Avene sunscreen – Intense Protect SPF 50+ is a gentle sunscreen with all-new chemical sunscreen filters, including TriAsorB™. This sunscreen is free of fragrance and very moisturizing (it may be too rich for oily skin types). Read the detailed review of this Avene sunscreen below.
New innovations in the sunscreen world, are always exciting. These past few years have been phenomenal with the advent of new filters and new technology. Avene Intense Protect SPF 50+, got my attention since it had a new sunscreen active, TriAsorB™, never used before in any other product.
The brand
Avene is a famous French brand, known for its healing thermal spring water. It has a full range of products from skincare to sunscreen. It’s especially well known for its sunscreens with high UVA protection. Many sunscreens in the range, however, have Tinosorb M, a sunscreen active which leaves a white cast if present high in the ingredient list.
Video review
Claims
“Avene Intense Protect 50+ is a comprehensive sun protection fluid for face and body that meets the highest standards for both the skin and the environment.
The ultra-light, ultra-water and sweat resistant texture keeps skin hydrated up to 8 hours, quickly penetrates the skin (3 seconds) without leaving white streaks.
Ocean-friendly sun filters respectful of marine biodiversity.
Designed for the needs of the most sensitive skin:
– Babies from 6 months
– Children
– Pregnant women
– Very fair to fair skin
– Patients undergoing or following cancer treatments
– Tattoos
– Injured skin such as scars or post-dermatologic acts.
Tested for the most intense conditions (high altitude, tropical weather, high humidity, etc). Formulated with patented innovative and unique sun filter Triasorb™, created after 20 years of Pierre Fabre research. Inspired by the natural photoprotective properties of melanin. TRIASORB™ is the first organic sun filter with the ability to absorb and reflect UVB, short UVA and long UVA rays, as well as high-energy visible blue light.”
Ingredients
Full Ingredient List
Avene Thermal Spring Water (Avene Aqua), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Phenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine, Water (Aqua), Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Stearyl Alcohol, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Ppg-1-Peg-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Red 33 (Ci 17200), Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
Free of
It is free of fragrance, alcohol, silicones, and essential oils.
Sunscreen/UV filters
- Uvinul A Plus (DHHB, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate): Photostable UVA filter.
- Uvinul T 150 (Octyltriazone, Ethylhexyl Triazone): Photostable UVB filter.
- TriAsorB™ (Phenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine): Photo-stable broad-spectrum filter.
- Tinosorb S (Bemotrizinol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine): Broad spectrum (covers both UVA and UVB rays) photostable filter.
TriAsorB™
A new photostable sunscreen filter. The UVA-UVB absorption spectrum of this filter differs depending on whether it is in powder form or an aqueous suspension. In an aqueous suspension, it has the ability to cover UVB, UVA I, and UVA II rays, as well as high-energy visible blue light up to 450 nm (see pages 14 and 16 of this document – pdf).
This is another reminder that the final protection we get from sunscreen is not only dependent on the concentration of sunscreen actives, but also on other factors like – how it is formulated, the coatings used, and the inactive ingredients.
You can also refer to this study for more information on Triasorb (Phenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine (TriAsorB), a new sun filter protecting the skin against both UVB + UVA and blue light radiations).
Other notable ingredients
- Avène Thermal Spring Water: Softening, soothing and anti-irritating
- Tocopherol and tocopheryl glucoside: Vitamin E and its derivative, powerful antioxidants.
- Red 33 (Ci 17200): It is a synthetic red dye used as a colorant in cosmetic products. It’s not only in this sunscreen but in some other Avene products as well. Chemical sunscreens can give a yellow hue to skin, probably the presence of this dye gives it a light beige color. Be careful though if you are allergic to dyes.
UV protection
It is SPF 50+, which is the measure of protection from UVB rays. It has a UVA circle seal which means that the product meets the European recommendation for sunscreen to offer a UVA protection factor equivalent to at least a third of their SPF. (For example here, 50/3 is 16.7, and since it is SPF 50+, the UVA protection factor is more than 16.7)
Water resistance
It claims to be sweat and ultra-water-resistant.
