When a Sunscreen Doesn’t Feel Like a Sunscreen: Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF 50+ Superscre

I tried this sunscreen by chance. I received it as a freebie a few months ago and pulled it out of my skincare cupboard just recently. I expected it to be like all other sunscreens I’ve tried. Maybe a little thicker in consistency, a bit greasy or a bit drying. But boy was I wrong! 🙅🏽‍♀️

For those Beauties who don’t live in Australia, Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima are beauty ‘speciality’ stores. Kinda like an Australian version of Sephora 🐨 A few years ago now, they released their own skincare line under the brand name ‘Mecca Cosmetica’ and makeup line under the name ‘Mecca Max’. I’ve reviewed the Mecca Cosmetica Clean Slate Micellar Water on the blog, and was really impressed with the quality. So I should have guessed that the Mecca Cosmetica Sunscreens would also be impressive 😉 How come? Read on to find out!

A luxe facial sunscreen with broad spectrum 50+ UVA and UVB protection, this lightweight formula has a matte, non-greasy finish that doesn’t leave the skin with a white cast. Wear alone or layer under makeup as protective primer for a hydrating but not-sticky finish.  Key ingredientsHyaluronic Acid:  a molecule that plumps and hydrates the skin by retaining water up 1000 times its own weight. Pomegranate extract: a rich antioxidant that fights and delays ageing and protects against free radicals. Vitamin E: strengthens the skin’s natural barrier whilst aiding in free radical protection. To UseSmooth a generous amount of cream evenly over dry skin at least 20 minutes prior to sun exposure. Reapply every two hours and after swimming, excessive perspiration or towelling.Active Ingredients: 7% W/W Octocrylene, 3% W/W Oxybenzone, 2.5% W/W Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, 2% W/W Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid. Preservatives: Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol.  Made without: Animal products, alcohol and sulphates.

The first thing you will notice when using the To Save Face Sunscreen is it’s texture. It has the same texture as a face cream. Not a heavy, greasy face cream, but rather a creamy yet light face cream. When you apply the sunscreen, it feels exactly like a moisturiser. Lots of sunscreen promise that they don’t feel like traditional sunscreens when in fact, they do for the most part lol… However with this one, if you didn’t know that the To Save Face Sunscreen was indeed a sunscreen, you may not have guessed that it is in fact a sunscreen AND one with such high SPF protection (50+)! It’s not greasy, doesn’t leave a white cast and isn’t drying. In summertime, I can easily use this sunscreen as my daily moisturiser. The inclusion of hyaluronic acid makes it just hydrating and softening enough to comfort skin.

Because the sun in Australia is so strong and intense, I’m very happy that Mecca Cosmetica has a SPF 50+ in their range. They also have an SPF 30+ sunscreen, but I don’t quite know why you’d buy a 30+ SPF when you can buy a 50+ version. The difference in UV protection between a 30 and a 50+ is slight but still. More is better I think. At least it is if you live in a very sunny and hot place. Does the sunscreen protect my skin from ‘heat stress’? Yes I think it does. My skin doesn’t go red and blotchy should I go out into the sun after applying this sunscreen.  That’s a great sign that it’s working and suitable for my skin type! The other great thing with Australian made sunscreens in particular, is that if sold on the Australian market, they go through some of the stringent testing in the world. Our standards might not be high when it comes to everything (like footwear lol!) but it is when it comes to sunscreen 😅☀️⛱

The To Save Face Sunscreen does have the sliiiiightest and I mean slightest faint scent of sunscreen. It’s SO faint however, I don’t think most people (and their noses) would detect it. It also has a slight tint to the cream, but this doesn’t translate to the skin so I’m ok with it. The tint probably prevents a white cast from appearing.

One observation I have made when using the sunscreen, is that sometimes depending on what serums I have applied to my skin beforehand, the sunscreen can ’emulsify’ on the face – as in, it appears to go on streaky and the more you rub it into your skin, the more it ‘thickens up’ and is noticeable to the eye. It doesn’t ‘disappear’ upon application like you would expect. This isn’t a problem per se, if you apply the sunscreen making sure you’ve applied it evenly to you face and covered every inch of your skin, let the product sit on the skin for a minute and emulsification or ‘streaks’ will disappear before your very eyes 😅 The product just needs a little time to settle on the skin. Again, this doesn’t happen when paired with every serum or skincare product, but some.

The To Save Face Sunscreen probably won’t provide my skin with enough hydration in Winter, so I will use it on top of my daily moisturiser. But in Summer it’s enough to use this sunscreen as a daily moisturiser also ☺️ Does it break me out or make my skin more oily? Nope. It doesn’t add any ‘extra’ shine to my face like most sunscreens usually do. I think it’s a good pick for oily or acne prone skin if you are still looking for some hydration. Most Beauties who suffer from acne use a lot of drying acne treatments on their skin, so it’s important to add hydration back into your skin so it can repair and lessen  inflammation and sensitivity.

The sunscreen is made up of chemical ‘UV blockers’. This doesn’t bother me – but I have heard that one of the sunscreen blockers/ingredients, Oxybenzone,  can be irritating for some skin types. If this is you, you can buy an Oxybenzone free version of this sunscreen! That was a great idea on Mecca’s part ☺️ If you live in Australia, you can ask Mecca for a sample of the sunscreen if you are not sure which version would be best for you. They are always generous when you ask them for a sample of a product in store. That’s one of the reasons I like Mecca Cosmetica and Maxima.

I do wish Mecca Cosmetica provided a full ingredient list for the To Save Face Sunscreen. In Australia sunscreens are classified as ‘medications’ and full ingredient lists don’t need to be provided to the consumer. Packaging must tell you however, what active ingredients are used (what UV blockers). I like knowing what’s in my skincare, so while they don’t have to, I’d like them to tell me what’s in the product (from A to Z!).

I have to say that I’m so impressed with Mecca Cosmetica products so far! They have done such a great job with the formulations. I will be buying this sunscreen for everyone in my family who hates wearing ‘traditional’ sunscreens, or forgets to on a daily basis. I can see my fiancé also loving it – the packaging is no-fuss and minimalistic with it’s black tube and white font. It doesn’t feel or go on like a sunscreen and doesn’t turn your face into an oil slick. Bonus! 😜 Remember that you do need to slather on a lot of product to get the full SPF50 coverage (1/3 or 1/2 a teaspoon! I’d go half a teaspoon to be safe – I don’t know why brands don’t put that info on the product either…).

For a 75ml tube (the standard size of a face cream is 50ml if that helps as a reference) you pay $40 AUD. I’d say it falls in the ‘drugstore’ skincare pack, or is just ever so slightly above it price wise. You can also pick up a travel size/smaller tube, which contains 30ml of product for $18 AUD. Mecca Cosmetica has it’s on New Zealand based website and does ship worldwide, but for shipping rates you have to send their customer service team an email. 

That’s it Beauties! Would you like to try this sunscreen? Let me know if you’ve tried any skincare from Mecca Cosmetica! ✌️💕💦

Catch ya next time,

Beauty Bee~

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