CyberDERM, also known as the Sunscreen Company, was founded by two Canadian physicians who happen to be married to each other: Dr. Denis Dudley, a retired obstetrician and reproductive endocrinologist, and Dr. Sharyn Laughlin, a renowned dermatologist. The Sunscreen Company makes two incredible sun protection products (with more formulations to come): Every Morning Sun Whip SPF 25, which contains 15% zinc oxide and 7.5% encapsulated octinoxate (the encapsulated part is important, as you will read in my interview with Dr. Dudley) for light, matte daily protection, as well as Simply Zinc Sun Whip SPF 30,which contains an impressive 22% zinc oxide in a formula designed for even stronger protection.
As someone with photosensitive lupus, zinc oxide has long been on my radar of excellent sunscreen ingredients, but I do not believe I had ever seen it in such a high percentage (a whopping 22%) in another product. As someone who knows how valuable zinc oxide is as an ingredient, I was immediately intrigued and eager to try CyberDERM’s products. My one concern? Zinc oxide has never been known for its aesthetics. With this much zinc oxide, will I ever be able to blend it? Will I be covered in chalky whiteness? Here is what’s amazing, CyberDERM Simply Zinc does not leave a white cast, nor does it have a stubborn consistency. Rub it once, and it disappears! It’s blendability is far superior to other zinc oxide sunscreens I have tried (and believe me, I have tried all the InvisibleZinc, etc. out there). One illustrative example: Cerave Face SPF 50 has only 4.7% zinc oxide in the form of “InvisibleZinc” no less, and it leaves me looking like a ghost no matter how long I spend trying to blend it; in contrast, CyberDERM’s Simply Zinc gives blends in effortlessly while providing nearly five times the amount of zinc oxide protection!
Simply Zinc Sun Whip is serious about delivering the ultimate protection: balanced UVA/UVB protection, which is rare in North America). Zinc oxide is the best full-spectrum ingredient we have in North America, and other company does zinc oxide like CyberDERM does. Prior to CyberDERM, it was unheard of this level of zinc oxide protection in a formulation that easily blends to a transparent finish. Simply Zinc does not cake, crumble or leave me looking greasy. It’s great alone or under makeup. This is a uniquely elegant formulation, but that is not all. The whole reason we wear sunscreen is for protection, and if you want the right balance of UVA/UVB protection you truly cannot beat Simply Zinc. As someone who a) has photosensitive lupus, b) has nearly translucent skin, and c) lives at high altitude in the desert, I put sunscreens to a tough test. Simply Zinc has provided me lasting, strong protection, and it has achieved the rare feat of preventing me from freckling (a very tall order).
How good is the UVA protection in Simply Zinc? Look below at a BASF Sunscreen Simulator Graph below, which compares the SPF of different sunscreen formulations at various UVA wavelengths. The flatter, higher curve you see for Simply Zinc (SZ in the graph) means better and more stable protection at different UVA wavelengths, clearly outperforming Brand E and Brand C, two of the markets leading formulations with (lesser amounts of) zinc oxide. Coming in second best in terms of UVA protection (and also above the leading brands C and E) is CyberDERM’s Every Morning Sun Whip. The data don’t lie. For me, the choice is clear. Given the aesthetic elegance and superior UVA protection, I am sticking with Simply Zinc Sun Whip.
[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.thebeautylibrarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Safe-Sunscreen-Comparison-Brand-C-E-and-CyberDERM-Samples-1-1.pdf” title=”Safe Sunscreen Comparison Brand C, E and CyberDERM Samples (1)”]
In addition to the data above, I put Simply Zinc to the test in the blazing New Mexican sun. To put this in context, I a) have medical photosensitivity due to lupus, b) have nearly translucent skin that, left unprotected, burns in a few minutes and freckles in mere seconds, plus c) I live at high altitude, nearly a mile above sea level, under the blazing New Mexican sun. More than just an aesthetic issue, I require the utmost in UV protection for the sake of my overall health. Those of us with lupus demand and deserve a truly high-performance sunscreen, and since we have to wear it religiously, it ought to be pleasant to use. CyberDERM Simply Zinc Sun whip has achieved the rare feat of preventing me from freckling–making it the one and only North American sunscreen I have tried that keeps me from freckling. This is a good thing because although freckles are cute, they indicate a degree of sun damage. With all this in mind, Simply Zinc has exceeded my hopes and expectations. It provides powerful, lasting and balanced UVA/UVB protection I trust, combined with an unexpected, but delightful blendability and aesthetic elegance. In my vast sunscreen experience to date, Simply Zinc is unparalleled. With this Sun Whip, I have finally found my Holy Grail sunscreen.
CONCLUSION: I give CyberDERM Simply Zinc Sun Whip my highest recommendation as a sunscreen and as an anti-aging product. This is what I use now–exclusively. I will be using CyberDERM products on my young daughters from now on as well, to protect their delicate skin with efficacy and purity I trust. Simply Zinc Sun Whip is a joy to use. In addition to being a favorite of this author, it was named the sunscreen of the year in 2015 by The Beauty Editor and was also selected by ELLE and Canadian Living Magazine as a favorite product. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
What is your Holy Grail sunscreen and why?