PRODUCT REVIEW: AXIS-Y COMPLETE NO-STRESS PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN - BEST MINERAL SUNSCREEN FOR SENSITIVE SKIN, BEST K-BEAUTY SUNSCREEN
AXIS-Y | COMPLETE NO-STRESS PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN
This product review was originally part of my blog article titled, Brands I’m Into: Axis-Y - Vegan, Anti-Pollution Skincare - Best Mineral Sunscreen, Best Blemish Treatment. You can catch the full piece here.
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My one and only trip to Korea was in January, 2013 — nearly ten years ago. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long.
Seoul in the winter is glorious, otherworldly and brutal. The air is damp and bone-chillingly cold. I remember standing in the DMZ at the border with North Korea thinking I had never been so cold in my life!
But being in Seoul was special and one of the highlights of my travels around the world. I’d already had an appreciation for Korean food, but left with a passion for its spicy, warming heat. Being there in such frigid air left me with a clearer understanding as to why Korean food is so spicy. Even so, I long to return in the spring or fall, when the temperatures are a bit more, temperate.
I loved nearly every minute of my six days in Seoul but, of course, there was nothing more exciting than hopping from beauty shop to beauty shop in the city’s famed Gangnam neighborhood. It was my first real experience with Korean skincare, or K-beauty.
The list of my favorite Korean skincare products is extensive. And I’m always excited to discover new K-beauty products and brands. My latest discover is AXIS-Y, a clean, vegan, cruelty-free brand focused on pollution and its aging effects on the skin.
The world of Korean skincare can seem overwhelming in its breadth and the seemingly infinite number of products made with unusual ingredients. K-beauty truly is a world all its own. So when a brand stands out in the pack, it’s significant. AXIS-Y is one of those brands. I’ve literally had my eye on AXIS-Y for years and was excited to finally have the chance to try several of their products for myself.
The fact that AXIS-Y is hyper-focused on pollution and its effects on the skin matters to me. A lot. Skin barrier health is a main focus of my entire skincare regimen and, I believe, one of the reasons that my skin is in such great condition today.
According to the brand, “Our skin experiences an ever-growing complex environment influenced by growing pollution, stressors, and climate change. In addition, with the rise of traveling, more people have realized the unique skin concerns arising by their climate and the need for more personalized skincare. As the first creators of climate-inspired skincare, we seek to deliver this higher level of personalized care for our global community.”
Over the last several weeks, I’ve been putting AXIS-Y products to the test. I’m excited to share my impressions of the AXIS-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen below…
AXIS-Y | Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen
I’ve often shared my favorite Kiehl’s philosophy, something I took to heart from my days working on the brand in the early to late 2000s. That is, wear sunscreen even on cloudy, seemingly sunless days. The mistake many people make is in thinking that they can somehow outsmart the sun; that they don’t need sun protection in the winter when the sun is weak or on a cloudy day. You can’t outsmart the sun. The sun’s rays always find a way to your skin.
It is essential to wear sunscreen even on cloudy seemingly sunless days.
I never, ever go without sunscreen. My secret for healthy, youthful looking skin isn’t Botox, a face lift or a BB cream; it’s sunscreen. And I firmly believe you have to find one (or several!) that you enjoy using so much that you wouldn’t even think of skipping it.
You can explore my recommendations of the best sunscreens for face on the blog here.
Among my favorite sunscreens that are currently in my daily rotation are Cocokind’s Daily SPF Facial Sunscreen Lotion, the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream and the Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk — an iconic J-beauty sunscreen that I’ve often joked is made from alien technology. You can catch my review of it on the blog here.
The Best Sunscreens for Face
I have multiple sunscreens I love — chemical, mineral and hybrid — so the bar is set relatively high for me. For a sunscreen to make it to my regular daily skincare regimen is a big deal. And I’m excited to share that the AXIS-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen is now among my top picks of 2022.
As I said, AXIS-Y’s 100% mineral sunscreen is an exceptional formula. The Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen is quite a well-formulated and well-rounded facial sunscreen product with a blend of protective antioxidants, replenishing plant oils and soothing herbal extracts that combine for a complete anti-aging, pro-skin health treatment.
And the AXIS-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen is such a pleasure to use. I’m literally obsessed with its super light fluid texture and medical aroma.
No Skincarma Blog review about sunscreen products and the importance of sun protection would be complete without mention of Jeanne and Susan, identical twin sisters.
Seriously, I can’t imagine a Skincarma Blog article about the best facial sunscreen products for the summer heat without an introduction to my friends Jeanne and Susan — identical twin sisters.
No, they're not my actual friends; in fact, we’ve never met. But I feel like I know them. As good friends would, they inspire me to be better — and to wear sunscreen every single day of the year. If you need proof of the very real effects of sun damage on your skin, look no further than these two ladies.
The sisters looked exactly alike growing up. But Susan has spent her life in Florida worshiping the sun (she’s also a heavy smoker!) while sister Jeanne lives in Ohio and has generally avoided overexposure to the sun (and smoking) throughout her life. While both were 61 when the adjacent photo was taken, a scientific study of Susan’s skin at Case Western Reserve University showed an 11-year age difference — Susan has extreme hyperpigmentation (sun spots), deeper wrinkles and degradation in skin elasticity.
Be a Jeanne, not a Susan!
What’s the Difference Between Mineral and Chemical Sunscreens?
While I do prefer a mineral sunscreen, it’s not a dealbreaker for me. What’s most important is that you love using your sunscreen product. If it’s a chemical sunscreen, that’s perfectly okay. One of my all-time favorite sunscreens is the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum PA+++ — a 100% chemical facial sunscreen that’s such a pleasure to use it’s insane. I literally look forward to applying it! (You can catch my review of it o the blog here.)
But what are the real differences between a mineral sunscreen and chemical sunscreen? For helpful insights, there’s an excellent article by the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, Mineral vs. Synthetic Sunscreen Ingredients available here. In the piece, the experts explain the differences and benefits between the two — and even dispel a myth or two.
The two types of sunscreen ingredients are mineral and synthetic [chemical], and both are equally protective. Further reassuring is that each can be included in formulas created for every skin type. For example, if you have normal to oily skin, there are weightless, non-greasy options; if you have normal to dry skin, it’s possible to find skin-smoothing, hydrating SPF products.
What’s the Difference Between Mineral and Synthetic Sunscreen Ingredients?
The differences aren’t about which type is more effective; rather, it comes down to personal preference and how sensitive your skin is—mineral sunscreens are considered the most gentle options.
Mineral sunscreens: There are only two mineral sunscreen ingredients: titanium dioxideand zinc oxide. They work in skin's uppermost layers to both absorb and, to a lesser extent, deflect and scatter the sun’s harmful rays. These mineral ingredients are sometimes referred to as physical sunscreens or physical blockers, although that’s not a factual representation of how they work.
Synthetic sunscreens: There are over 30 synthetic sunscreen ingredients, all of which absorb into the top layers of skin, where they work similar to mineral sunscreens: by scattering and deflecting the sun’s harmful rays, and by converting UV rays into heat and “deactivating” them. (Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing.) Common synthetic sunscreen ingredients include oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, and avobenzone. These are sometimes labeled “chemical sunscreens,” which is both misleading and false. All skin care ingredients, even water, are chemicals.
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Which Sunscreen is Best?
As we said, the right sunscreen for you is the one you’ll look forward to applying daily. It should be rated SPF 30 or higher and provide broad-spectrum protection to prevent damage from the sun’s killer UVA and UVB rays. Beyond that, to make an informed choice, you need to know how your skin type responds to different sunscreen ingredients and textures: those containing mineral actives, synthetic actives, or a combination of both.
Mineral sunscreens:
Begin to work immediately on application, but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
Have almost no risk of irritating skin.
May leave a white cast, especially on darker skin tones, but the best pure mineral sunscreens go on almost sheer.
May need more careful, liberal application because of the way they work in formulas. So, go ahead, slather these on for brilliant protection!
Do not penetrate past skin's uppermost layers.
Synthetic sunscreens:
Begin to work immediately on application, but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
Are generally found in products with thinner textures.
Tend to be preferred for water-resistant formulas because they don’t turn milky-looking when you sweat or get wet. But, as with any sunscreen, you must reapply them often.
Can be sensitizing for those with extra-sensitive skin.
Can penetrate the skin and be absorbed in small amounts that are not shown to have health risks.
Read the full article here.
