La roche posay invisible fluid spf 50

This Might Just Be The SPF To End All SPFs

25 February 2022

By now, you probably already know that SPF is one of – if not the – most important part of your skincare routine. A product that dermatologists unanimously agree is essential for healthy skin, it protects against UVA and UVB light, keeping skin healthy and robust in the here and now, while also preserving it for years to come. Whatever your skincare routine – and regardless of the weather – you should be wearing it.

You might already have a favourite formula that you swear by, but a new launch by La Roche-Posay – a brand famous for its efficacious and affordable sunscreens – is here to steal your heart. Like its predecessor (Anthelios Invisible Fluid), the brand’s Anthelios UVMune400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+ is housed in an easily-transportable white bottle, but what’s inside it is infinitely more impressive.

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“It’s taken 10 years of research and something like 60 scientific studies, but La Roche-Posay has created its first UV filter since 1998,” explains consultant dermatologist, Dr Justine Hextall, who works with the brand. “It targets a longer wavelength of UVA – between 380 and 400 nanometers – which makes up 30 per cent of UV exposure. Traditionally, sunscreens don’t protect against this longer wavelength.”

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50

Recent research has found that these longer rays are able to penetrate much deeper into the dermis, creating free radical damage that affects collagen structures and pigment production – cue sagging, wrinkles, a loss of elasticity and dark spots. The new filter, named Mexoryl 400, efficiently protects against these rays, making this is a powerful formula that doesn’t just work hard, it works really hard.

Dr Hextall also points out that long UVA doesn’t work alone while wreaking havoc on the skin – it brings its vandal friends along for the ride, too: “Long UVA and pollution can work synergistically together to damage the skin, so if you’re in a city and you’re exposed to a lot of pollution, you really need protection,” she explains. “And there has been other research which shows that long wavelength UVA and visible light also work together synergistically to cause long-term pigmentation, for example.”

While many of us don’t apply enough SPF to thoroughly cover our entire faces (or bodies, for that matter), Dr Hextall says that the fluid consistency of La Roche-Posay’s formulas can help ensure we do. “We should be putting two milligrammes per centimetre squared of SPF on the skin, but most of us only apply half of that,” she says. “But I’ve found, through my clients, that they’re not afraid to put these lovely fluids on their skin, even if they are acne-prone.”

It’s true that these days a formula doesn’t just need to do its job, it also has to feel good – otherwise people simply won’t wear it. Having tried it myself – and as someone who has reactive and acne-prone skin – I can confirm that it feels ultra light and non-greasy on the skin, and it makes a good base for make-up, too. 

In this week’s skincare review, I wanted to review an SPF. I struggle with SPF greatly. My sensitive skin just doesn’t like it and once I find one that I like, it doesn’t sit well under makeup. I just can’t win. So I have been on the hunt for a good SPF that doesn’t make my skin feel icky (most of them block my pores and give me breakouts), that sits well under makeup and that doesn’t leave a white cast, is easy to blend into the skin and has a high enough SPF without setting off any irritations in my sensitive skin. I already tried and loved the La Roche-Posay Non-Perfumed Dry Touch Gel. Will the Invisible Shaka Fluid live up to my expectations?

Skincare review: La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+ Invisible Fluid Ultra Protection Shaka Fluid Non-perfumed for sensitive skin

With La Roche-Posay it can really depend on where and when you buy it how much you pay for the product. This can range from around €15 on some websites to over €20. So it is wise to shop around. Depending on where you live you may be able to pick it up quite easily. Where I live this is mainly available from actual pharmacies, but lately this brand has been popping up at Etos drugstores as well but they don’t seem to be carrying the entire range. So whether this product is available through there I can’t tell.

What does this product have to offer?

The full name for this one? La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+ Invisible Fluid Ultra Protection Shaka Fluid Non-perfumed for sensitive skin. That is a mouthful as are many La Roche-Posay products. Let’s unpick the name here. It is an SPF 50+ that is part of the La Roche-Posay Anthelios line. That is the name for all sun protection products from the brand. It is a fluid formula that is very liquidy and it comes in a bottle that should avoid it from leaking in your bag. It has no added perfume and is therefore deemed perfect for sensitive skin. It should give good protection against both UV A and UV B rays as well as resist rubbing off even when you go for a swim. In short, it’s supposed to be a good sunscreen.

How is my experience using this sunscreen?

Does this sunscreen work? Yes most definitely. It protects against the sun, which is what this should do, but there is where my like for this product stops. It just doesn’t work on my skin. It doesn’t work well under makeup for me as it creates a layer (as has been my experience with nearly every sunscreen I ever tried) and my makeup just sits on top of it. The formula is too wet for it to work. For some strange reason I can feel this drying on my skin, which is a very strange sensation and it feels as if it is drying out my skin in the process. It’s a similar sensation to when I apply a very drying clay mask: I can feel my skin going taut as if it is shrinking. Not a great feeling.

What is the formula like?

I already mentioned how wet this is and that’s why I end up not liking it. Yes this is very lightweight which is great, but for my skin I just feel I cannot apply enough of this. It takes two layers for this too give me the coverage and therefore protection I need to keep my fair skin protected from the sun. Therefore I find it difficult to use enough with this. The four finger rule doesn’t apply to me here as I need more. The formula is just too thin and liquidy and since it is literally soaked up by my skin, I feel it just disappears after a few minutes. I don’t get the longevity I need to offer the protection I need and not get sunburnt.

My final thoughts

When it comes to sunscreen I am very picky and the La Roche Posay Invisible Shaka Fluid SPF 50 is not my favorite. I am quite sad because when I mentioned I was looking for a good SPF this came highly recommend by so many of my followers. I just don’t think this is great for people with dry skin. It is absorbed so quickly and it feels very drying too. For me, I therefore need to go in with an additional layer to get the SPF protection I need to keep my ultra fair skin protected. If I where this just one layer, I might as well still just stay indoors.

Would I recommend the La Roche Posay Invisible Shaka Fluid SPF 50?

I think this is a great sunscreen for people with normal to oily skin types. If you have dry skin I don’t think this is great. It didn’t cause any allergic reactions to me and the usual SPF breakouts and bumps also didn’t happen. I felt it didn’t sit well under makeup so I have only been using this on days where I am not wearing any makeup at all. So while good, it really depends on what you’re looking for whether I would recommend this for you.

What is your favorite SPF for the face?