The VLCC Hydrophobic Sun Block Lotion which has an SPF of 50 and PA+++ caught my attention for two reasons: one, the word “Hydrophobic and the next being “long duration protection”.
Price: 350 INR for 100 gms
Description as given on the VLCC Website:
- Water resistant formula with SPF 50 and PA+++, provides ‘Broad Spectrum’ UVA & UVB Protection
- ‘Four Boot Star’ accredited SPF 50, makes it ideal for long duration sun exposure, water sports and outdoor activities.
- Raspberry Seed Oil, protects skin against tanning, leaving it glowing
If you thought the word Hydrophobic means fear of water and what that has to do with the sunscreen, welcome to my world!! Well, Hydrophobic in this context shows a property of the ingredients used in the sunscreen which tend to repel against a mass of water, which means it does not dissolve in water making it water proof. Phew!! By the way, the source of my knowledge is Wikipedia 😛
Well, to start off with, the fragrance, once the sunscreen is taken out of the tube reminds me of raspberry but not the fresh ones (the artificial flavoring agent kind is what it smells like) but after application, it disappears.
The sunblock isn’t creamy and is really difficult to blend. It takes so much time to blend and it needs that much patience and time otherwise it looks as though there are white patches on the skin. I think I’ll become blend-o-phobic by the time I finish this tube!!
Apart from hands and legs, I’ve used it on my face (oh! all for the joy of blending!! :P) and it doesn’t make my face look oily but for people with oily skin, this might make your face look oilier than usual. . Yes, this sunblock takes longer than usual to get absorbed since it is thick in terms of consistency.
In terms of whether it prevents tan, I would say it does 60% of what its supposed to do. I have tanned and that too with regular usage of this sunblock but not to an extent where I find the need to change the sunblock immediately. Compared to other sunscreens/sunblocks I’ve used, the extent to which I’ve tanned is much less with this sunscreen.
Whether it is good enough for water sports is something that I cannot judge considering I haven’t indulged in any such activity but I’m sure it is, considering the “Hydrophobic” aspect of it.
Final Word: If you live in a place where the weather is humid then this is a good sunblock to invest in, if you don’t mind spending some time applying it!!
