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Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciation SALE – Cruelty Free Picks!

Believe it or not, it’s that glorious time of the year again…a Sephora Sale is here! Yes, that’s right. There’s a Beauty Insider Appreciation Sale in August instead of the usual early November VIB time frame. No one seems certain if this is a replacement sale time, or an additional sale. I’m hoping for the later…I think! 😉 Given the unexpected discount season, I thought I would share some of my Cruelty Free Recommendations for the sale. So we’ll start with the recommendations, and end with the boring sale details – there’s an unusual restriction this time around that I haven’t heard many mention that may affect your purchasing, so I’ll explain that. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

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Hang Ten Sunscreens by Coola – Reviews & Comparisons – Mineral, Classic Sport & Spray – Part 2

As promised, today I’m bringing you a review of the Hang Ten Mineral Sunscreen, the Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen, and the Classic Sport Sunscreen Spray. If you’d like to learn a bit more about howthese different formulas work, check out my last post (you can find that here – it’s kind of interesting to my nerd brain, so check it out!). Since you’re here for the actual review portion, just keep reading to see my thoughts on the different formulas!

So, now that we’ve gotten a mini science lesson out of the way, let’s talk about these specific sunscreens from Hang Ten. Each one I have tried is for the Body and retails for $12.99. They each have a Broad Spectrum (meaning it protects against UVA andUVB rays – you need this in any sunscreen) SPF 50 that carries the claim of being water resistant for 80 minutes. Awesome in my book! If you prefer a lower SPF, Hang Ten makes each version in SPF 30 too. I always go for the highest protection I can get and the water resistance is important to me too. If you sweat at all, this is important. And, let’s face it, we allsweat – especially in the Summer! I’m losing my point here. J What I’m getting at is that I tried to compare apples to apples within the various formulas.

Let’s start with the Mineral Sunscreen. Many Mineral Sunscreens are known for their white tint that can be difficult to get absorbed into the skin. The Hang Ten Mineral Sunscreen blends in like a dream! It iswhite like other Mineral Sunscreens, but it is absolutely no trouble getting the cream to melt right in, eliminating any potential white cast with virtually no effort. It also feels amazing! It almost seems more like a moisturizer than a sunscreen. It is a bit thicker than the Classic Sunscreen, but kind of like the difference between a cream and a lotion. They both blend into the skin without trouble, and neither feels heavy on the skin. It absorbs almost as soon as you rub it across your skin so there is no sticky or greasy feeling left behind. There is a subtle cucumber-aloe-like scent that isn’t offensive or obtrusive; it’s actually kind of refreshing. This is by far the absolute best Mineral Sunscreen I have ever used! I should add that though the two have the same retail price, the Mineral Sunscreen contains 3.4 fluid ounces (100mL), while the Classic Sport variety contains 6 fluid ounces (177mL). If I had to choose between the two, I’m not really sure what I’d pick because they both feel quite similar and are absolutely fantastic! J

I’m not going to review the Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen since I have already done so here. Check out that review for more info.

That leaves us with the Hang Ten Classic Sport Spray Sunscreen. Obviously this is a spray formula that comes in an aluminum can for added convenience, especially on the go. I love that the cap twists to “shut off” the nozzle should you want to throw it in your beach bag and avoid spraying its contents. Again like the Classic Sport version, the spray contains 6 fluid ounces (177mL). The formula is also fantastic! Many sprays seem kind of heavy, greasy, or sticky on the skin, but this is quite the opposite. The fine mist is barely detectable on the skin and it sprays out in a way that doesn’t make you feel the need to rub it in to ensure it’s absorbed or evenly applied. It absorbs on contact so there’s no waiting around to throw on your clothes either. It’s so light that you almost don’t even realize you’ve just sprayed it on your skin! Again, it’s got to be the best spray sunscreen I have ever tried! It has a faint cucumber-aloe scent like the rest of the Hang Ten Sunscreens that is pleasant and doesn’t linger or interfere with other scents. It’s fan-freakin’-tastic! J

