Is The New La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Anti-Dark Spots Fluid SPF50+ Worth The Hype?

In my book, sunscreen is a non-negotiable step, much like how brushing one’s teeth is automatically part of a daily hygiene routine. After all, studies have shown that the majority of visible skin ageing (up to 80 per cent!) can be attributed to exposure to UV rays - in other words, sunscreen is the most important step of any skincare routine, not only to help slow signs of ageing, but also to minimise chances of a sunburn and skin cancer.

So naturally, when La Roche-Posay - which makes some of the most hardcore sunscreens on the market - dropped their latest invention, the La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Anti-Dark Spots Fluid SPF50+, you best believe skincare nerds were furiously hitting Reddit, TikTok and the like, to plumb for more information.

WHAT’S THE HYPE BEHIND THE LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS UVMUNE 400 ANTI-DARK SPOTS FLUID SPF50+?

Well anyone who’s serious about skincare knows La Roche-Posay makes some of the most nerdy (and we mean this in the best possible way) sunscreens around. The Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Anti-Dark Spots Fluid is the newest addition to the brand’s UVMUNE 400 series, which in and of itself has been a major achievement for La Roche-Posay.

You see, the 400 in the name refers to Mexoryl 400, the proprietary sunscreen filter created by L’Oreal (La Roche-Posay’s parent company) that protects against UVA rays with longer wavelengths—up to 400 nanometers—that most traditional sunscreens can’t block well.

These longer UVA rays can penetrate deeper into the skin (read: they cause more damage), but Mexoryl 400 fills that protection gap for better defense.

What differentiates the latest sunscreen is the addition of Melasyl, another L’Oreal-exclusive ingredient which was specially designed to stop dark spots before they even form. Most products try to fade spots after they appear, but Melasyl reportedly works earlier in the process by blocking the excess pigment that causes those spots in the first place.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The sunscreen’s texture is as its name implies; it’s a slippery, serum-like liquid that has some heft and slip to it. It’s also unperfumed - a good thing for those who have sensitive skin - and absorbs easily and quickly into the skin. Personally, it did not cause any eye sting for me, which is a common fault when it comes to sunscreens.

If you’re someone with dry skin, this La Roche-Posay number might prove to be a good addition to your morning routine, as the sunscreen leaves a dewy finish that doesn’t really dry down matte - fair enough, as the brand does not make any claims on this particular aspect.

As someone with oily skin, this dewiness is not really the finish I personally prefer, but you can always add some mattifying powder atop to tone down the shine. That said, if you’re familiar with La Roche-Posay’s sunscreens, they tend to pull a little yellow, which I noticed when testing this sunscreen.

Chemist Michelle Wong of LabMuffin Beauty opines that this yellowness might be due to the Mexoryl 400 filter absorbing some violet light. Depending on your skin tone, it might or might not be noticeable, but that’s something to take note of.

While I’ve only been testing the sunscreen for a couple of weeks and can’t yet speak to its impact on hyperpigmentation, the lightweight texture make it a promising candidate so far - and as a bonus, I’ve not noticed any breakouts from using it.

I’d especially recommend it for any time you know you’ll be outdoors for a prolonged period of time, or if you’re heading to say the pool or the beach, where you’ll require a trustworthy, extra-powerful sunscreen.

WHERE TO BUY THE LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS UVMUNE 400 ANTI-DARK SPOTS FLUID SPF50+

The suncreen is now available at Watsons, Amazon, Lazada, Shopee and Guardian.

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