NEOVA SmartSkincare Facial Sunscreen Everyday Facial Fluid 2.5 fl. Oz. | Broad Spectrum SPF 44 Hybrid Sun Defense | Oil Free & Non Comdogenic

I hate sunscreen. But living in Texas, the sun shines every month of the year and will blister you in the summer months, so you must take precautions, otherwise you will need to get way too familiar with a dermatologist after you pass the 30 mark.A few years ago, a dermatologist recommended Z-Silc (rated SPF 30) as a good daily wear sunscreen. At that point, I had tried almost every over-the-counter brand from Banana Boat to Neutrogena; if it said "sensitive skin" on the label and cost more than $15, I tried it. But each suffered a weakness: from insufficient sun protection, to inflamed skin, to pasty films that required scrubbing off.I was skeptical about Z-Silc as the primary ingredient was zinc. My recollection of zinc was that it was blue and you put it under your ski goggles. Nonetheless, it turned out that Z-Silc was pretty good: it kept you from getting a sunburn, washed off easily, and, most importantly, didn't anger the skin, unlike the sunscreens that used chemical barriers. The price you paid was that if was garishly white and, if overapplied, would lead to an unintentional goth rock look -- a particularly tragic side effect in that your underlying purpose for wearing sunscreen was enjoying more time in the sun.Neova DNA Damage Control 43 is the next generation of zinc-based sunscreens and a far superior successor to Z-Silc. For those familiar to Z-Silc, it is much lighter than Z-Silc, while now more protective. If you liked Z-Silc, you will like this much better. The only downside is that the tube is now 2.5 ounces rather than 3.5 ounces. Means you can carry it on the plane, but you are paying more for less.For those new to Neova or zinc-based sunscreen, a few pluses and minuses:Pluses:1. fairly close to transparent when applied2. very light, feels like a regular lotion on your face3. exceptional for sensitive skinMinuses:1. expensive - costs at least 3X of a mass market brand2. may discolor dark clothes (though usually washes out)Whether it is a true "SPF 43" is unknown, though one should be suspicious about all of the SPF claims. Since finding this product, however, have abandoned using products with a claimed SPF 70, 90, 100+ as the tradeoff of protection to willingness to apply was not worth it. The most effective sunscreen is the one you will wear. All of the sunscreens advise to reapply periodically; do that with almost any product with an advertised SPF 30 or above and you should be set. As to zinc-based sunscreens in particular, apply them from top of your face down -- something about the grain of the skin such that this looks better when applied than trying to rub in.In summary, if you have sensitive skin, this might be your sunscreen. Were it not an exceptional product on that count, would deduct a star for the minuses set out above. Separately, would also acknowledge that this is really too long a review for such a prosaic product, but if saves one person from a future trip to the dermatologist for sun damage, it is worth it.Hope this review helps you.