If you follow me on Instagram, you know that in a bid to replace my beloved discontinued Devita spf 30 moisturizer, I went on a mineral sunscreen quest this summer. Honua’s malu protecting day cream spf 30 was one of the products I ended up testing.
Honua is an hawaiian natural skincare brand founded in 2015 by esthetician Kapua Browning. Malu is their mineral sunscreen formulated with 18,9% zinc oxide in a nourishing base (fatty acids, glycerin, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant plant oils and extracts). It has a strong jasmine scent due to the included jasmine oil and extract. It isn’t my favorite but I quickly got used to it.
It is aptly named “protecting day cream” because it’s a true hybrid between a moisturizer and a sunscreen. It hydrates and nourishes the skin whilst providing sun protection. For my combination skin, it was almost too moisturizing. This bothered me because I like layering my hydrating and antioxidant serums underneath sunscreen which I couldn’t do with Malu without overloading my skin. This is why I believe it would be better suited for me in the winter although I reckon dry skins can use it all year round (it would also be a good option for people who like a minimalist routine).
Used on its own on top of a hydrating mist, the cream texture is very pleasant and doesn’t feel heavy. It blends easily into the skin and doesn’t leave a white cast on my skin tone. As you can see, the finish is dewy without being tacky.
I like the pump packaging but I wish it would come with a stopper or a cap and not just a twist lock mechanism that can leak when you travel. Also, it was hard to get to the last drops of the product as the cream remained on the sides of the bottle.
All in all, this is a good mineral sunscreen especially if you have dry skin and can afford to repurchase it regularly. For combination skins, I believe it would be a good option during winter.
It retails for 42$/30ml.
