fragrance free

Alba Botanica Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Review

A purely physical sunscreen that's affordable and doesn't leave a heavy white cast. It's also formulated with beneficial ingredients like vitamin E and shea butter.

I just spent the past week in Vegas, and boy, did my skin feel like it was actually sizzling in that 100-degree heat. The sun feels much stronger out there—and indeed, the UV index was 9 in Vegas today, compared to 7 in NYC. You can look up the UV index for your city here on the EPA’s website. It definitely served as a catalyst for getting serious about finding a quality sunscreen that I could apply on my body every day (without going broke). And I think I found it: Alba Botanica…

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser Review

Don't expect this cleanser to fully remove makeup or sunscreen—but it is gentle, non-irritating, and one of my favorites.

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is a gentle cleanser that reminds me of Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Gentle Skin Cleanser, another favorite of mine. It doesn’t lather, and it contains many of the same ingredients as CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It also feels quite similar to that lotion in texture, except a little runnier. In this post, I’ll share my thoughts on why I like this cleanser, what not to expect from this cleanser, and we’ll take a look at how much its…

What's the best mineral sunscreen for babies?

My dad the chemist's pick is Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple SPF 50. But it's important to note that this is not a purely mineral sunscreen, and it contains parabens (if that matters to you).

Baby sunscreen is a hot topic, especially if you live in an area that gets a lot of sun, like my baby niece does. The problem with many baby sunscreens is that most babies don’t like the sunscreen application process—especially when it feels thick and pasty. Zinc oxide is a very effective UV filter (and is the only FDA-approved ingredient to block all three types of UV rays: UVA1, UVA2, and UVB), but it oftentimes makes sunscreen feel thick, and it leaves a white cast. My dad mentioned…