Sunkissed Without the Risk: Korres Watermelon Sunscreen

Just in time for summer vacations, I’ve been roadtesting several face sunscreens over the past couple of months, and the first one I want to talk about is Korres Watermelon Sunscreen SPF 30 ($28.00 for 1.69 oz.), which contains the active ingredients Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, and Zinc Oxide. (Learn more about sunscreen basics.)

Is it a broad spectrum SPF?

Yes! It includes active ingredients that cover the entire spectrum of UVA and UVB (290-400nm).

• UVA Protection: Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide
• UVB Protection: Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide

Ingredients: Aqua, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Isocetyl stearoyl stearate, Dipentaerythrityl hexacaprylate/hexacaprate, Isononyl isononanoate, Isodecyl neopentanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside,Tribehenin PEG-20 esters, Tridecyl Salicylate, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkylmethacrylate Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Callophyllum Inophylum Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Behenyl Alcohol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Isostearic Acid, Citrullus Lanatus (Melon) Extract, Glycerine, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Palmitoylproline, Magnesium palmitoyl Glutamate, Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Sulfate, Alumina.

After testing so many sunscreens these past several weeks, I’ve actually grown surprised at how few exclude silicone-based ingredients, so it is a nice to see Korres eliminate the silicones in this product! This sunscreen didn’t break me out, and it didn’t aggravate my skin whatsoever, but it wasn’t particularly comfortable to wear. It has a thicker texture, which makes it feel a bit heavy on skin initially, but I didn’t find it heavy overall.

It takes a solid fifteen to twenty minutes to absorb, but even then, it’s still a bit greasy and even a little sticky. I don’t think those with oily skin types would find this suitable for their skin, and those with drier skin types may find the greasiness is not very noticeable. However, with my normal-to-dry skin, I did have noticeable greasiness and a slight tackiness to the finish.

It doesn’t smell like sunscreen, though, and it has more of a watermelon scent that does a good job of masking it. I also didn’t get a white cast on my medium skin tone, which is always important to me, and it was easy to rub into skin (so it didn’t look white), but it just took awhile for it to fully sink in. Between the slow absorption time and the residual tacky/greasy feeling, it’s definitely not a favorite sunscreen, especially if you intend to wear makeup over it.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 22/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: If you don’t mind a little tackiness and are on the hunt for a silicone-free sunscreen, Korres Watermelon SPF 30 may be worth looking into.

Availability: Sephora

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