“A sunscreen several times a day keeps the big bad melanoma away”. Altruist sunscreen is what I currently use to keep the bad guy away.
Maybe not, but it definitely helps in reducing the risk of melanoma (fancy word for skin cancer). One myth you might have heard of is that POC don’t need sunscreens. Many articles and studies show that our skin are at a higher risk of getting melanoma and sunburns. I’ve had first-hand experience with sunburns and hijab tans so I know this is true. Keeping this in mind, there are hundreds of sunscreens out there and it can be pretty overwhelming on which one to get.
MUST-READ: 20 Affordable Sunscreens With ZERO White Cast & Where to Buy Them!
However, there are limited options of buying effective AND safe sunscreens here in Nigeria, considering white casts, affordability, controversial ingredients, etc. There are different options suited for everyone but this post features the Altruist SPF 50 sunscreen review.
About Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50
The Altruist Dermatologist Sunscreen is an affordable sunscreen brand developed by a bunch of dermatologists (hence the name I guess). They actually sell them in pairs and at an extremely cheap price too (about 8 pounds for the two bottles!). It’s sold on Amazon and that’s like 4000 Naira for TWO 100ml tubes of sunscreen, crazy right? However, shipping to Nigeria will definitely cost you so much that you’d rather buy one 100ml tube here for 4500 Naira (It’s okay to wish you weren’t living in Nigeria lol). It also comes in SPF30 and in 200ml tubes too. You can read all about it on their website.
Another sunscreen you can buy, if you’re not constrained by price, is the Black Girl sunscreen. It’s apparently guaranteed to NOT give you that white cast. I’d love to try it out someday.
I discovered this sunscreen on an Instagram post by @theblackwriter after searching via hashtag #SunscreenForBlackSkin. She gave an encouraging review and I was joyed when I found out it cost 4500 Naira.
MORE SUNSCREEN REVIEWS:
I got the SPF 50 from @honeyriccibeauty on Instagram but you can also get it from Buy Better (@buybetterng) for 3000-3500 Naira.
First Thoughts
I loved the tube, it felt so sleek and effortlessly minimal. Its also has a typical sunscreen smell, I’m not really a fan of it. I only started using sunscreens in 2018 so I don’t have experience with smells but maybe the smell is peculiar to just chemical sunscreens.
They apparently also give some proceeds from every purchase to support children with albinism in Africa. I examined the ingredients too and I noticed it had ceterayl alcohol in it (alcohols are a NO-NO). However, this one is a fatty alcohol and those are the good kinds. It also has titanium dioxide and there are controversies around it but they say theirs is nano and so safe. No other ingredient triggered my danger alerts and that was a relief.
Some helpful skincare posts:
– K-Beauty Skincare Review: The Vegan Glow Mild Foam Cleanser
– Why You Need to Try Dove Nourishing Secrets Restoring Ritual Body Lotion
Thoughts After Use
I got a glimpse of what people might call “white cast” on my first application but that was only because I rubbed it in like my regular moisturizer. It needed more rubbing so you need to rub it in very well and the whitish feel will disappear. It also made me sweat at first but that was just like adding any other layer of skincare to my unaccommodating face. I also noticed that the tube content sometimes “settles” and when I try to use it, I get like a watery paste. As a result, I like to shake my tube first before opening it and that takes care of the water.
JUDGEMENT
I’ve been using it for about 3 weeks now and I don’t believe my hijab tan has gotten worse. Hence, it’s safe to say that IT WORKS.
P.S I have no idea how I got rid of them before but I need to get rid of the sunburns I got during my recent sunscreen-less days. If you have any remedies, do let me know in the comment section. Thanks!
UPDATE: I discovered it was my Q7 Essence Anti-Dark Spot Serumthat faded my sunburns. So if you’re looking to fade sunburns or acne spots, get a product with ingredients like (Alpha) Arbutin.
CONCLUSION
The sunscreen is worth a try. I’ll either continue to use this sunscreen or try a mineral sunscreen also under 5K.
SO that’s all I got for you!
HAVE YOU EVER USED THIS SUNSCREEN? I’d love to hear about your experience.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MY REVIEW? Would you consider purchasing it too?
Let me know in the comments, I might be able to help with that!
With Love,
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