I’ve been using Nimue products on and off since my teenage years. I had very problematic skin during my teen years, mainly caused by sun exposure ( playing sports) and of obviously the teenage syndrome of hormonal changes. My parents could barely afford the treatments and products, but we all know the power of persuasiveness a teenager has over their parents, but to be fair, could you blame a girl for wanting to have flawless skin for her matric dance?! I stopped using the products sometime during my varsity years, and then went back the year I got engaged to my hubby, however I remained on the sunscreen. In that year I was as religious as they come, every 6-8 weeks ( at the beginning of the treatments) you would find me at Perfect 10 at Clearwater Mall for a facial. I stuck to one beauty therapist that helped me deal with my combination of problematic and environmentally damaged skin. The products were (actually still are) somewhat on the pricey end of the scale, but my skin produced phenomenal results, and bonus; the products lasted VERY long. My skin was FLAWLESS, I mean flawlessssssss come wedding day and didn’t appear to need much makeup, which was my main goal. So in a nutshell, I’m quite familiar with the treatments and products the brand offers, and the Sun C SPF 40 is a product that I can totally vouch for.
Just as the saying should be ‘Summer bodies are made all year round’, so it should ring true with sunscreen. Even when the sun don’t shine hunnies, sunscreen is a 365 days a year type product that should not be undermined! I hate to preach this, but I really need to stress; it MUST be apart of your everyday beauty regime, and even more so if you use products with active ingredients, which are commonly found in acne prevention and anti-ageing products. Most of us fall somewhere in between the two, so we really have no excuse for not using sunscreen.
I’ve tried other sunscreens before, and I’m not talking about your physical sunscreens. I’m talking about chemical ones, and the honest truth is that nothing quite comes close. BUT, before I get carried away (because my love for this product runs deep), let’s start at the beginning with the packaging. Although you really don’t need your sunscreen to look like it’s about to walk the runway, I do appreciate the fact that the product is packaged in a tube and not a bottle. I prefer squeezing out the product, instead of the nozzle/ spray type function, because it ends up becoming very messy and that leads to product build up around the top which equates to waste. Can the product info get any bolder?! Many would overlook this point, but kudos to Nimue for having all the necessary info on display and not in fine print. All the relevant info ( spf number, uva, uvb) is screaming at you which makes selection so much easier. Now, let’s get to what’s really important (well to me that is ), and that’s the texture, how well it absorbs on the skin and one of the most overlooked points, the scent.
- Texture: The product is 100% creamy, which totally works for me. The liquid type sunscreens that I’ve previously tried out would leave me feeling very dry or too sticky. This product is not at all heavy, in actual fact it feels very comfortable on the skin and leaves the skin feeling well protected.
- Absorption: Fast absorbing, which is quite surprising for a creamy texture. It’s not oily at all and the best thing is that it does not leave behind that annoying white residue which most sunscreens do. It dries out in a matte finish, without leaving the skin feeling dry or tight. Hello quality!
Scent: fragrance free, which makes it suitable for those with sensitive skin. I can’t stress how much this a major for me.
I’m not oblivious to the fact that the above points are a subjective matter in terms of importance/ relevance. I think most people are probably far more interested in the “performance” of the product and the no brainer, the price offering. Before we get into that, let’s first understand all the jargon thrown at us with regards to sunscreen, words such as; UVA, UVB and even SPF for that matter.
Firstly, lets start with the word UV, which stands for ultra-violet radiation. In layman’s terms it’s the invisible ( important note) rays of the sun that either cause the skin to darken (tan) or burn ( leading to sunburn). Now the difference between Ultra Violet A ( UVA) and Ultra Violet B (UVB )is that UVA is far more harmful because it penetrates deeper into the skin. It can increase the risk of skin cancer whilst also causing age spots (more common results) and premature wrinkling. UVB on the other hand causes sunburn. SPF stands for sun protection factor. It basically explains how well the sunscreen protects against UV radiation ( a combination of both UVB and UVA). The numerical value alongside the SPF indicates the length of time the sunscreen can offer protection for your skin. And yes, the higher the value of the SPF, the greater the protection against the sun.
What most people forget to factor in, is that sunscreen is not a once off application type product. The numerical value should be roughly multiplied by 10 and that will give an indication of how long the effectiveness of the sunscreen is. For example SPF 40 x 10= 400 minutes. You would have to apply this product every 6/ 6.5 hours. However, I often adhere to the rule of thumb, which is applying the product every two hours, mainly because I do an extensive amount of driving during the week.
Tick list: for the most effective sunscreen make sure that it offers broad spectrum protection, which basically means that it’s certified and can protect against UVA and UVB (NB to see on packaging). Without this certainty, you pretty much don’t have a sunscreen!
Price: It retails for R445 ,but this should also not come as a shock because Nimue is a reputable brand that offers high quality products. And take it from me, it’s worth every cent!
Size: It’s 60 ml, but trust me you should be able to get two/ three months wear out of it. You need not apply copious amounts of the product, a little goes a long way with Nimue!
One of the only disadvantages about the product is that it can’t be found in your local supermarkets or pharmacies. I buy mine from Perfect 10 ( which is a nail and skin studio). You will have to go on the Nimue website and click on store locator to find a beauty parlour/ salon/ boutique/ spa near you.
Lastly, the sunscreen also offers anti-aging benefits to assist in reducing and preventing the visible signs of photo aging ( premature aging caused by the sun). Although I’m only 27, I felt this was an important component to a sunscreen and one sixty-year-old me will thank me for!
Extra info: I don’t really wear much make-up during the week (powder and mascara), so for those who do you can add a few drops of the sunscreen to your foundation. Or even better try out their Sun c tinted Spf which comes in three shades, namely light, medium and dark, it offers coverage and protection from UV rays which is a win. Nimue has also extended their product offering, by including Nimue SPF 30 body spray Active, Nimue SPF 50 body spray Sport, and Nimue After Sun Hydrator. I’m really keen to try the body spray and after sun hydrator, and when I do , I promise you’ll be the first to know how it treats me!
If you’re keen to have a look at the Nimue product offerings here’s the link http://nimueskin.com/ and let me know what you think.
xx
Nimue skin technology Sun c SPF 40
