La Roche Posay Anthelios Hydrating Cream SPF 50+ – Review

This post will be reviewing the La Roche Posay Anthelios Hydrating Cream SPF 50+

In the past few weeks, I’ve tried about half a dozen sunscreens just to find the one that works with my dry, dehydrated skin. Unfortunately, every single one I’ve tried even has a matte or natural finish. As someone who doesn’t wear makeup, this is not enough for me. So, it’s been a game of trial and error. At the end of the day, I made sure that I had a backup of the only sunscreen that works for me so far: the Bondi Sands Face SPF 50+.

About two years ago, I tried the La Roche Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF 50+, and I absolutely loved it for the Summer. It might not be the most hydrating, but the glow I got from using it was unmatched. Imagine my surprise when I discovered more sun products in the Anthelios line, particularly the hydrating cream. I was estatic and immediately had high hopes for it. I concluded that La Roche Posay created one sunscreen formula and just ran with it. They created different textures to make it even more accessible, which is absolutely brilliant. This means that regardless of your skin type, you’ll find a suitable Anthelios sunscreen.

So, I’ve been using this sunscreen for a while now, and I’m ready to talk about it.

First Impressions of The La Roche Posay Anthelios Hydrating Cream SPF 50+.

Accrording to La Roche Posay,

Very high protection facial sunscreen in a moisturising formula for dry to very dry skin.

SPECIFICALLY FORMULATED FOR:

A moisturising facial sunscreen for dry sensitive skin

Broad, photostable UVA/UVB & Infrared protection

Moisturising, ultra-comfortable cream formula

Finally, something formulated for dry skin!

Ingredient List & Sunscreen Filters

Unlike Korean and Japanese Skincare, La Roche Posay doesn’t really add any extra soothing or hydrating ingredients. They just go straight to the point! This can be great for those with sensitive skin. But for the rest of us, it’s really just average.

In case you didn’t know, La Roche Posay has one of the strongest European sunscreens thanks to the strict standards of the EU. This means that you’re typically getting a chemical sunscreen that is both water and sweat resistant and will protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays.

The filters include:

• Tinosorb S – for both UVA and UVB protection.
• Uvinul T 150 – for UVB protection
• Mexoryl XL & SX – a patented L’Oreal filters that provides both UVA and UVB protection.
• Avobenzone – for UVA protection.

For those wondering what the use of knowing the filters is, it helps you make better sunscreen choices. Many people react to the filters in the sunscreens, particularly Avobenzone and Oxybenzone, which are commonly used in US sunscreens. But being able to identify these filters on their packaging helps you to save money. So if you find out that your eyes sting when using sunscreens with Avobenzone or Oxybenzone, you need to stay clear of them.

Texture & Consistency

Before opening the packaging, I was expecting an emollient moisturizer. Instead, I got a lightweight creamy texture just a couple of steps above the fluid version. This was when my expectations began to get shaky. I began to doubt the hydrating effects of this sunscreen.

Again, I don’t believe that La Roche Posay went all out with the texture of this product. It feels like they were on the fence about how emollient this product should be. If they really went all out and gave me a moisturizing sunscreen, my holy grail will have needed a competitor.

Price & Avaliablity

For a 50ml product that retails for about £18/$20, it is pricey on all levels. Especially since you can get a Korean or Japanese sunscreen with that size for less than $10. But if you want to splurge, you can do so by all means. Otherwise, I recommend just using this sunscreen during the Summer.

Review of The La Roche Posay Anthelios Hydrating Cream SPF 50+

I’ve been using this sunscreen as my primary one for almost a month now and here are some of the Pros and Cons:

Pros

• No white cast because of its chemical filters
• No stinging of the eyes.
• Provides very high UVA & UVB protection.
• Sinks into the skin and leaves a dewy finish.
• Buildable and easy to layer. Will not pill even after 3-4 applications which makes re-application a breeze.

Cons

• Not hydrating or moisturizing enough. It won’t dry out your skin but will leave it slightly moisturized for a while.

Yep, that’s it. It has so much potential to be a moisturizing product for people with dry, dehydrated skin, but it fell through. Instead, you have a product for people experiencing temporary dryness. This means that any dehydrated skin type, including normal, oily and combination, can use this sunscreen because it is universally formulated. If you want a more matte to a natural finish, go for the La Roche Posay Anthelios Hydrating Cream SPF 30. It’s less dewy than the SPF 50.

Finally,

La Roche Posay always comes through with quality sunscreens. You absolutely have no excuse not to use any at this rate. As for this Anthelios hydrating cream, I’ll probably not be repurchasing. It’s a solid product but it’s unfortunately not enough for me.