Lancome Bienfait Multi-vital SPF 30 Sunscreen Cream Review
Lancome Bienfait Multi-vital SPF 30 Sunscreen Cream
Just Hydration — by Lancome
Lancome Bienfait Multi-vital SPF 30 Sunscreen Cream ($45.00 for 1.70 oz.) is supposed to have 24-hour hydration with a greaseless formula and contains SPF 30. For sun protection, the active ingredients are Avobenzone 3.0% (UVA I) Octisalate 5.0% (UVB), and Octocrylene 7.0% (UVB), so the formula does not protect against the UVA II portion of the spectrum.
I tested this moisturizer out, because I was looking for something with sun protection (ideally, you’d get full coverage across both UVA and UVB ranges, but many sunscreens miss UVA II part of the UVA range) and didn’t want a juiced-up, hopped-up, anti-aging-injected moisturizer. I just wanted something that would 1) hydrate and 2) offer sun protection. I’ve really tried to reduce the amount of skincare products I accept for testing, particularly those that are high in price and (supposedly) high in anti-aging benefits, only because I don’t feel I can adequately test the efficacy of most anti-aging products to ever justify a three-digit price tag. Check back with me in a few years 🙂
It’s a thicker cream, but I felt like it was rather airy–so it didn’t feel too heavy in the jar, and it had great spreadability on the skin. It took about fifteen to twenty minutes to absorb and really sink in, but after that, it didn’t feel greasy or look oily. I wore it under makeup numerous times, and it did not interfere with the longevity of my foundation, blush, and the like. It hydrated incredibly well; my skin never felt dry or parched in the evening, and some lighter-weight moisturizers can leave me anxious to take off my makeup and apply my night cream.
The elephant in the room is the amount of fragrance Lancome puts into their skincare range. Bienfait Multi-Vital was tamer compared to other Lancome moisturizers I’ve tried, but it was still heavily scented with a nondescript floral perfume. Because of the scent, amount, and that it’s not a scent I want to tolerate, I wouldn’t purchase a jar.
I only tested this product for three weeks or so, because Shaun was also using this (mostly) daily in the morning as well–much to my dismay, of course. If I don’t give him his own moisturizer, he will steal whatever is my section of the bathroom counter! I did ask him for feedback, and he didn’t have much, other than it has a strong scent but otherwise worked well for him.
Give Shaun some Steamcream, maybe he’d stop stealing your moisturizer. 😉
I keep meaning to buy that and forgetting. Is it really any good?
The most important thing is that you’re applying plenty of a good sunscreen. And actually, this sunscreen is not bad at all!
Just FYI, avobenzone protects moderately well against UVA II rays and well against UVA I rays; it doesn’t just protect against UVA I rays. The biggest problem is that it’s highly unstable when exposed to UV light.
However, the inclusion of octocrylene (which also happens to provide good UVB and UVA II protection) stabilizes the avobenzone via triplet energy quenching.
So this sunscreen actually does provide good overall protection, especially with the 3% avobenzone and the 7% octocrylene. Glad that you’re putting it to good use. 😉
I received a deluxe sample of this and gave it to my mother. She really liked this cream so she bought the full size jar. She loves the feel and smell of it.
LOL! I love the Shaun needs you to get him moisturizer or else he’ll take whatever is on your end! I am not a fan of strong smelling face creams either. I just want the healthy skin properties without the smell. I wish they’d consider going scentless.
I admit I lol’d at Shaun stealing your face cream! I wish I could get my boy to use moisturiser/sunscreen!
So do I. I wish I can make him use at least a serum. Lucky you
In my own experience Hydra Zen is better but I am quite allergic to Lancôme products now. I much prefer Benefit Total Moisture which is not pricey ( around 30 € ) and very good.
Lancôme Bienfait Multi-vital has nothing special in it and the formula is no better than a drugstore cream I think.
Benefit’s range is tooo perfume-y for me 🙁
Hi Christine,
In France ” total moisture ” smells nothing (or it is very soft ), maybe the formula is different in the US ? Lancôme beauty creams smell very good but the perfume is really more noticeable. Well I guess the formula is not the same for European countries.
Hmm, interesting! I know I was testing some of Benefit’s new skincare range out, and I could hardly stand it 🙁 I’m not THAT sensitive to smells either!
My mother uses this everyday and she loves it. she’s tried $10-$100+ creams and she recommends this. I’ve tried the lotion version this and i love it. My favorite aspect of this is that it’s truly noncomedogenic. many lancome products are excellent for sensitive acne prone skin like mine.
The only Lancome skincare products I get are the GWP samples, and I use them as hand cream or body cream because of the fragrance. There’s no way I will put perfume on my face!! It amazes me that companies think fragrance is beneficial to skin somehow!!
I actually really liked every Lancome skincare product I’ve ever tried, and the only reason I no longer use them is the fact they aren’t paraben-free. I also happen to like the scent, LOL, which is odd because there are brands of makeup I won’t even bother with because of scent. I guess I’m okay with my skincare being scented, but not so much my actual makeup.
Haha, so funny that you had to share this against your will 🙂 I wouldn’t have let that happen, nu uh!
I love this cream and totally use it everyday! I originally started using the lotion version last summer and totally fell in love with the Bienfait skincare line (I use the night cream as well). This October though I found my skin being rather dry and so I switched to this sunscreen cream. It really works well! My skin never feels dry or uncomfortable, even in my office’s super dry air. I too found the cream to be quite light in texture despite being a cream and that it dries quite quickly and never interferes with my makeup. I’ve never found that either of the creams or lotion irritated my skin or cause any breakouts. I didn’t notice the scent being that strong, just that it had a lovely smell. But granted, my nose is not that great.
Overall I just think that Lancome did a great job creating a really good quality, basic skincare line.
I bought a set of this at sephora but mine came in a pump and not the jar. The jar was a night cream and there was an eye cream included. I’ve been using it for about three weeks. I love it! It dries quickly and doesn’t leave my face and neck greasy. I don’t really know about the SPF factor because I’m kinda obessed with sun safety but no tan so far. I would recommend this as an everyday moisturizer/SPF. It’s not anything ‘Wow. Gotta get it!’ It just does it’s job.
Before that I was using Clinique’s moisture surge in a jar. I live that but I hated the jar. It’s not as sanitary as a pump. It’s because my friends and family(even my brother) raids my beauty counter and tries them. I’m like “Wash your hands!” Especially if it is my brother.
If it is in a pump, it is the lotion.
I love the lotion version. It doesn’t cause breakouts on me and it has SPF! And I never noticed a scent (maybe because it’s pump?).
I’m using Kate Somerville skincare at the moment and am pretty pleased with it; my skin is nice and soft and the moisturizer isn’t perfumed, or at least if it is it’s subtle and I don’t notice it. I keep thinking about trying the Boscia though, the black hydration gel. Has anyone tried this?
Yes. I used the Boscia during the summer and liked it. It is a gel consistency and great for oily skin.
I’ve gone through 2 containers of this in the past and I like it. It’s not something super fantastic but it got the job done without breaking me out or giving me a really oily look. I did notice that the product didn’t mix well with some of my foundations and bb creams which is why I eventually stopped repurchasing it.
I really need a good sunscreen so if this does not give full protection, I’ll pass.