Best mineral sunblock for oily/acne prone skin- Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway

Regardless of your age and skin type, sunscreen/sunblock is the most important skincare step in your morning regime.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of sunscreen to complement your morning skincare regime.

If you leave out this final but most pivotal part of your skincare regime out,

it's safe to say that all your layers of serums and moisturisers are essentially going to waste. 

UV rays can penetrate through the layers and layers of serum you've layered on your skin and damage your skin's dermis layer directly. 

That's how scary it is. 

Also, sunscreen doesn't just protect you from getting tanned, 

it also protects the skin from aging, sun spots, hyperpigmentation, inflammation, and the list goes on and on. 

For someone who has oily and acne prone skin, like myself, 

finding the right sunscreen has been a challenge prior to having any knowledge on sun protection. 

I didn't know the difference between physical and chemical sunscreen, and what they do, 

all I did was following recommendations and start piling them on my skin. 

Needless to guess, it went bad.

Acne was having a massive party on my skin and eventually, I ditched sunscreen altogether. 

I was devastated and I intentionally skipped out on sunscreen until probably 4 years ago. 

And there I was wondering why wouldn't my post-acne hyperpigmentation go away, 

why wasn't my skin healing quick enough, 

why was my skin always looking dull. 

I remember started researching about sunscreen and these knowledge has changed my skin ever since. 

I know many are still struggling to find a sunscreen that suits your skin type, 

which is why I have decided to share, once again, the difference between physical and chemical sunscreen. 

Chemical sunscreen contains organic (carbon based) compounds, such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate and avobenzone.

It works through chemical reactions where UV rays are changed into heat, before being released from the skin.

As they are made to work with your skin, it is generally more cosmetically elegant, 

it applies seamlessly into the skin without leaving any white cast.

It is also usually sweat-proof.

Physical sunscreen such as Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, on the other hand, sits on top of the skin,  to deflect and scatter damaging UV rays away from the skin. 

*Protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays and is naturally broad spectrum

*Protects from the sun immediately, no waiting required

*Longer lasting protective effect under direct sunlight

*Better for sensitive skin as it is less likely to cause a stinging irritation on the skin

*Better for those with heat-activated skin (such as rosacea and redness) since it deflects the heat and energy

*Better for acne-prone skin as it only sits on top of the skin, it has less tendency to clog the pores

* Longer shelf life

As you can see from above, it's basically safer to use a physical sunscreen.

However, physical sunscreens are usually more costly to make, 

and hence the hefty price tag that throws people off. 

But the myth of physical sunscreen=expensive has been debunked by Althea

with the launch of their brand new

Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway! 

I was really skeptical when I saw the launch of this product,

but a review of the ingredient list instantly changed my mind. 

This an all-physical filters sunscreen, which contains both

Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide.

It's essential to have both of these in your physical sunscreen to ensure complete coverage from both UVA and UVB (broad spectrum).

The biggest problem with physical sunscreen is that they inevitably leave a white cast on the skin because of the larger molecular size of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

But over the years, the advancement of technology has managed to formulate them into nanoparticles, which make them more cosmetically elegant.
As the Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway came in such an affordable price tag, I was expecting some chalky white cast on the skin but surprisingly this invisible sunscreen blends into nothing on the skin! 

It's extremely lightweight and has a silky texture that applies really easily on the skin.
Its texture is more akin to a moisturiser than any sunscreen I know. 

While oily skin girls would enjoy the oil-absorbing effects of Zinc Oxide in their sunscreen,

most people with dry skin loathe its drying properties.

But, fret not as the Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway's moisture-filled formula and Damask rose extracts provide long-lasting moisture for your skin.

It also has a comfortable rosey scent to it, which adds to the application experience.
It does not have a chemically scent to the product just as many sunscreens out there.
The Damask rose extracts not only add moisture to the skin,
but also gave the product a subtle and unobtrusive scent.

Another unique point of this product is that it contains micro-powder particles infused in the sunscreen.

Upon application, it gives your skin a smooth, petal-like complexion, just as the name suggests.
It also has a very subtle pinky glow that helps to even out the skin tone and tone up the overall complexion ever so slightly.

*make sure to shake well before use*

I honestly have been enjoying this product really much! 

Not only does it protects my skin from the harmful UV rays, 

using it on a daily basis haven't been giving my skin any breakouts or any irritation. 

It also provides such a velvety texture on my skin that gives me a boost of confidence. 

Now I no longer need to pile on any makeup before heading out of the house, 

all I need was to apply a liberal amount of sunscreen all over my face and neck, 

and finished it off with a dust of the powders from the same range. 

I can definitely count on this combo to fake my good-skin day without adding any burden to my skin. 

At the end of the day, these products are easily removed with any cleanser too, 

just make sure you give it a double cleanse and you're good. 

This item is now available on Althea's website, click here for direct link. 

You could also save some bucks by purchasing the combo, linked here.

These velvet powders come in three variants:

1. Translucent- great for gently dusting on oily T-zones to keep shine at bay. Absolutely weightless and undetectable on the skin; 

2. Beige - provides coverage ever so slightly, great for providing an extra layer of coverage on days where your skin needed extra help. 

3. Lavender- Lavender colour is well known for its colour correcting properties, it brings dull skin to life and makes your skin looks radiant and overall healthier. 

I have been enjoying pairing the lavender colour powder with my Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway to give me that ultimate glow! 

These products are also sold individually, click here for the translucent and beige variant, 

and here for the lavender variant.