With what I estimate to be a 20% concentration of the mineral sun filter Zinc Oxide, the AXIS-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen is an antioxidant powerhouse. There’s also a 3-4% concentration of Titanium Dioxide for SPF 50+ UVB protection and a UVA defense rating a PA ++++ — the highest UVA rating for a sunscreen.
A sunscreen product’s UVA protection isn’t evaluated in the US, which is such a shame — and one of the reasons why I prefer A-beauty sunscreens. UVA rays are the more insidious of the sun’s UV rays; they damage DNA and cause more serious skin cancers.
What Does PA Mean in Sunscreen and What Is the Difference between SPF and PA?
There’s an excellent piece from the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, What Does the PA+ Sunscreen Symbol Mean? on the brand’s website here.
The SPF rating on a sunscreen bottle stands for Sun Protection Factor, a measurement of how long you can stay outside during the day and be protected from the sun’s burn-causing UVB rays (assuming you’re applying sunscreen the right way). UVA rays are present, too; this is where the PA+ rating system comes into play.
Some sunscreens include PA+ rating on their products. The letters “PA” followed by plus signs (PA+, PA++, PA+++, and PA++++) on a label are a rating system developed in Japan to represent how much UVA protection the product offers.
The sun’s UVA rays do not cause sunburn; rather, they cause skin to turn brown. UVA rays are known as the sun’s silent killers because you don’t feel them affecting skin. Despite the lack of pain associated with UVA rays, they penetrate deeply into skin, causing a somewhat different type of damage than UVB rays.
This is what each PA rating means:
PA+ = Some UVA protection.
PA++ = Moderate UVA protection.
PA+++ = High UVA protection.
PA++++ = Extremely High UVA protection.
In addition to sunscreen protection, antioxidant defense is a key factor in effective skin health maintenance from day to day. And AXIS-Y’s Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen formula contains a cocktail of herbal extracts, with powerful antioxidant activity on the skin. Among the most notable are Calendula Flower Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Grape Seed Extract and Artemisia Flower Extract — or mugwort. AXIS-Y claims that the mugwort in the formula “lowers the heat of the skin and clears the blood to help skin elasticity and radiance.”
Mugwort is intriguing and increasingly popular throughout K-beauty and the broader Asian beauty marketplace. There’s an interesting article on the Allure website titled, Why Mugwort Is the Trendy New Ingredient in Korean Skin Care.
From the article: “In Korea, mugwort is regarded as a healing herb for its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and skin-protective properties…thanks to its soothing, anti-inflammatory properties, mugwort targets dry, irritated skin effectively.” You can catch the fill article here.
What I like about it: At just $23, the AXIS-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen is a superb K-beauty sunscreen and one of the best mineral sunscreens for face that I’ve come across. I love its high level of antioxidants that combine with the formula’s dual mineral sun filters for complete, 360-degree environmental protection. Plus, it’s clean, vegan, fragrance-free and alcohol-free, making it an excellent option for even the most sensitive skin types.
What I don’t like about it: Honestly, there’s nothing I don’t like about it. It’s really an ideal daily sunscreen. (That mugwort claim is a bit odd, though!)
Who it’s for: All skin types, including oily, acne-prone and sensitive skins.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the AXIS-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen for $23 here.
The Ingredient List of the AXIS-Y Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen:
sunsc 0 1, Propylheptyl Caprylate emo, Butyloctyl Salicylate solv, Propanediol solv|h, Titanium Dioxide sunsc|col, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate emo, Dicaprylyl Ether emo|solv, Caprylyl Methicone emo, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate
/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate emu|surf, Disiloxane, Niacinamide 
cci|sb|aacne|h, Trimethylsiloxysilicate emo, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract so|aox|perf, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract aox|so, Artemisia Capillaris Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Gra Pe) Seed Extract aox|amic, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil perf, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil perf, Pogostemon Cablin Oil perf, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Water, Disteardimonium Hectorite vc, Magnesium Sulfate vc, Stearic Acid emo|vc 0 2-3, Aluminum Hydroxide emo|h|vc, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, 1, 2-Hexanediol solv, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer vc, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Caprylate pres, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Adenosine cci, Copaifera Officinalis (Balsam Cop Aiba) Resin, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Allantoin so 0 0, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 cci
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