It’s been around seven months since I bought my very first Marie Veronique Organics Moisturizing Face Screen. Why did I take ages to post my review? It’s because everyone else was raving about it and I didn’t want to just be carried away by all the good reviews. I wanted to experience the face screen during the best and worst moments of my skin. I wanted to put it to real-life tests. And so I did, for seven straight months. What did I find out?
Love Takes Time
If there’s anything that could describe my relationship with MVO Moisturizing Face Screen, it’s definitely not “love at first use.” I was so excited when I got my package that I opened it right away, took a couple of photos for my blog then immediately tried the face screen. Five minutes later, I found myself somehow disappointed. I couldn’t blend the face screen nicely on my face. I blamed it on not washing my face before applying the face screen. The next day, I used my usual facial wash, gel toner and cream moisturizer before applying the face screen. It was a disaster! I couldn’t stop the stuff on my face from balling up and it was something I had never experienced before. I blamed it on my gel toner. But I tried using a normal liquid toner the next couple of days and yet I experienced the same thing. The white cast looked dirty on my face and my hair line. While I didn’t have any problems with MVO Anti-Aging Serum, the face screen was a total miss for me. The color didn’t match, the texture was weird and drying, application was a nightmare. I even thought of selling it. I couldn’t believe I was regretting buying something everyone else was raving about– That was until I realized my skin was not as healthy as I thought it was.
Love is Worth the Wait
Are you wondering why my headings sound like I pulled them straight from a self-help book about love and relationships? It’s because after giving MVO Moisturizing Face Screen another try two weeks after almost giving up on it, I realized something, which although cheesy, makes perfect sense. A good sunscreen is hard to find but once you’ve found the right one, it’s usually for keeps.
My disastrous beginning with the face screen made me realize a lot of mistakes in my beauty routine. First, I was not exfoliating enough. Second, my skin was not moisturized and hydrated enough. After I went for my first laser and IPL, which provided some superficial exfoliation, my skin texture improved significantly. It was also around this time that I received a very helpful tip from Sesame when it comes to applying natural sunscreens–try facial oils. Coupled with a misting toner, a good hydrating serum and facial oil plus weekly mild exfoliation, MVO Moisturizing Face Screen started to do its magic on me. Finally, I was in love with both the face screen and my skin.
Summer Love All Year Round
I’m staying in Singapore where it’s summer all year round. The sun here is so harsh that after just a year of staying here, I developed deep pigmentations even while using SPF 40-50 sunscreens. Early this year, I also stayed in the Philippines, another tropical country, for two months. Within six months of jetting back and forth from Singapore to Philippines then finally back to Singapore, I didn’t experience any problem as long as I followed my new routine which I mentioned above. I didn’t tan and my pigmentations didn’t get worse. In fact, the face screen seems to be working well with my DIY Vit C Serum in terms of brightening my skin. I also love the dewy finish of the face screen. However, next time, I will order the light tint version because it looked totally fab on my skin! Good thing MVO gave me a sample. On the few days that I wore the light tint shade, Hubby couldn’t stop caressing my cheeks, saying my skin looked very young and glowing. Although it was romantic of him, I had to keep telling him, “No! You’re blending away my face screen!”
It appears matte in the pictures but in real life, the face screen leaves a dewy finish. Probably, the toughest test I’ve put the MVO face screen through was when my family and I went to Universal Studios-Singapore. It was the worst heat I’ve had in years. Before heading out, I applied the MVO Anti-Aging Serum under the face screen but I still brought the face screen bottle with me and made sure I reapplied at least every two hours. At the end of the day, everyone else in my family tanned except for me! Take note, however, that just because I had great faith in MVO face screen didn’t mean I subjected my skin to UV torture–even Marie mentioned that she knows when to get out of the sun. I made sure I stayed under the shade when possible and I wore shades with UV protection and a protective scarf.
Love Hits and Misses
Misses: Like all natural sun screens that use mineral ingredients to block UV rays, MVO face screen (no tint) might leave a white cast if applied the wrong way or with the wrong products. The white cast usually blends in after around 15 minutes or so. Based from experience and Sesame’s tip, it’s best to apply it over a facial oil. It doesn’t contain silicones so it doesn’t glide as smoothly like most japan-made sun screens but it also means you only get what your skin really needs. If it’s the first time you’re using mineral sunscreens, proper applications and blending need a bit of practice. If your skin is flaky or you have a lot of dark stray hair on your face, the texture might not turn out as desired so it’s really best to make sure your face is properly exfoliated. It’s also best to avoid using this face screen (or most mineral sun screens, for that matter) with products that tend to ball up like gel toners, moisturizers and serums. Sometimes, it may even ball up with certain hyaluronic acid serums.
