IT Cosmetics CC Cream Review

This CC cream includes snail secretion filtrate, vitamin E, niacinamide, and other beneficial ingredients. It also helps correct redness.

On a recent trip to Sephora, I picked up a small travel size of IT Cosmetics CC+ cream (yes, I’m a sucker for browsing through those little product bins while waiting in line). This product bills itself as “Your Skin But Better” (and it even trademarked that phrase). After taking a quick scan through the massive ingredient list, I saw that it contained physical sunscreen ingredients (a mix of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), so it offered full protection against the full…

The problem with BB cream sunscreens

Why should you avoid sunscreen products that only contain one active ingredient (titanium dioxide)? They don't offer protection against the full spectrum of UV light.

Lately I’ve noticed that some products advertise SPF protection, but only contain one active ingredient: titanium dioxide. Why is that a problem? Because titanium dioxide only protects against part of the UV spectrum—specifically, UVB and UVA2 rays. It does not protect your skin from UVA1 (340–400 nm) rays, according to this table from the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Clean and Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser Review

This cleanser is strikingly similar to Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser. It's a decent option for travel, but not really a valid long-term option for me.

If you’re anything like me, when you’re traveling light, you probably don’t feel like transferring your normal face wash into a smaller container—so you’re forced to select among the travel-size options at your local drug store. The last time this happened to me, I opted for Clean and Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser because it looked pretty good (and I was hoping it would be a better choice than the MUJI moisturizing face soap I chose last time). After using it for a…