Review : The SAEM Eco Earth Power No Sebum Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++

Product Description
Protect your skin from UV rays without looking oily on the face! THE SAEM Eco Earth Power No Sebum Sun Cream features light absorption without being oily or shiny on the skin, maintaining your skin fresh and moist. Formulated with various botanical ingredients, it also controls for oil and sebum while soothes, and moisturizes your skin. With SPF 50+, PA+++ it also provide powerful protection against UV rays. Dermatologically tested.

I purchased The SAEM Eco Earth Power No Sebum Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++ from Seoul late last year and used it up in about 3 ~ 4 months. The chirpy yellow 50g tube which easily dispense the white creamy contents has a subtle floral scent that may be a hit with most ladies.

application

after spreading

After rubbing

As the name implies, it is a no-sebum sun cream and really, it is non-greasy and non-sticky, except that there is a light white cast which may make me look fairer immediately after application but disappear after applying my Naruko Tea Tree Anti-Acne Sunscreen ( I use it as a BB Cream as its tinted ) and RMS Beauty 'Un'powder. Indeed it is impressive that, at SPF50+, it is not oily or shiny like so many sunscreens in the market.

The matte finishing makes it a perfect base to layer under make-up while giving you sun protection. While I do like the sunscreen but the white cast can be alittle iffy when you do not apply any make-up over it and I don't think The SAEM Eco Earth Power No Sebum Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++ would suit those with darker tones.

This is a physical sunscreen ( containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide ) but also contain selected ingredients commonly associated with chemical sunscreen. I like that the sun cream does not contain alcohol and paraben.

According to Reuters, the FDA is proposing new regulations on over-the-counter sunscreens in order to ensure the safety of the products sold. The proposal discusses the safety of popular sunscreen ingredients, their dosage forms, sun protection factor (SPF) and broad-spectrum requirements.

Of the 16 currently marketed active ingredients used in sunscreen, only two ingredients—zinc oxide and titanium dioxide—are currently recognized as safe chemicals in sunscreen. Twelve of these ingredients do not have the data necessary to prove their safety and two of those 16 ingredients, trolamine salicylate and PABA, have just been declared unsafe by the FDA and will be banned from non-prescription sunscreen products. These findings have prompted the FDA's new proposal to necessitate additional testing on those 12 active ingredients before allowing them to be sold on store shelves. Read more about it here.

Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide :
As a mineral-based sunscreen active ingredient, zinc oxide reflects light off the surface of the skin where the sunscreen is applied back into the environment, much like a mirror.

Zinc oxide can be ‘micronized,’ meaning it’s processed into very small particles, so small that the preparation appears clear when applied on the skin. Non-micronized formulations are often less cosmetically elegant and are more opaque or white. So, if you’ve ever applied a sunscreen that left a white, powdery cast on your body, it most likely contained zinc oxide as a key ingredient.

Zinc oxide isn’t the only sunscreen ingredient used to block harmful UVA and UVB rays. Many sunscreens contain an ingredient called titanium dioxide, which, like zinc oxide, is typically found in mineral sunscreens. It’s also considered safe since it does not penetrate the skin and offers broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Although, some studies have shown that titanium dioxide can work as a photosensitizer that can be absorbed by the skin, a safe bet is to look for sunscreens that are known to use particles too big to be absorbed, or those containing zinc oxide, which is the safest ingredient according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG)

Still, all four common sunscreen ingredients—mineral-based zinc oxide and titanium oxide and chemical-based avobenzone and mexoryl SX (ecamsule)—have been shown to be non-toxic when used on the skin and to not break down when exposed to the sun, which is vital. Titanium and zinc oxides are the best options on this list as they both block and protect against all UVA rays, whereas the other two don’t provide as much protection. ( source )

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (Maximum recommended by FDA: 7.5%) :
Often listed on sunscreen products as Octinoxate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (also called Octyl Methoxycinnamate) is used in products that are applied to the skin to absorb, reflect or scatter UV rays; it protects the skin from sunburn and other damaging effects of the sun. Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate also protects cosmetics and personal care products from deterioration caused by UV rays and allows them to last longer in high UV conditions.

It is a chemical sun blocking agent that absorbs ultraviolet radiation in UVB range.
However, when Octinoxate is exposed to sunlight, "it is converted into a less UV absorbent form hence it is not very stable. This conversion can be partly prevented by certain other UV blockers, particularly bemotrizinol (Tinosorb M). Note that if Octinoxate combined with Avobenzone, it degrades even faster.

According to the EWG, Octinoxate is a moderate hazard with a level of 6, primarily because it can lead to developmental and reproductive toxicity through enhanced skin absorption. It can produce estrogen-like effects and should not be used by pregnant women and children. 

Bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine :
Bemotrizinol is an oil soluble chemical agent absorbing ultraviolet rays in both UVA and UVB range. It is patented and marketed by Ciba Specialty Chemicals as Tinosorb S. It has an important advantage of being photostable, i.e. it does not degrade and lose effectiveness on exposure to sunlight. Furthermore, its presense can at least partially protect less photostable UV blockers (e.g. UVA-blocker avobenzone) from degradation. As of the time of this writing, it is approved in Europe and Australia but not in the USA. Unlike some other organic sunscreen agents, bemotrizinol has not been shown to have hormone-like (estrogenic) effects in cell cultures.

Bemotrizinol appears to be relatively non-toxic and rarely causes skin irritation. However, as with many synthetic chemicals, it is unclear whether bemotrizinol may produce low-level skin damage and/or systemic effects with long-term use. More research on bemotrizinol safety is needed.

Virtually no single sun blocking ingredient can provide complete, broad protection alone, including Bemotrizinol. The good news is that bemotrizinol seems to be compatible with most other UVB and UVA blocking agents. In fact, bemotrizinol inhibits the degradation of some insufficiently photostable agents like avobenzone. (Source)

According to EWG, Tinosorb S has a low hazard level of 1, as it is photostable and not estrogenic and is commonly added to sunscreen to boost their efficacy.

Ethylhexyl Salicylate : 

Ethylhexyl Salicylate, also known as Octisalate, is used as an ingredient in sunscreens and cosmetics to absorb UVB rays from the sun. It is thought to be a weak sunscreen as it does not protect at all from UVA rays. Because of that, it is rarely used alone. Instead, it is typically combined with other chemical sunscreens, like avobenzone, on which it is said to have a stabilizing effect. The chemical degrades fairly quickly, though, when exposed to sunlight, so is unlikely to add much protection, particularly after you’ve had the product on for awhile.

Octisalate is also called a “penetration enhancer,” meaning that it can increase the amount of other ingredients passing into the skin. That means if there are other potentially hazardous ingredients in the formula (such as preservatives or fragrances), it can usher these ingredients much more deeply into the skin and potentially into the body. ( source )

According to EWG, Octisalate has a low-moderate hazard level of 4 as it can stabilize Avobenzone and result in longer lasting sun protection. 

The SAEM Eco Earth Power No Sebum Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++ is an affordable sunscreen with full UVA and UVB protection, except that it has a slight white cast and may not be suitable for all. 

Where To Buy : Amazon | Shopee
The SAEM Eco Earth Power No Sebum Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++
The SAEM Eco Earth Power Green Sunscreen ( Sensitive Skin )

The SAEM Eco Earth Tone Up Sun Cream ( Shopee )

The SAEM Eco Earth Power Light Sun Cream ( Shopee )

Ingredients :
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Titanium Dioxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Silica, Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Tocopherol Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower/leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Averrhoa Carambola Fruit Extract, Moringa Oleifera, Cyclomethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Methicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl caprylate, Adenosine, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopherol, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol