ROAD TEST: "I've switched to La Roche-Posay's new Anthelios Invisible Fluid sunscreen. Here's my verdict."

You know what's come a long way? Daily face sunscreens. The new formulas on offer are now an entire galaxy away from the old thick, gross stuff we used to regrettably smear on our faces whenever we went to the beach. 

Plus, now we're all clever little sausages who know the power of sunscreen when it comes to preventing the signs of premature ageing (wrinkles, pigmentation, age spots) and oh, you know, cancer.

And skincare brands have made it easy to cross that threshold, delivering fancy skin-loving formulas that makes wearing sunscreen every day actually very pleasant.

As a beauty writer, I'm lucky enough to try new products so I can tell you about the best ones. I also have the responsibility to tell you that not protecting your skin from UV exposure, especially in this country, is a very silly thing to do.

Wear it. Every dingin' day. Just do it!

Can't find one you like?

Enter: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid Facial Sunscreen SPF50+.

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Heard of her? She's the new kid on the SPF block.

Fragrance-free and dermatologically tested for sensitive skin (hello, this has my name written all over it), the formula is ultra-lightweight and promises an invisible finish, making it the perfect sunscreen for everyday wear.

Sounds pretty great, right? But what's it like in real life? Does it live up to the hype?

Let's find out, friend - because I switched to La Roche-Posay's new Anthelios Invisible Fluid sunscreen. Here's my verdict.

Me + my new friend. Image: Supplied.

The verdict.

Just about my skin: it's sensitive and annoying. And I'm often pretty wary of what I slap on it. So, yeah - my criteria for a good everyday sunscreen is rather long and cheeky.

For starters, I obviously want something that will offer broad-spectrum protection - that is, protection from both UVA and UVB rays (this one is a non-negotiable).

I also want a formula that's lightweight (goopy formulas tend to cling on to my cute dry patches), and something that won't sting my face and make my skin uncomfortable or visibly red. Bonus points if it sits under my foundation nicely.

A tall order? I thought so. But apparently not.

La Roche-Posay's Anthelios Invisible Fluid Facial Sunscreen did all these things, plus more. Yep - she's a real overachiever. (Actually, a bit of a show-off, if you ask me).

Let's start with the obvious thing first: the packaging.

It's cute. Like, my goodness. I know, I know - sounds super materialistic, but I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff. Plus, the size of the bottle meant that it was super easy to chuck in my handbag in the morning and reapply throughout the day (which we all do anyway, right? RIGHT?).

See? Pretty. Image: Supplied.

Now, for the important bit: the formula.

It's good, you guys. Really. As mentioned before, it ticked all the boxes for me.

I've been using it every day over the last week and a half and I can honestly say that it feels just like a super lightweight moisturiser - not heavy, not greasy, not gross.

Importantly, it didn't sting my skin (how good!) or make it dry, tight and weird throughout the day. My skin felt comfortable, hydrated and happy. 

What's more, I found the formula didn't produce that dreaded white cast (it was *actually* completely invisible like it said it would be - love when that happens), didn't pill to high hell, and actually sat beautifully under my makeup. This was all a really nice surprise, cause you usually have to have a few trade-offs with sunscreen formulas, right?

A big, fat ol' tick for me.

All of these things made applying sunscreen in the morning, dare I say, enjoyable. I know, I never thought I'd hear myself say that - but, here we are. To be honest though, I think that's mostly because when you know something isn't going to mess with your sensitive skin, it makes ALL the difference.

So, will I keep using it?

I found that this sunscreen slid into my everyday routine with ease, which is a big thing - because by this stage I usually find a few things I don't really like and do the old switcheroo or go off in search for something else. But my experience with using La Roche-Posay's Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF50+ has been so genuinely good, it seems silly not to stick with a sunscreen that works for your skin.

While Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF50+ is great for sensitive skin, normal skin and combination skin, if you're one of the lucky dames who has oily, acne-prone skin or super dry skin, don't worry - La Roche-Posay has some other great options out there, too.

For instance, Anthelios Dry Touch SPF50+ is a lightweight sunscreen made for oily, acne-prone skin - it has a really nice matte finish and also comes in a BB version. 

There's also Anthelios XL Ultra Sensitive SPF50+, which is a lightweight hydrating texture sunscreen made for dry to very dry skin. This formula is also delightfully non eye-stinging and comes in a BB version, too.

See? Everyone is sorted.

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. Sunscreen is only one part of sun protection so wear protective clothing and seek shade. Avoid prolonged exposure in the sun and keep babies and young children out of direct sunlight.

Have you tried the La Roche-Posay Anthelios sunscreen range before? What are your thoughts? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Mamamia