seems like Bondi Sands has been working on their distribution network. For less than $10/£10, you’ll get a 75ml squeeze tube which should last for quite a bit. If you want to get an even better deal, grab the Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Body Sunscreen Lotion which is 150ml with the exact same ingredients for a steal.

Review of the Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been using it on and off in between testing other sunscreens but the results I get are always the same. Right now, it is Summer here in the UK and it is quite humid. Unfortunately this sunscreen is a bit too heavy for my dry skin for the Summer. Yes, I know, I know. Sometimes, my dry dehydrated skin gets overwhelmed too after all that layering during the Winter and Spring. I’ve used it in the past couple of days and it has justed reminded me of why I’m gravitiating towards Japanese Essence Sunscreens like the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence. My skin prefers cooling skincare during the hot Summer and sunscreens are not an exception.

Performance

Asides from being too heavy for my skin for the Summer, I love this sunscreen. I particularly love how easy it is to apply and how it doesn’t require too much effort to blend in. I literally finish applying two fingers in less than five minutes. After application, it leaves my skin moisturized, dewy and glowy for the entire day until I wash my face or until I reapply when I’m outdoors.

My only issue is the slight occasional eye stings. In the future, I’ll try to keep it away from my eye area. Other than that it gets an A+ for me. Also, despite being fragrance-free, it has this chemical sunscreen scent to it which is honestly not my favourite. For my next purchase, I’ll be trying out the fragranced version and comparing it to see which I prefer.

In Conclusion,

This is one of the sunscreens I trust because it is an Australian brand. I also believe it is giving me the adequate protection it claims until proven otherwise. Obviously, if you burn quickly, you shouldn’t leave your entire sun protection in the hands of a single product. Supplement your protection with a hat, protective clothing and sunglasses.

In the end, I’ll definetly be repurchasing and I can’t wait to use it more frequently during the colder months.