Fre Protect Me 50 Mineral SPF 50 Moisturizer

Minimal scent, feels nice on the skin and rubs in well. Feels light

I'm very fair skinned and having sunscreen I actually look forward to using everyday is of paramount importance. That being said, I didn't hate this sunscreen. If I was in a pinch I would use it but there are others I prefer. I would like the say that the smell is absolutely amazing! I almost didn't return the product because of how nice it smells. It starts out as a really lightweight serum texture, which I love, but then as it dries it's that instant "gotta wash it off my hands" feeling. It does have really good ingredients as well. It felt fine on my face and chest after application but for me it was really just how yucky it felt on my hands that made me decide this was a no. I might come back to this at some point, if I can't find a substitute for my favourite sunscreen that got reformulated but right now I just couldn't get on board.

This is the third product I’ve tried by Fre. I really liked the first two (serums) and this SPF 50 mineral sunscreen seems to be another winner. The first thing I liked was that it didn’t leave a whiteness on my face. It also didn’t have that mineral sunscreen smell, which to me is rather unpleasant. It comes in a glass bottle and it is supposed to be reapplied every two hours(unless you were swimming or sweating, then you need to reapply more often). I haven’t been to the beach yet this year. So far, I’m just wearing it when working in my garden. No sunburn yet and the sun has been getting stronger every week. The bottle is 1.69 fluid ounces and my only unanswered question is how long it will last? Time will tell if it works and it is worth the cost. I’ll update if it doesn’t seem worth it. I wish I had consistently protected my face at an earlier age. I have two dark spots that just won’t go away. It’s definitely worth it to me to not get any more and also of course the potential for skin cancer. So far, it gets a 👍 from me.

I have used other Fre products and LOVE THEM! I really wanted to like this sunscreen as a go-to daily sunscreen. It smells great, feels lightweight, but seems to pill on your skin and leaves white residue. Further, the skin around my eyes became very sensitive, red and burned after I did a workout and sweated with this sunscreen (for days afterwards) As I said, I love their other products, but am disappointed in this product, especially since it's advertised for women who exercise and sweat.

The FRE Protect Me 50 comes in a lovely pale blue glass and plastic 1.69oz pump for $39. Since it is sunscreen, I would say making it out of glass is kind of a waste since it will be tossed into recycling in less than a month, assuming you are using your SPF as regularly as you are supposed to. Having said that, I do prefer anything over plastic or any way to reduce waste. Price-wise, this is way overpriced for less than 2oz of zinc oxide. It is an extremely common mineral-blocking ingredient found in sunscreens. Good SPF doesn't have to be expensive. I advocate that users find one they like, chemical or mineral filters (it doesn't matter). The goal is to find one you will use every day. If you like a cheap or expensive one, that is entirely up to you. But price doesn't always dictate performance. I've used dozens of good, inexpensive ones. The point is to use SPF daily, rain or shine, year-round, not just during the warmer months. The UV is always there. But I digress. This mineral sunscreen is water resistant (but, as with any sunscreen, it should be reapplied frequently) and gives the user a protection factor of up to 50 using zinc oxide 24% as its primary filter. To remove it in the PM, I recommend doing the double-cleanse method, applying an oil wash or balm to a dry face first, generously but gently massaging it all over your face, etc., rinsing it, and following it up with your favorite cleanser (second step). I suggest an oil wash first because most cleansers are not robust enough to disrupt layers of water-resistant sunscreens and waterproof makeup. The second step with your regular cleanser simply removes any lingering residue. FRE's white cream is runny and spreads well, but with anything formulated with zinc, it will take a little effort to get it to absorb and avoid the white cast. I suggest prepping and hydrating the skin first, as this will help with spreadability. While it says nothing about fragrance, this does have a smell. It is light and floral, not unpleasant, just unnecessary. Didn't cause any irritation, breakouts, or flares, but I am put off by the presence of lavender and bergamot oils, which I assume are included to create the pretty smell. They can be unsuitable for those with highly reactive skin. Thankfully, I didn't experience any adverse reactions while using it, but I would not get this again. I've used less expensive, more than 1.69oz, mineral-based, unscented sunscreens that perform way better compared to this one. I'm a natural redhead, very fair, and even I struggle with the dreaded white cast that can occur when using a mineral SPF. My skin is also sensitive, and I don't want to have to rub it for too long or hard in order to get a product to melt into it. There are far better sunscreens out there to suit my needs. Still, this one isn't bad. Again, it is lightweight and creamy, and the smell isn't bad.