I feel stupid that I started using sunscreen only recently. I lived in a very sunny country and never bothered to wear sunscreen. Quite frankly, I’m not sure if sunscreen is part of an average Indian family. There is absolutely no one I know who wears sunscreen. Anyways, I had to start sunscreen as part of my face treatment, and I use H&H Sunban Soft Sunscreen, which has SPF 50.
About the product: Sunban Soft is a unique matte finish, moisturizing sunscreen gel, which is non-greasy, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, water/sweat resistant, and ensures labeled SPF and UVA protection. Sunban Soft, enriched with natural emollients, protects from tanning, premature aging and helps maintain original skin color and texture.
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Price: Rs 849/- | Buy from Amazon
Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, diethylamino hydroxy benzoyl hexyl benzoate, zinc oxide, propylheptyl caprylate, Ethylhexyl triazine, bis-ethylhexyloxyphenal methoxyphenyl triazine glyceryl behenate/ekcosadiote, starch, fragrance
Product and Features
Sunban Soft sunscreen is a creamy sunscreen. The company claims that it is a gel, but I feel that it has more of a whipped cream texture. It has a matte finish and a non-greasy formula. Creamy and non-greasy doesn’t sound like it goes together, but somehow that’s how it is. The sunscreen has a pale yellow color and is fragrant. The fragrance is unnecessary in sunscreen, and people with sensitive skin should preferably stay away from products with fragrance.
It has a basic squeeze tube with a yellow twist cap. The sunscreen comes in a paper box printed with all product details. The tube is of thick quality material, and the big screw cap really holds in the product tightly.
Sunban Soft sunscreen has some very attractive features:
- Broad-spectrum: there are two types of UV rays – UVA and UVB. Exposure to both can cause skin cancer. Broad-spectrum means that the sunscreen protects from both UVA and UVB rays. Many sunscreens only provide UVB protection (shown by SPF rating). Sunban sunscreen has a broad spectrum, protecting you from both types of rays.
- PA ++++: PA ratings represent the UVA protection offered by the sunscreen. UVA rays are what lead to the tanning of your skin and cause aging of the skin. They don’t lead to sunburn – like UVB rays – but damages skin nonetheless by aging and darkening it. PA+ offers the least protection, while PA++++ provides the highest UVA protection. Sunban Soft sunscreen claims to provide maximum UVA protection possible.
- CWL 372 nm: critical wavelength is the wavelength at which the sunscreen allows 10% of the rays to penetrate. A sunscreen with 370 nm is said to provide excellent protection from UVA rays. Sunban Soft sunscreen has a critical wavelength of 372 nm.
- UVA/UVB ratio 0.7: EU regulations require a ratio of 1/3 to be considered as broad-spectrum. Sunban Soft sunscreen has a 0.7 ratio.
- SPF 50: SPF measures how well the skin is protected against sunburns caused by UVB rays. It is calculated based on how long it takes to sunburn skin treated with sunscreen compared to skin without sunscreen. Sunscreens need to have a minimum of SPF 30. Sunscreen with more than 50 provides only a small increase in UV protection. At SPF 30, 97% of sunscreen is blocked and at SPF 50, 98%.
- Water-resistant: Sunban Soft sunscreen claims to be water and sweat resistant. Water-resistant means that they last only for 40-80 mins max in water, according to experts. They need to be reapplied after this time. Directions given on the bottle say that it needs to be reapplied in swimming or excessive sweating. Otherwise, the sunscreen will hold for 16 hours as per claims.
- Matte and non-greasy finish
Directions for use:
Apply a thin film evenly on the face, neck, and exposed area of the skin at least 20-30 min before sun exposure. Apply every day for maximum use. Reapply after swimming and excessive sweating or as advised by the expert.
It is necessary to apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure to absorb it into the skin and be less likely to wash off while you sweat. An ongoing debate is whether to apply moisturizer first or sunscreen. Cream sunscreens are better applied after moisturizing skin. Give 5 to 10 mins after moisturizing skin before applying sunscreen so that the cream gets sufficient time to be absorbed into the skin. Give another 5 to 10 mins before applying makeup. If enough time to absorb is not given, it is a waste even to apply the product. Mixing moisturizer and sunscreen dilutes it and will reduce the benefit. This is a practice that should be avoided.