I can’t tell you which of the Hang Ten Sunscreens is best because they are all stellar! It really just comes down to personal preference. If you like a Mineral Sunscreen, the Hang Ten is definitely my pick. For a chemical sunscreen (that’s mostly Organic as well – they all are), definitely pick up the Classic Sport. If you need a spray version, you can’t go wrong with the Classic Sport Spray. I seriously love all of the sunscreens! And can I just take a minute to point out the absolutely awesome packaging?!?! J They’re all printed with shades of neon that just screams Summer. So cute! My only difficulty with the Hang Ten Sunscreens is that they’re difficult to find outside of their website. I’m guessing this is going to change quickly since they’re amazing, but for now, you’re best bet is purchasing them online. Slightly annoying, but not really a big deal – and the shipping is quite reasonable as well. I highly, highly, highly recommend giving at least one of these spectacular sunscreens a try!!!

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Hang Ten from Coola Sunscreens – Mineral vs Classic Sport vs Classic Spray – Differences? – Part 1 of 2

Recently I raved about the Hang Ten Classic Sunscreen (see the post here). Since I only had a sample, I knew I needed to place an order pronto. I decided to give all three of their formulations a try while I was at it. So, this post will include the Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen SPF 50, the Hang Ten Mineral Sport Sunscreen SPF 50, and the Hang Ten Classic Sport Spray Sunscreen SPF 50. Yup. I tested them all so that I could share the finding with you…and satisfy my own curiosity! J

(Keep in mind that I am not a doctor, nor am I an expert in sun protection or the science behind it. This is just what I have learned from my own research.)

Firstly, let’s start out with the importance of sunscreen. Yes, we all know that we should protect our skin from the damaging rays of the sun. But really, we need to protect ourselves from the sun! Not only does it help reduce the signs of aging, but it can help prevent skin cancer. I’m no expert on either of these topics, but I do know that I want to avoid them both! To truly protect our skin, we need to wear it all day long, rain or shine! Even in the Winter, perhaps even more so, the sun’s harmful rays can still damage the skin. But fear not! That’s why sunscreen is so important to apply all year long! I’m not gonna lie, I tend to skip it in the Winter too, but I shouldn’t because the sun’s UVA/UVB rays are still hitting my skin. Enough of the lecturing though. Let’s get into the differences between the sunscreens.

As I said in the beginning, Hang Ten makes three different versions of their sunscreen. One is not necessarily better than the other and what you choose is really just based on your own personal preferences (or in some instances your skin’s sensitivities). So then what exactly makes the Mineral and the Chemical differentfrom one another? I never really gave it much thought, but there actually is a difference in how these formulas protect you from the sun.

Let’s start with Mineral Sunscreens. I always thought of Mineral Sunscreens as the “all natural” variety. And this is basically the case. They use naturally occurring mineral (or physical) active ingredients, predominately Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide, to block the sun’s rays. In fact, that is precisely how they protect us. Mineral Sunscreens actually scatter and reflect away the UVA/UVB rays. They almost keep the sun from even hitting the skin and they are immediately effective. Chemical Sunscreens do essentially the same thing, but go about it in almost the opposite manner.

A Chemical Sunscreen is generally considered every bit as effective as a Mineral Sunscreen, but it doeswork differently. A Chemical Sunscreen uses active ingredients (or chemicals) to absorb and diffuse the sun’s UVA/UVB rays. It basically creates a chemical barrier that prevents the sun from penetrating into the skin. The rays still don’t reach the skin, but they are not deflected like with a mineral sunscreen; the skin has more of an impenetrable shield surrounding it and keeping it safe. Because of this, a chemical sunscreen should be applied about 30 minutes prior to being in the sun because it needs times to work it’s magic. The Chemical variety is no better or worse than a Mineral Sunscreen (at least in the case of Hang Ten), just different. Hang Ten’s Classic Sport and Spray Sunscreens are chemical sunscreens, so they work in this manner. The spray just allows the convenience of a spray application, versus the almost watery lotion-like texture of the standard Classic Sport. If you’d like to learn more about the science and how sunscreens work, check out these helpful bits on Coola’s website.

