Shelter: Strong Gentle Sunscreen By Laurel1 on Jun 29, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

So you're thinking, what kind of fool pays $28 for a sunscreen? Someone who has very sensitive pale skin on her face and wants something with a high SPF, that's not greasy or oily or shiny, and that is gentle but effective.

Shelter by Philosophy meets all those things. It has an SPF of 30, it has broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection, and it's gentle enough for children over 6 months old. I use it only on my face because of the price., but it works for body too. I don't mind having something a little less expensive and with a little bit of oil on my arms and legs, but I want the best for my face. I'm very fair, and I've never tanned: I just burn. I need sunscreen year-round, and I need it even if I'm only going to be outside for 10 or 15 minutes. I'd been using a moisturizer with an SPF of 15, but that just wasn't enough. When I found Shelter, I knew I had to try it. QVC has a 30-day return policy, so I knew if I wasn't happy with it, I could return it for a refund.

I'm very satisfied with it. It goes on feeling like a moisturizer, it's scent isn't perfume-y or strong, but it's not unpleasant, and it blends easily into my skin. I used in on my face, throat, decolletage (is that the right word? Froggy will know!), and on the back of my neck and upper back on whatever skin is exposed. I've been using it for a month now, and have not gotten any sunburn (which is atypical for me; it seems like I always burn at least a few days a month, whether I'm walking the dogs or working in my garden, wearing a less-expensive sunscreen). The active ingredients are octinoxate, octisalate, oxybenzone, and titanium dioxide. Aside from the last one, I don't know exactly what those ingredients are, but it works.

I haven't been outside much this month (June) because I've been sick all month, but even for trips to the doctor, I wear the sunscreen. I highly recommend it to anyone with sensitive skin who wants a good sunscreen for her (or his -- guys need sunscreen too!) face. It does what it's called -- it shelters your skin from the sun!