Apply sunscreen even on days that you stay indoors. Windows do not block out sun rays completely. Though most are designed to block out UVB rays, UVA rays pass through, and the effects of this on the skin will eventually add up. Hence, it is always better to apply sunscreen even when indoors. Plus, don’t skip out on sunscreen on cloudy days!
My experience with Sunban Soft Sunscreen
I started using H&H Sunban Soft sunscreen 2 months back. My doctor advised me to use sunscreen, and I got a medical-grade sunscreen. Medical grade products tend to have higher amounts of active ingredients than over-the-counter products and can be more beneficial. From the features mentioned above, it is evident that the product has the best available protection, especially an SPF 50 sunscreen. Over the counter, products may not provide so much protection. This is the biggest benefit I found with the Sunban sunscreen.
But I’m not a fan of the matte finish. It is obviously a personal preference. I don’t like the fact that my skin looks matte and dry even after I moisturized thoroughly. Matte makeup on top of matte sunscreen makes me feel super dry. The sunscreen claims to be moisturizing though it has a matte and non-greasy formula. I wouldn’t accept it 100%. It is not drying and is suitable for all skin types. But my face looks a little dehydrated. And it doesn’t exactly create a smooth base for makeup on me.
Secondly, it is always better if the product is slightly greasy. Greasier products are easier to apply to the skin. Sunban Soft sunscreen is a non-greasy product. I feel that it takes more work to put on because of that. I dot my face with the product and the rub in. A greasier formula would have gone on easier than a matte non-greasy one. There is also literature saying that greasier and thicker formulas work better. But of course, the non-greasy formula is perfect for oily skins.
Sunscreen, especially Sunban Soft, claims to be water-resistant and 16 hours lasting, needs to be removed properly, just like any other makeup product. Do not sleep in without removing the product. I don’t find that my face wash removes it all the way, so I always use a makeup remover or cleanser to remove all traces of it at the end of the day.
Sunban Soft sunscreen is not widely available in the market. I usually find them only at pharmacies and not in any other stores. This is a huge minus for me that the product is not so popularly available. It would have made it so much easier to continue to use the product. Now, if I want to continue using it, I have to get it from some particular pharmacy back in India. Plus, sunscreen is not exactly easy on the pocket. Many reputed brands have sunscreen available at better prices and are widely available too.
Edit: Many of our readers found the texture of the sunscreen crystallized and patchy, which wasn’t the case when I tried sunscreen. Therefore, we won’t recommend it anymore.
Pros:
- Broad-spectrum, 50+ SPF, PA++++
- 16 hours of protection
- Water and sweat-resistant
- Matte finish
- Non-greasy
- It suits all skin types
- Fragrant
- Travel-friendly
Cons:
- Looks too matte on dry skin
- A greasier formula would have been easier to apply
- The fragrance is not suitable for sensitive skin
- Expensive
- Not widely available
Sunban Soft Sunscreen
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Rating
Final Word
Sunban Soft Sunscreen is one of the best options available in the market. The features are top-notch. I’m not a huge fan of the matte finish and the non-greasy formula. Plus, I wish it was easily available. The sunscreen is perfect for all skin types, including oily skin. It is moisturizing enough to use on dry skin without cracking out and non-greasy so that it suits oily skin. This is a product that I will definitely recommend to others.
Does it leave a white cast when applied in right amount ie 2 mg/cm^2. So like 4-5 finger unit on entire face ? I’m medium wheatish skin tone . thanks for the detailed review .. just a suggestion – it would be nice if you do Swatch of Sunscreen next time .. to give us before and after sunscreen application.. so that we get an idea if it leaves a white cast or not or the shine etc
Hi, Beau
Most of the time it’s normal for a sunscreen to leave a white cast which disappears after a few minutes. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll keep in mind to post swatches next time. 🙂
Thanks Mariyam for your reply
Being a guy it’s does make me a little self -conscious and cautious about using sunscreen which could leave a white cast and don’t leave a natural matte finish after 15-20 minutes 😅. Guys get picked upon on these things , though sunscreen is a healthy habit which everyone should follow . Also I posted a comment below because somehow I couldn’t see my earlier comment and you reply ..
