The once-a-year release of Aldi face sunscreens just hit the shelves this week, still priced at $3.99/60ml or $6.65/100 ml. That makes it cheaper per ml than the 200ml Hamilton face sunscreen even when half price. The Aldi ones have the same ingredients list as the 2023 formula for Hamilton face sunscreen, except for differences in the iron oxides which would affect the tint (see full ingredients lists below).
This is a face sunscreen that's designed for everyday use, it's more like a light moisturiser. It has no claims to water-resistance, so it's not designed for a sweaty bush walk or swimming outdoors.
This year's formula has been changed slightly and now includes bemotrizinol 10 mg/g, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane 50 mg/g, ethylhexyl triazone 50 mg/g and octocrylene 30 mg/g as sunscreen filters. The previous formula was very lightweight and comfortable, absorbed nicely without being sticky or greasy. I have not tried the 2023 formulas myself, but I don't think it should be too different given that most of the ingredients remain the same.
Full ingredients as listed on TGA:
- Ombra Daily Defence SPF50+ Face Moisturiser
- Ombra Daily Defence SPF50+ Light Tint Face Moisturiser
- Hamilton everyday face
If you are trying to decide which one to get out of the three, the untinted Ombra has no tint. Hamilton has a very light tint that should just blend out for most people. The tinted Ombra from 2022 has a stronger tint than the Hamilton, and it's a slightly orange-y beige that would suit those leaning towards medium skin tones (not fair-light).
Note: This is a seasonal special, once it runs out, there will be no more stock until next year. So if you want it, buy it when you see it.
Cancer Council recommends using sunscreen every day on days when the UV Index is forecast to be 3 or above. Sunscreen should be part of your daily morning routine on these days. source. Note that the UV index during daylight hours in summer easily exceed that even on rainy days.
Here is the formula breakdown of the Ombra face sunscreens from 2022 and 2023 and the Hamilton Everyday face 2023 formula. Note that ingredients after the sunscreen filters are sorted by alphabetical order, not concentration. You can see that the 2023 formulas are almost identical, except for the iron oxides added to Hamilton, which gives it the slight tint.