I’ve been an absolute sucker for Hawaiian Tropic suncare ever since my friend introduced me to the brand a few years back. Why did I become so entranced by it? Well, frankly, it’s entirely because the fact that if you buy the “Ultra Radiance” version of their sunscreens, you get glorious freaking SHIMMER particles in it! Sunscreen isn’t the most fun thing to wear, but we gotta do it so we can:

• avoid the painful lobster look,
• avoid getting skin cancer, and;
• keep our skin looking youthful!

So if we’re going to wear sunscreen, we might as well have a little fun with it!

New for 2016 is Hawaiian Tropic’s Silk Hydration Weightless which comes in SPF 15, 30 and 50. It’s intended to be a “barely there” sunscreen lotion which has a dual-ribbon formula that combines strong protection from the sun alongside 12 hours of moisturization.

Right off the bat, I can tell you that I love this product. I love that it has a pump top  because I’m so DONE with squeezy sunscreen tubes that get soooo gooped up. The pump even does that “push the product up from the bottom thing” so you’re not left trying to bang the open container against your hand when you’re trying to get the remaining drops out. I am more than happy to report that the Silk Hydration Weightless formula smells identical to Hawaiian Tropic‘s regular lineup of sunscreens – yay!

This sunscreen does have a lightweight feel, but since I definitely glob my sunscreen on, it still FEELS like sunscreen to me. This one is water resistant, not waterproof like the original Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens. Not a problem in general, but something to be aware of if you plan to use this on beach or pool days where you may be getting wet. I wore this all over my face and body last weekend for soccer in roughly 30 degree heat and it didn’t sweat off which was a HUGE relief since I’ve used a few sunscreens that have seeped into my eyes while playing and it’s hell on earth when that happens. I also didn’t burn or excessively tan either! Winner!

The other new product I’ve got my hands on is the Ultra Radiance After Sun which is an ultra-conditioning moisturizer that soothes, softens and leaves your skin radiant. The Ultra Radiance formula is the one with the shimmer particles in it which are light reflecting mica minerals – they’re very, VERY subtle in this bottle though. I didn’t feel they were nearly as strong as the ones in the sunscreens I’ve had in the past (which is probably a pro for most people!).

The scent on this one is “Island Mango” which smells just as beachy and summery as you would expect with a name like that! Although it’s labeled as an After Sun, what I learned by looking at the ingredients on the back is that this doesn’t actually contain aloe vera. I checked the other After Suns had in my closet and it honestly seemed to be 50/50 on whether or not the products had aloe in them (was a surprise to me, I always thought After Sun meant that it contained aloe vera!). While this the After Sun is soothing and hydrating, if you’re looking for something that contains aloe, this isn’t the one for you.

I’ve seen Hawaiian Tropic at just about every drugstore in Canada, and you can buy it online at ulta.com if you’re in the USA.

The products featured in this review were sent to me review.