Great product sunban soft cream, it’s genious because it gives you 24 hour protection from the sun.
Hey is the fragrance is so high . I am thinking to purchase this .
Does it leave a white cast on medium wheatish complexion or dark complexion with oily skin when applied in right amount which is 2mg/cm^2 or 4-5 finger unit for entire face ?? Also does it sting or irritate your eyes when your sweat trickles down your forehead to the inner or outer corner of the eyes . Cause the chemical/organic UV filter Sunscreen usually irritates eyes
Also next time for Sunscreen review can you Make a before and after sunscreen application pic so we can gauge how thick and white casty it is .
Thanks for such a detailed review .
Hey Mariyam so I bought the Sunscreen sunban soft Sunscreen spf50+ .but I feel the texture is a little grainy and not really like other sunscreens ( which usually have smooth texture ) . When I tried to massage it in .it left behind like little crystalline texture. The crystals are very very small but you can see and feel the grainy texture which won’t go even after massaging in.
Did you have the same issue with the Sunscreen
Hi,
It seems like the issue is with the product you received. Where have you bought it from?
Same experience. My Derm prescribed it to me and I’ve been using it since a week and I came to google this exact problem because I was wondering if the grainy texture was because my particular pack might’ve gone bad for some reason or was it supposed to be so grainy. Doesn’t feel good using it, it doesn’t absorb even after massaging for so long. Not planning to ever use it again after this one.
I ordered it from netmeds . I have the same manufacturing and expiry date as your sunscreen. Where did you get it from ?
Did your sunscreen have smooth texture without any any grittiness or crystalline texture ?
I ordered it from Amazon back then when it was available there. There was some grittiness but the texture was smooth.
NO THE TEXTURE IS NOT SMOOTH WHY THERE ARE CRYSTALS IN IT . DO THEY HARM THE SKIN BY OPENING PORES AND MAKING THE SKIN SENSITIVE?
Yes, Gargi. Sadly the texture isn’t so great anymore. I’ve added an edit to the post and I won’t recommend it.
Yes it’s grainy gritty.. I bought this product twice thinking the second one with recent manufacturing date might not be gritty but it is again the same sharp crystalline texture …
If you Google ” Sunscreen grainy , gritty, crystalline texture ” you will see it actually means the UV filters in Sunscreen have precipitated out and formed those crystals/ grain ….I would suggest you to contact them via email and see what they can do for you .
Even I too got the same product, texture is not smooth. It is crystalline texture.
Please let me know is it safe to use that?
I believe they have changed the sunscreen’s formulation. If it gets blended easily on your skin, then use it as the ingredients aren’t harmful but it’s better not to go for it anymore.
Yes it’s grainy gritty.. I bought this product twice thinking the second one with recent manufacturing date might not be gritty but it is again the same sharp crystalline texture …
If you Google ” Sunscreen grainy , gritty, crystalline texture ” you will see it actually means the UV filters in Sunscreen have precipitated out and formed those crystals/ grain .which renders sunscreen useless …I would suggest you to contact them via email and see what they can do for you
What cream should i use after using sunban…
Ideally, for your skincare or makeup routine, you should be applying sunscreen after cleansing, toning and moisturizing. After applying Sunban sunscreen, you can dab some face powder on if you wish.
yesterday I buy sunban sunscreen, I found that texture is change and when I open the seal lots of oil came, I apply sunscreen on my skin but I feel irritated I went to a pharmacy to complain but pharmacy denied to exchange the product. This sunscreen is soo expensive and I can’t even use this already my skin feels irritated after using it. For one year I have been using this product never happened this to me. But today I feel soo bad with this product. Will this company exchange my product or will this company give compensation to me ??
Hi Sudha,
Try shaking the package to see if the mixture gets re-mixed. If it doesn’t work, I suggest you send an e-mail to the company H&H about your experience, along with any photos of the product and its texture. You can contact them here: [email protected]