Obagi Sunscreens - my personal opinion (I've tried them all)
Posted on Fri, Oct 07, 2011
By Bayardo Aviles
My regular Obagi patients frequently ask me two main questions about Obagi sunscreens:
1. What is the difference between the different Obagi sunscreens?
The easy answer to question one would be to give you a list of the main ingredients for you to read, but that does not help much. At least it would not help me. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to use all of the Obagi sunscreens since I started using Obagi products 13 years ago. Here, I will share my personal opinion of them. However, please remember that we all have different taste and that different lotions look and feel better on different skin types, so do not use only my opinion to make a decision if a specific sunscreen is adequate for you. For each sunscreen I will give you a technical description (main active ingredients) followed by my personal experience.
Obagi Nu-Derm Sunfader SPF 15 (6)
A topical prescription treatment that helps to protect skin from ultraviolet damage with 7.5% octinoxate and 5.5% oxybenzone, while correcting uneven surface skin color and brown spots with 4% hydroquinone. 2.0 fl ox (57 g).
This is the sunscreen that is included in the Obagi Nu-Derm starter kit. It is an essential component of the Obagi system when trying to remove brown discoloration. It contains 4% hydroquinone to lighten sunspots, acne-caused discoloration or scarring and freckles. After application of this sunscreen, the skin stings a bit since it contain two active chemical ingredients. To alleviate the stinging, I typically use a hand fan and fan for a few seconds until the sensation goes away. For those of you that use the Obagi system, you know that this is the last product you apply in the morning so the skin feels saturated and looks shiny, but it slowly penetrates the skin and your complexion looks better.
Healthy Skin Protection SPF 35
Obagi Nu-Derm Healthy Skin Protection SPF 35 (6). A sunscreen with 9% micronized zinc oxide and 7.5% octinoxate helps to protect newly transformed, younger looking skin.
This is the sunscreen that is included in the Obagi Nu-Derm starter kit as a one-ounce sample. It is recommended to apply this sunscreen after applying the Sunfader SPF 15, especially if you suspect you will be in the sun for an extended period of time. I typically tell my patients to go ahead and apply it all the time since we live in a sunny place and it is better to prevent. This is the sunscreen I personally prefer to use on a daily basis. It is moisturizing, goes on my skin smoothly and it gives me great protection without leaving my skin too white since the zinc oxide is micronized (very finely grounded). Typically, this is one of the sunscreens I recommend once patients enter the maintenance phase of their skin transformation with the Obagi Nu-Derm system.
Physical UV Block SPF 32
Obagi Nu-Derm Physical UV Block SPF 32 (6). A sunscreen with 18.5% zinc oxide helps to protect the newer, healthier skin created by your skin transformation. 2.0 oz (57 g).
This is the sunscreen we recommend the most after any type of moderate to aggressive laser or chemical peel procedure. Because it only contains zinc oxide, it does not irritate my skin at all. This is the sunscreen I use the most when I go to the beach to read or go for a hike. Now, some patients do not like this sunscreen because it contains a lot of zinc oxide (18.5%) and it goes on your skin white and stays white for a while. I do not recommend massaging it too much into the skin because this diminishes the SPF protection. There are other sunscreens available now, with similar zinc oxide and titanium dioxide contents that are tinted and go on the skin more elegantly than the Physical SPF 32, but I still prefer the Physical SPF 32 because I can clearly tell if I missed a spot. This sunscreen is packaged in a very firm plastic container to prevent breakdown of the ingredients and you must have strong hands to squeeze the product out once you get close to the end of the container.
Look for part two of my blog post on Obagi sunscreens next week where I will review a few more Obagi sunscreen products. In that article I will also answer the second most frequently asked question my regular Obagi patients ask. You may also want to visit the new Sunscreen Bar in our Kamuela office. There you can feel, smell and test about 20 of the best sunscreens in the market.
(Read part two of this Obagi sunscreen blog post here)