I was going to review each version of the Hang Ten Sunscreens in this post, but it has gotten so long that I’m going to break it into two parts. Stay tuned for my next post, which will include a review of the Hang Tan Mineral Sunscreen, the Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen, and the Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen Spray. Hope to see you in a day or two for that post and thanks for checking out this post! J


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Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen – A Sample I LOVE!!!

Today I’m doing something I don’t think I’ve ever done before. I’m reviewing a product from one of my sample boxes!!! J In my May Ipsy bag I received a 1oz sample of the Hang Ten Classic Sport 50 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen (see what else I snagged here). I needed a sunscreen that day and this was fresh in my mind, so I grabbed it. I am so glad that I did because I loveit!

Usually I figure sunscreen is pretty much sunscreen, though I do have my favorites. Looking at the ingredients of the Hang Ten Sunscreen, I was intrigued because there are quite a few moisturizers included. Shea Butter is the second ingredient! It also contains Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil and Cocoa Butter – that’s a lot of hydration! (Full ingredient list is at the end of this post.) That could amount to a lot of greasiness, but it claims to be non-greasy. So I went about slathering the lotion on my arms and wow! This is not your average sunscreen!

First, let me get into a bit of background here. Hang Ten is a lifestyle brand that was actually founded in 1960, but has just recently teamed up with San Diego based organic facial sunscreen brand Coola. Coola aims to provide sunscreens that are good for the skin as well as for the environment, and has continued this philosophy with Hang Ten Sunscreens. Currently Hang Ten offers three different lines: Mineral SPF Lotions that are chemical free, Classic SPF Lotions and Classic SPF Sprays. Each line offers a Broad Spectrum SPF of 30 or 50 (the spray is available in SPF 15 as well) and is Water Resistant up to 80 minutes. Much to my surprise and pleasure, they are also available at affordable prices! They run about $13 for a full size. I was not expecting that because Coola’s face sunscreens are around the $35 mark I believe. I never thought I’d be all that excited about a sunscreen, but I really am! J

So, back to the sunscreen itself. It actually has a rather thin consistency, so it can be a bit messy if you’re not careful. The great thing about the thin, almost runny, sunscreen is that it is so easy to rub into the skin! It is in fact quite moisturizing, but it isn’t greasy at all! It does take a minute or two to absorb, but that’s not a huge deal to me. It’s not sticky or tacky like so many other sunscreens and it doesn’t leave any kind of white cast, nor does it take a lot of effort to spread it around. It has a subtle scent that is pleasant – a bit like cucumbers on the beach, if that makes sense! It’s not a scent that will overpower anything else you might want to wear, nor is it something that will overwhelm everyone else at the beach (though I dolove that traditional sunscreen scent).

Of course it has the traditional sunscreen benefits of Broad Spectrum protection against UVA & UVB rays – vitally important! It also leaves out the bad stuff like parabens, Oxybenzone, Retinyl Palmitate, Synthetic Fragrances and Nano-particles. As mentioned above, it is water resistant up to the maximum 80 minute water resistance claim time that is allowed by the FDA! As an added bonus, the packaging is super summery and cute too. The Hang Ten Classic Sport 50 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen ticks all the boxes and is by far the best sunscreen I have found!!! J
You can find the nearest retailer of Hang Ten Sunscreens on their website, or you can order directly from the site.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3.0%, Octinosate 7.5%, Octisalate 5.0%, Octocrylene 8.5%
Inactive Ingredients: Acrylates Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii (ORGANIC Shea Butter), Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (ORGANIC Coconut) Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Flavor, Fragaria Vesca (ORGANIC Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Gatactoarabinan, Glycerin (ORGANIC), Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acryate/SodiumAcyloyldimethyl, Taurate Copolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Phanoxyethanol, Propanediol, Rosmarinus Officinalia (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus (ORGANIC Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum (ORGANIC Lady’s Thistle) Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Theobroma Cocao (ORGANIC Cocoa) Seed Butter, Water, Xanthan Gum

(I hope I got that right – the print is so tiny!)

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