Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30 SPF 40 Sunscreen

The Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF40 was recommended to me by a pal and what a great recommendation it was!

For me, these are the few key points I bear in mind while searching for that ideal sunscreen:

(a) low or no silicone content;
(b) low or no alcohol content;
(c) untinted or minimal white cast that sinks in relatively quickly;
(d) no strong and untinted fragrance; and
(e) affordability
(f) matte or close to matte finish

 

The instant phrases that grabbed my attention were “Texture Invisible”, “Matifying sun fluid”, “Combination or oily skin”, “Invisible texture” and “water resistant”. Was this the end of my search?

With SPF 40 and a PPD of 26, I thought it was for my medium-toned skin. However, owing to I don’t know what company policies, the AKN Mat SPF 40 version has discontinued production, to be replaced by the AKN Mat SPF 30 version you see above. Virtually identical. Except in SPF factor and with a PPD of just 13 😦 What a slide.

You’d think that for a lower SPF sunscreen, the price would be accordingly lowered too. But not in Singapore. Both retailed at around SGD$42 – $44 for a 40ml tube. Unlike other labels like Avene, Klorane, La Roche Posay and ROC, Bioderma very, very rarely goes on sale, owing to a different distributor. However, good news! There is a current 20% off at Guardian pharmacies right now. Bioderma only retails at certain Guardian pharmacies and Parkway Parade and Centrepoint are the 2 I do know for sure off the top of my head, having been there.

This retails around 10 – 12 euros in Europe, so grab it there for a substantial discount over the Singapore price.

The water-resistance is a big plus for me, especially given Singapore’s hot and humid climate. I can even perspire walking the 10 minutes from my apartment to the MRT train station. At a casual walking pace.

This is an avobenzone-based sunscreen (incompatible with SPF makeup) with the alcohol content way down in the ingredients list. There is a “sunshine” fragrance, which is rather marked when you sniff it from the squeeze tube, but doesn’t hang around that long on the face. Probably just a couple of minutes or so. I also don’t see silicones in the ingredients, unless they go by another name.

The ingredients for the AKN Mat SPF 40 version, taken off Amazon.com, are:

Ingredients WATER (AQUA), DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE, OCTOCRYLENE, METHYLENE BIS-BENZOTRIAZOLYL TETRAMETHYLBUTYLPHENOL, BUTYL METHO- XYDIBENZOYLMETHANE, PTFE, METHYL METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, C20-22 ALKYL PHOSPHATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG-100 STEARATE, SILICA, TRIDECYL SALICYLATE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ECTOIN, MANNITOL, XYLITOL, RHAMNOSE, FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES, LAMINARIA OCHROLEUCA EXTRACT, GLYCOLIC ACID, GINKGO BILOBA LEAF EXTRACT , CITRIC ACID, DODECYL GALLATE, C20-22 ALCOHOLS, DECYL GLUCOSIDE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE COPOLYMER, XANTHAN GUM, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, DISODIUM EDTA, CHLORPHENESIN, PHENOXYETHANOL, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM).

Virtually identical.

The blob below is from the SPF 40 format, but the SPF 30 version shouldn’t yield a difference.

Untinted, this comes in a light lotion texture.

Pretty easy to spread and neither too runny nor liquid-y.

The white cast is very slight and will sink in or disappear with slightly more rubbing. Unlike the La Roche Posay Anthelios Fluide Extreme sunscreens, this does not gel/ball up, making it great for makeup.

Tada! The 99% matte finish. Almost perfection. Almost. I’m not asking for anything more but do BRING BACK the SPF 40 version or up it to a SPF 50!

Rating out of 10

Price: 9 (I’ll give this a 9 at Europe’s pricing, or a 6.5 at Singapore’s ridiculous price.)
Quality: 9.9
Packaging: 8 (pretty standard squeeze tube, minimal waste)

Ease of usage: 9.5
Overall score: 9.1 

 

~*Items reviewed purchased  by me*~