Hits: Whenever my skin is at its best state, with no blemishes or flaking, the MVO face screen enhances the glow and makes me look like I’ve just stepped out from an SK-II commercial. I don’t even need to apply foundation. Concealing my dark circles and applying a bit of lip color can already make a lot of difference as long as my skin is healthy and smooth to begin with. Recently, I’ve been having severe breakouts and I noticed that compared to synthetic/ chemical-based sunscreens I had used before, this face screen doesn’t aggravate my pimples or clog my pores. It never gave me milia seeds, too, even when I apply it around my eye area. It also stabilized my worsening pigmentation problem. Previously, my skin usually turned really dry after staying in an air-conditioned room during office hours but I am yet to experience the same problems with MVO face screen. MVO face screen, along with the anti-aging serum, is also part of EWG’s 2011 Sunscreen Guide’s Top 25 Moisturizers with SPF.
Toss or Keep?
Definitely, keep! In fact, I’m even married to it now and I don’t expect any divorce brewing up in the foreseeable future. Although the MVO Moisturizing Face Screen and I had a rocky start, it was a relationship that progressed to something I’m much willing to join the MVO ravers’ party for–confidently and sincerely. I’ve tested this product and experienced it during the worst (now) and best moments (about 5 months ago) of my skin just as planned and it passed the test. Currently, I’m over-using my face screen and applying it on my arms, as well, because I’m looking forward to getting the light tint version next.
The MVO Moisturizing Face Screen retails at $40 or about SGD$52 on the Marie Veronique Organics website. It’s a little pricey if you compare it to the usual drugstore brands but it can last you just as long and most importantly, does exactly what it promises–it protects your skin, safely and efficiently.
Note: I skipped all the details about ingredients and safety as you can easily find those on MVO’s website.
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wow Vivi…thanks for such a detailed review and how to start using it…I shall definitely get this in the probable future
Hope it’ll work well for you, too
I can totally relate to your post because I have a love-hate relationship with MVO sunscreen as well. It makes my skin nice & glowy if I exfoliate and moisturise properly with facial oil. I can skip foundation and just use loose powder over it for a light makeup look. But if my skin has pimples and is in a poor state, I look flaky and ‘dirty’.
However, I am sticking to this sunscreen because it doesn’t break me out or cause me to itch which a lot of chemical sunscreens do. I wonder if there’s any way the formulation can be improved to make blending easier.
True! The face screen looks really fab when the skin is healthy and smooth to begin with. Currently, I’m having a very bad breakout and although the texture isn’t so nice, I love how the zinc oxide helps dry out my pimples fast.
Have you tried the Anti-Aging Serum? The texture is much lighter and UV protection seems sufficient, too, for incidental sun exposure.
Yes, I have the Anti Aging Serum. It is much easier to blend so I tend to use this more than the Face Screen. I use the Anti-Aging Serum (light tint) daily even at home. I have acne marks which I don’t wish that they get darker with UV exposure!
Amen to that. My current pimple scars will all stay under the brolly until they’re back to normal shade. =)
I do hope to try this as soon as I finish my sunblock. I’m currently using Avene (as my dermatologist told me). Before this I tried the sunblock from Skin Pharmacy (which claimed that it is organic). However, I started getting bumps all over my face and switched back to my normal sunscreen.
I’m switching to use more organic and natural things. A lifestyle change I decided. This sunscreen I will definitely try!!
Oh! I once contemplated on trying out SP’s organic sunscreen, too. I used Avene for a couple of months, as well, before I switched to MVO. Avene’s UVB protection is superb although texture is very sticky and it sometimes gave me little pimples.
Fortunately, I’ve never had breakout or milia problems with MVO face screen.
this sunscreen sounds good! but it’s expensive! how long can a bottle last?
