Quick review of the Anthelios Extreme Fluid 50+
After having used the Anthelios Extreme Fluid 50+ for the past 3 years I was ready for a change. Although great in terms of protection, the consistency of the Anthelios Fluid is far too liquid for my face during the hotter months. It makes my skin greasy and my makeup doesn't last long. On the other hand, this product works well for me during the Winter months. The fact is that the packaging is huge and the product ends up being wasted since I only need a small amount for my face and it expires after a year. This is the main reason why I haven't used sunscreen throughout Fall and Winter- I didn't want to repurchase the same sunscreen and couldn't find any other options by la Roche Posay where I live, as it seems that only few people apply sunscreen during the colder months. Since I consider sunscreen an essential product, and because I was quiet disappointed for not being able to find an alternative for Winter, I started researching sunscreens at the beginning of Spring. And after a few weeks I finally found 3 options, all by la Roche Posay (as this is the only skincare brand I am currently using). The three options were the following: the Anthelios Smooth Lotion, the Anthelios Melt-in- Cream and the Anthelios Dry touch gel cream. After considering the pros and cons of each one, I realized the best option was the third one as it's the only one which should help me avoid any greasiness and shine on my face.
The Anthelios Dry Touch Gel Cream claims to be ideal for combination to oily skin (which is my skin type during Summer), water resistant and thus perfect for swimming and any activities involving sweating like outdoor fitness and training. It also says to have a dry touch texture, double anti-shine action, immediate absorption, ultra dry finish and leaves no white marks.
After using this sunscreen for a few days, I can report back that all the stated benefits on the packaging are actually true. It comes in a tube which makes the product look like a cream; but it's not a creamy product. It has a strange consistency- its white colour makes it look like a cream; when you squeeze the packaging to let the product come out, it feels like a gel; when the sunscreen touches your fingers it has a harder creamy consistency; when you blend it on the face it feels like a silicone based product (indeed it does have silica listed among its ingredients); and when you are done blending it into your skin it leaves powdery streaks on the fingers but none on the face.
This sunscreen is not greasy at all, and it's definitely not liquid. Because of the harder consistency you need more to apply to the entire face. You need to press it well into your skin in order to blend it. But once you do this, the product is absorbed quickly and dries within few minutes without leaving any residue. It does feel a little sticky at first, but once it dries this sensation is gone. I think the silicone in this product makes it a great makeup base. So with one product you are actually protecting yourself from the sun and making your makeup last longer. Although I do not use a primer, I believe that unless you are super oily, you shouldn't be needing to apply primer with this sunscreen. Contrarily to what the Anthelios Fluid used to do to my makeup, this sunscreen did not affect my makeup at all. It doesn't make it greasy or cakey. On the contrary, it makes it last longer and better.
To conclude this review I am going to say that I love this sunscreen. The 14.90 euros I paid for the 50 ml content were definitely worth it. And unless something better comes out, which is also fragrance and paraben free, I will keep re-purchasing this product during the warmer months. So if you are oily, or combination to oily, or even normal but you like a matte finish you should definitely try this out!
STAY FAB
