I have heard that it is the zinc that some people have issues with including eyes burning and breakouts.

I have found my holy grail sunscreen. LaRoche Posay Anthelios ultra fluid lotion 60 spf face-daily use. It is both a physical and chemical based sunscreen. Broad spectrum. Great matte finish, fagrane free, paraben free. Water (sweat) resistance, I wear to and from the gym. It contains mexoryl which is supposedly the best sunscreen against the uva rays which causes aging.

The only issue or rather question I have with it is when to apply moisturizer. I dont need it in summer months but do in winter. Not sure if moisturizer should be over or under. I have a feeling it should be over have contacted the company to find out but havent heard back yet.

I don't think it's the zinc -- it's usually the chemicals in certain sunscreens that cause burning. There are chemical sunscreens and there are physical sunscreens. I had the same problem with my eyes constantly burning from sunscreen and my dermatologist told me that the physical sunscreens, which actually physically block then sun from being absorbed, don't sting. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are both physical blocks. It was driving me crazy because I live at the beach and really need to use sunscreen but always ended up with burning eyes. She recommended using only physical sunscreens and gave me one called "Elta MD UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41". It's sold online at many websites but Elta makes many sunscreens, some of them chemical, so if you decide to buy it, make sure you get this particular one. It also has a light tint to it which I like a lot - I don't need any makeup in the summer over it. It's more expensive than what you'd buy at the drugstore but so worth it and a little goes a long way. I only use it for my face/neck/chest area obviously then use the other stuff on my body.

Ah,Gail, another mystery solved by accident.
On the advice of the Skintour site, I had already ordered an Elta MD. I did not get the one labeled "physical". I got the one called "daily". They are both 9% zinc, and that was the part I was looking for. But the one called "physical" was said to be for "sensitive or post-operative skin". I'm neither, so I got the other because it appeared to me to be in a more convenient delivery system. But if I had understood that "sensitive skin" is code for "burning eyes" I would have gotten the other one.

Is "physical" a little more difficult to apply? I get the impression that other ingredients are added to make the stuff flow on better - ?

Rose - the link you posted is cemented in my mind. I really, really hate sunscreen and I have worn it every day since I saw your video. Thank you!

Hi jamies. No, it is not very thick and spreads evenly/nicely. I never noticed that it was for extra-sensitive and post-procedure skin but you're right, it says it right there on the tube! If you try it I think you will like it. I have never experienced one bit of burning and I'm sure it's running into my eyes. The other thing I like about it is that the tinting is just the right amount. I used to use another tinted sunscreen with zinc oxide, I think it was Neutrogenas, but it always had a white reflective cast to it, looked kind of weird. But this product has transparent zinc oxide with a bit of tinting, which works perfectly for me. It's also water resistant.

I use the same exact one that Gail mentioned - I think I may have heard about it here last year! I love it. There is just enough tint that it evens out any blemishes I have. It's not creamy or greasy like other sunscreens I've used, nor is it thick. It's not cheap, but a little seems to go a long way. I use it every day, but put it on in the morning before I go for a run and it never runs in my eyes or makes them feel like they are burning like other sunscreens have always done for me, even Neutrogena.

I dont think sunscreens with Mexoryl are available in the US

I was just in Canada and bought several while there, the US is behind when it comes to sunscreen.

This post was edited by happyladi on Wed, Sep 3, 14 at 22:47