The Ursa Major Daily Defense Lotion with SPF18 is a natural moisturizer, anti-ager and sunscreen in one.
Because my skin is so prone to hyperpigmentation, I need a sunscreen that really works. And this Daily Defense Lotion SPF 18 has given me better results than other sunscreens I’ve tried with higher SPFs. And, equally as important, it doesn’t contain some of the ingredients in other mainstream and natural sunscreens which cause me to break out.
Why It Rocks
Here’s why I love it:
- Like all Ursa Major products, it’s non-greasy and delightfully lightweight. This makes Ursa Major’s products especially beneficial for product-phobes and men. Too many “natural” sunscreens are too heavy! Not this one, thankfully.
- It offers true, stable broad spectrum protection.
- The coverage is as invisible as zinc oxide coverage gets.
- It didn’t break me out or irritate my sensitive skin.
This is one of my favorite facial sunscreens I’ve ever come across. It’s that good.
Does SPF18 seem low to you?
Do you feel like this sunscreen isn’t up to your standards because SPF18 seems low? Maybe you prefer an SPF45 or higher?
Here’s the thing: SPF ratings can be misleading. SPF only accounts for safeguards against UVB rays, and your skin needs protection from UVB and UVA radiation. UVB radiation is the stuff that causes burns, but UVA rays are the ones which cause accelerated aging.
So in order to truly protect skin, it’s best to choose a broad spectrum sunscreen. How to do that, you ask, if UVA protection isn’t rated? Choose a sunscreen agent like zinc oxide (found in this Daily Defense Lotion with SPF18) which has strong and stable protection against both UVA and UVB radiation.
And unlike other popular chemical sunscreens, this mineral-based protection isn’t likely to irritate skin and doesn’t disrupt the endocrine system. Zinc oxide protection, in my opinion, has benefits that far outweigh its chemical counterparts with higher SPFs.
Inside the Ingredients
The Daily Defense Lotion with SPF18 is free of petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrance and silicones.
It contains 99.5% naturally derived ingredients, and 65% organic.
Active ingredient: 10% non-nano, uncoated zinc oxide.
Ingredients: organic aloe leaf juice, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, organic shea butter, gluconolactone, squalane, citric acid, glyceryl stearate, sorbitan stearate, organic sunflower seed oil, organic jojoba seed oil, cetyl alcohol, sodium benzoate, cetearyl glucoside, cetearyl alcohol, alpine rose leaf cell extract, swiss apple extract, mexican prickly poppy extract, sclerotium gum, lysolecithin, pullulan, xanthan gum, sodium hyaluronate, sodium phytate.
| Extremely Safe | Reasonably Safe | Proceed with Caution | Insufficient Data |
Bonus: this formulation is vegan.
How to Use
Massage onto clean, dry skin at least 15 minutes prior to sun exposure. One pump should be sufficient.
For dry skin types, layer the Daily Defense Lotion over your usual face balm, serum or oil.
I end up using this product directly on clean, dry skin when I’m heading out into warm, humid weather. In cooler weather, or days when I’m indoors a lot, I layer it over whichever cream or oil I’m favoring that day. I’ve had great results using the Daily Defense Lotion with SPF18 both ways.
Where to Purchase
The Daily Defense Lotion with SPF18 is $54 for a 1.7 fl oz pump bottle.
Highly Recommended
This product is part of my popular guide to natural skin care, 97 Remarkable Natural Skincare Products.
*This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
**Products get makeovers too. Be sure to check if this product has been recently re-formulated before using it yourself.
