Altruist Sunscreen SPF50 review: two years in, and why it came off my face

I have been putting this on nearly every day for about two years, and my husband gets through it just as fast. It is the sun cream that lives in our house rather than the one that comes out twice a year on holiday.

I should say upfront that I am not a beauty expert. I cannot tell you what the filters are doing at a chemical level. What I can tell you is what nearly two years of daily use actually felt like, and why it ended up somewhere different from where it started.

What it actually is

The grey tube, Altruist Dermatologist Sunscreen SPF50. It comes as a pack of two 100ml tubes for around £11 on their own site.

The numbers on the packaging are the reason people talk about it: SPF50, a PPD of 52 and a five star ultra-UVA rating. The brand describes it as dermatologist formulated, and it was created by Dr Andrew Birnie, a consultant dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon.

Worth being accurate on that, because I have seen it called dermatologist approved in a few places and that is a different claim. Formulated by one is the correct description.

How I have used it

Daily, for about a year and a half to two years.

It started on my face and my body. It is now firmly a body product for me, and that switch is most of what this review is about.

What it does well

The protection is the headline and it is not close. For a product at this price, the SPF50 and PPD 52 combination is the reason I keep buying it. If you want a sun cream you can put on generously, every day, without thinking about the cost, this is that.

It does not feel like a compromise. Plenty of cheap sun creams feel like you are settling. This does not. Knowing a dermatologist formulated it is a big part of why I stopped shopping around.

We both use it. That matters more than it sounds. A sun cream only works if you actually put it on, and one this affordable is one you use properly rather than rationing.

What I did not like

It is thick. It takes longer to rub in than a light fluid does, so you have to work it into the skin properly rather than smoothing it over and walking off. On arms and legs that is genuinely no bother. It is just not a disappears-instantly formula, and you should know that going in.

It leaves a subtle white cast. Not the heavy grey some mineral sunscreens give you, but it is definitely there. Rubbing it in thoroughly deals with it on me. I am fair though, and a cast that is subtle on my skin could be a lot more obvious on deeper skin tones, so please do not take my "subtle" as the final word on that.

It pilled under my makeup. This is the one that finished it as a face product for me. Under my bronzer and concealer it rolled and balled up a bit. Not catastrophically, but enough that I noticed it most days.

It made my skin feel oilier. I have oily to combination skin anyway, so I am starting from a difficult place. Through the day my face felt heavier and greasier than I want it to.

Altruist or Beauty of Joseon?

These are the two I own, and they answer different questions.

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua is my face one. It is lightweight, it is transparent, and there is absolutely no white cast. It sits under makeup without arguing with it.

Altruist is my body one. It is thicker, it is greasier, it takes longer to rub in, it leaves a subtle white cast, and it does not sit as well under makeup.

That white cast difference is the clearest thing between them. Beauty of Joseon genuinely disappears. Altruist needs working in.

So if you are after protection for high UV on your body, Altruist is your go to. If you want protection for your face, Beauty of Joseon is the better choice. That is not one beating the other, it is two products doing different jobs, and I am happier now I stopped asking one of them to do both.

Worth knowing: the Beauty of Joseon was gifted to me. The Altruist I have bought myself, repeatedly.

On reapplying

I have found that if I put Altruist on properly in the morning, it holds up well on my body through the day, though obviously that depends on the UV level and what I am doing.

I want to be careful here, because that is my experience rather than advice. Standard sun safety guidance is to reapply at least every two hours, and more often after swimming, sweating or towel drying. Please follow that rather than me. Altruist's own site also says to cover up with clothes and a hat, which is worth repeating.

On eyes: it has never stung mine, but I am careful where I put it and I wash my hands straight after. Like most sunscreens, keep it away from the eye area rather than assuming you will be fine.

Who should skip it

• Anyone who cannot stand a thick or greasy texture. If that is a dealbreaker, you will know within one use.
• Anyone with oily skin looking for a face SPF to wear under makeup. That was exactly my situation, and I moved on.
• Anyone with deeper skin who cannot be doing with a cast. I am fair, so mine is subtle. I would not want you buying a litre of it on my say so and finding it is not subtle on you.

If your skin is drier, though, the things that bothered me might not bother you at all. Thick and cushiony is a very different experience on dry skin than it is on oily skin.

Is it worth the money?

Yes, but be realistic about how much you get through.

Around £11 for 200ml sounds like nothing until you use sunscreen the way you are supposed to. With my husband and me both applying it properly every day, those two 100ml tubes last us roughly two weeks. He is bigger than me, so he gets through more, but still.

That is not a criticism. It is the point. The reason this is good value is that it is cheap enough to use generously, and using enough is the entire job of a sun cream. Most people under-apply because the nice stuff feels too precious to slather on.

If you find it works for you, Altruist do larger pump bottles, which make far more sense than repeatedly buying the small tubes. That is what I would move to if you are using it daily on your body.

Would I buy it again?

I already have, more than once, with my own money. It is a permanent fixture in our house, and it is on my shelf along with everything else I actually use.

Just buy it for what it is good at. Body, daily, generously. If you want something to wear under foundation on oily skin, this is not it, and I would rather tell you that now than have you find out at 2pm.

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One honest caveat: I am a content creator, not a dermatologist. This is my experience on my own skin over two years, not medical advice. If you have a skin condition, a history of reacting to sun creams, or any concern about a mole or patch of skin, please speak to a GP or a pharmacist rather than taking my word for anything.