Price and packaging
This sunscreen comes in huge tube packaging of 150 ml. The price may vary from where you buy (can range from USD 19 or above). Such a good value for money. It can become messy around the lid as some sunscreen gets out in the lid area.
Application
Avene Intense Protect SPF 50+ comes out as a very light beige color (probably due to the red colorant used in this product). It feels more like a runny emollient lotion. I take a measuring spoon whenever I use this sunscreen. I apply sunscreen in two layers. The beige color disappears once it’s blended.
However, the shine, shine and shine that it leaves behind, looks like a layer of oil on my skin. It does not penetrate in 3 seconds into my skin at least. When I first got this sunscreen, the weather was hot and humid.
So, I thought it was just the air. I tried it again in the cooler weather but still, the shine made my face look like a mirror. I tried skipping the moisturizer and using powder on top, but nothing helped to eliminate the shine.
- Does it burn my skin? It did not irritate my skin, but by the end of the day my face was more red than usual (I have rosacea).
- Does it feel heavy? YES. To me, it feels really heavy and oily. However, this might be an angel sunscreen if you have very dry to dry skin and you cannot tolerate the traditional chemical filters, since this has all new generation filters.
- Does it feel sticky? Yes, it feels very sticky. It transferred to everything my skin got in touch with. You can see the oily residue with the blot test.
- White cast? None to very faint white cast with the first application.
- Eye stinging? It didn’t sting my eyes. I have sensitive eyes, so I am always very careful about applying anything close to my eyes.
- Does it dry out my skin? Nope, no drying out of the skin.
(I don’t recommend blotting the sunscreen layer as it takes off a lot of the sunscreen. I do it only to show the finish of the sunscreen. It can be really hard to judge from the pictures and videos, how the sunscreen looks in real life).
Reapplication
No pilling on reapplication. With reapplication, the shine increases almost 10 times and it starts to feel heavy and uncomfortable. I could not wait to take it off my face, the days I wore it. Also, the white cast becomes more apparent with the second application of the day (as seen in the picture above). It might work fine if you have Fitzpatrick skin type I or II.
Removal
This Avene sunscreen needs a powerful cleanse to get off completely, so you either need an oil cleanser or an effective water-soluble cleanser.
My experience
Avene Intense Protect SPF 50+ takes us a step further in sunscreen advancement. Visible light can lead to erythema in lighter skin tones, hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones, and can cause premature aging.
Till now, there is no sunscreen active that can protect from both UV rays and visible light range (maybe a bit of protection from Zinc oxide or Tinosorb M).
A few studies suggest that iron oxides can provide protection from visible light. But some of us don’t want to wear tinted sunscreen every day.
Additionally, matching the tint to your skin tone and reapplication with a tinted product can be really tricky. So, it will be nice to have completely transparent sunscreen with visible light protection.
This sunscreen will work best for someone with dry to very dry skin, especially in cooler months. I didn’t burn in the sun while wearing this, but it traps some heat and makes my skin flush as the day goes by.
So, if you are someone who doesn’t like heavy feeling, skip this sunscreen. I am using this as a body sunscreen now. This will also be a great beach sunscreen.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Broad spectrum protection with a mix of great sunscreen actives.
- Protection extends to the visible light range.
- No redness or burning in the sun.
- Very moisturizing.
- Very water resistant, and great for beach days.
- Affordable
Cons
- The finish is too shiny.
- Feels heavy on the skin.
- May leave a white cast on some skin tones
- Transfers to everything it touches.
- The cap of the squeeze tube can get messy.
Where to buy
Check for price and availability:
Summary and score
Review Rating: 3.8/5
Avene Intense Protect SPF 50+ is a sunscreen with new-generation sunscreen filters. These provide a broad range of protection from UV rays, which extends into the visible light range. All thanks to the new filter – Triasorb. This sunscreen is a great option for anyone with dry skin.
- You can also see my two other reviews on Avene sunscreens with TriAsorb
Disclaimer: The ingredient list/ price is subject to change over time, so make sure you check them before buying any product.