Quite. But I don’t mind the price since it’s all natural and has really premium ingredients. It’s the shipping fee that’s a killer. It’s best to buy more than one product at a time, ask for many samples or simply, join a spree. ^^
My safe bet is that one bottle will last about 6 months. Sesame said hers last about 4 months, though, but she applies 1/4 tsp every day! ^^
If you can’t find your comments, please don’t think I deleted them. I’m having some problems with WordPress. It deleted all my recent drafts and latest comments.
I’m still checking whether I could retrieve them.
Glad you’re loving this product! It’s always a relieve to know it works for others. But, I just learnt that they’ve changed some of their international shipping arrangements and it would cost more to ship over. Arrgh…feeling upset about this cos I definitely need to replenish!
Yup, really loving it now. I even apply it on my arms sometimes. (v)
Yeah..
That’s why I’m joining msbeautybuff’s spree. ^^ Are u gonna join, too?
Hello!
For those of you who are bent on laying your hands on MVO products, you can join my group purchase! I am currently taking in orders from anyone who is interested. Simply click on my Name and it will bring you to my website. Just leave a comment under the MVO post with your choice of MVO item and I will be in touch with you! If you purchase the 2oz MFS or AADS, you will also be entitled to a free 1/4oz of AAO worth USD20! Sounds good yeah? Visit my website now!
Special thanks to Vivi for being so kind to allow me this channel!
(p.s. I regret to inform that my group purchase is based in Singapore…!)
hey Vivi…just a small question…how much amount of product you apply for face and neck??? is one squirt enough???
Hi Swati, sorry for the late reply.
Well, I don’t really go under the sun a lot and I always bring brolly and scarf when possible. So usually one squirt is enough for my entire face, neck and back of my neck. I dot it all over my face to make the application smoother. I’ll try to take a photo of how much I apply on my face and neck then update this post. ^^
thanks a lot Vivi….I used two squirts today and I am not sure of its blending capacity yet….so just getting used to it….I got the medium tinted one so of course no white cast and all that problem
waiting for the update
Hi Vivi, I’m thinking to buy MVO face screen tint…. But have no idea which shape to go medium or light as I have around NC 40 skin tone. As well worry that it will suit me or not (for application and my skin condition). And also thinking that should I try anti-aging set as I’m mid 30 now? Sorry for too many questions.
Hi Spark, no worries about the questions.
Regarding the shade, I’m really not sure as I’ve not tried the medium tint of the face screen before. i’ve only tried the Extra Light (no tint) and the Light Tint versions. My perfect shade is actually between the two (so I sometimes mix them) but either can work just fine on my skin tone.
However, I find that the Anti Aging Serum (now called Sheer Coverage) tints are a tad darker compared to the Moisturizing Face Screen tints. So although I’m not sure about the face screen, I think in the case of the Sheer Coverage, “light tint” might suit you better. For the face screen, you might be in the middle of light and medium.
what about yiur skin condition worries you about the suitability of the MFS?
I’m 25 and am already using their Anti Aging Oil and Sheer Coverage
The AA oil is really quite good.
Thanks for your prompt reply. Is sheer coverage enough for preventing UVA and UVB as it has only SPF 20?
My skin is dry and sensitive…. Wondering this sheer coverage will suit for dry skin as well as concern about the smell. Is the smell too strong for first time organic skin care user?
Sheer Coverage is not as moisturizing as the MFS but it’s much easier to blend and the tint is more predictable. Unfortunately, I think some people found it a bit drying/finish is more matte compared to MFS. The UV protection is enough for daily use but you have to use umbrella and avoid direct sun exposure for long periods of time.
The smell of both the SC and MFS is just fine. Herby but definitely not revolting, lol.
I suggest you send a sample pic of your skin to MVO and ask their advice. They should know best since it’s their product
And ask samples of the various tints.
Hi,
May I know does this moisturizer covers wells? My face is prone to redness and it will be good if this has a tint
Hi Jesslyn, the coverage is minimal but it helps even out my skin tone. It does help minimize minor redness from my experience. But coverage is definitely not close to BB Creams or real liquid foundations. If you want better coverage, you have to top it up with powdered mineral make-up.
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Thanks for the reply! So what’s your recommendation for natural powder make up?
I’m not really the best person to ask when it comes to make-up ’cause I don’t use makeup a lot. But I’m currently using powdered foundation from Joppa Minerals. Cheap and wide selection of shades.
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