I developed facial melasma 12+ years ago despite using expensive SPF 50 sunscreen for dry, sensitive skin twice daily from another manufacturer. The melasma had darkened (ugh!) and spread from above my top lip to under my bottom lip, my nose bridge, my cheeks, my forehead & my temples. I hated going out because I felt so ugly, and no brand of makeup coverage hid the really dark areas. I wore a sun hat everywhere I went (even in the car while driving, pumping gas and even to open the front door.) I seriously avoided being in sunlight despite living in Central Texas where the sun is always out. I saw dermatologists several times throughout the years who told me of treatments that I knew were only temporary or that my sensitive skin could not tolerate.
About 3 yrs ago, I read a dermatology journal article where the researchers noted that patients using chemical-based sunscreens showed a higher incidence of increased melasma darkening and spreading compared to patients using mineral-based sunscreens. I checked the ingredients of the SPF 50 I'd been using and sure enough, the chemicals the researchers listed were in what I had been using for 9+ years. More upsetting is that when I started researching these ingredients, at least one was always used in 95% of marketed higher SPF sunscreens for dry, sensitive skin.
I did more research, found MDSolarSciences Mineral Moisture Defense SPF 50 and fell in love. No white streaks or white sheen left after application, locks in…