I always think I’m going to get away with one sunscreen post for the summer. Then I end up with a ton more and a second post. Every year I discuss sunscreens I’ve been testing. Sunscreen is such an integral part of a skincare routine. If you don’t use daily sunscreen you’re just wasting your money on expensive skincare for no reason. If I had two minimums for the day to take care of your skin it would be wash your face before bed and wear sunscreen daily.
Sounds easy but so many people don’t feel sunscreen is important daily. They only wear sunscreen “to the beach”. So just remember UVB is the kind of UV ray that gives you that lobster red glow while UVA is the one that causes aging and wrinkles (photoaging). UVA comes in through the windows even when it’s cloudy which is why it’s so important you wear daily sunscreen, even when you’re indoors and it’s cloudy. UVB is blocked by glass windows but that doesn’t stop UVA (which penetrates deeper) from doing damage. Both types of rays can cause cancer.
There are so many good sunscreen formulations now there’s no excuse for not wearing it. It’s not 1980 anymore. And no layering SPF 15 in your makeup with SPF 15 in your day cream does not equal SPF 30. To be honest SPF in makeup and creams is a joke. You have to apply such a heavy layer of the product to get the SPF rating they list on the bottle. In short you’ll never apply as much as you need to in order to reach that coverage level. So there’s no point in trying. Don’t rely on your foundation or that SPF 15 cream to give you proper coverage. Just wear a sunscreen designed to protect your skin. The minimal recommended rating by dermatologists is SPF 30. While there’s still controversy in the skincare community over SPF 30 vs 50 and which is better the ultimate goal is still the same-Use at least SPF 30 daily. There are quite a few SPF 50 that don’t feel any heavier than a SPF 30 and I tend to reach for SPF 50 more nowadays.
I’m not going to get into the whole SPF 30 vs 50 controversy as many others do it better than me (Kind of Stephen and Lab Muffin Science). The controversy lies with SPF 30 gives you 96.7% protection while SPF 50 gives you 98% so why would you ‘double’ the amount of chemicals you apply on your body for roughly 1%? There’s also the mineral versus chemical debate. Though in essence all sunscreen filters are technically chemicals. I still refer to them the old fashioned way because people know what I’m talking about. There’s also the debate about mineral filters block UV rays while chemical absorb the rays. That’s not really accurate either. I suggest you read this post HERE. It gets very technical but it’s great for understanding there’s a ton of myths still perpetuated about sunscreens.
Some of the truths are that mineral sunscreens tend to be good for more sensitive skin while chemical filters tend to have no white cast & are more pleasant cosmetically to use, however they can irritate sensitive types. Regardless of using mineral vs chemical the main point again is to wear it everyday (broad spectrum so it covers both types of UV rays). I will say five years ago when I started researching for this blog I believed a ton of these myths. If you look at my first ever sunscreen post you’ll see it. I don’t delete it or revise it because skincare is a journey. We all start somewhere and learn everyday. I was so into the EWG back then. I think the EWG has a good purpose at heart but you really need to take what they say with a grain of salt as it does have an agenda. So enough sunscreen ranting for today onto the new ones.
I discovered ANESSA is my last post and loved it so much I grabbed the SPF 50 version the Perfect UV Sunscreen Mild Milk. This is a chemical block and it’s got SPF 50 versus 30 like the blue one and it’s a bit lighter and more satin finished (though it’s still milky and hydrating as it’s not a gel). I actually like this one more than the blue one I bought first. One it has more coverage but two it’s got a lighter feel on the skin than the blue one. It has no white cast and isn’t greasy or heavy at all, no drying alcohol either. It’s fragrance free. It one of my favorite recent discoveries in sunscreen. I will be repurchasing.
I recently grabbed Paula’s Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid and it’s so fluid & lightweight I’m totally impressed. It’s an SPF 50 chemical block that has a super lightweight texture and non-greasy finish. No white cast, fragrance free and it’s affordable. Plus it has a ton of skin loving ingredients so it combines a skincare treatment with sunscreen. I can see why this is one of their best sellers. Sundaze C-Shells is a mineral sunscreen I was sent. This is an antioxidant rich zinc oxide sunscreen. It’s thicker and has a minimal white cast. This will be a great winter sunscreen for me. It’s richer in texture and more moisturizing. Great for dry skin or cooler climates. I’ll be pulling this out again this fall. It is SPF 30 and has a light citrus scent.
I was sent two CyberDERM sunscreens to test. Both are fragrance free. The Every Morning Sun Whip is a hybrid mineral and chemical block. I love that the octinoxate is encapsulated so it sits on the surface of the skin. The theory is that it doesn’t get absorbed by the skin (or reefs). Being a hybrid this has a non-white cast effect even though it has physical or mineral ingredients. It’s got a nice light airy texture as well. Honestly I really liked it a lot minus the fact that it only has an SPF of 25 I really would’ve like to have seen it reach at least 30. The Simply Zinc Ultra is a tinted mineral block with an SPF of 50. It’s really fluid and has a light texture. It’s a mineral block and no white cast as it’s tinted. This one uses 25% zinc oxide for protection. If you like tinted mineral sunscreens this one is pretty good. It didn’t dry me out or anything but it did pill a little. So give it a little bit to set before you move onto applying makeup and you’ll be OK.
Mineral (mainly zinc) filters tend to dry my skin out. I like to avoid them in the winter and use chemical ones more. Though I love using my mineral ones in the summer as they help control excess oil for me. Purito recently launched a new mineral sunscreen (non-nano sized titanium & zinc) and I couldn’t be more excited. I adore their chemical block and it’s one of my fav discoveries this year for sunscreen. The Comfy Water Sun Block manages to make an SPF 50 mineral block clear. No white cast. Completely amazing & I don’t know how they did it. It’s not drying and has a light almost airy texture. It’s really affordable as well. It’s not a water light texture or finish and it’s lightly hydrating like a lotion. This has citrus, lavender & tea tree essential oils so it’s got an earthy citrus scent. I wish it was without the essential oils but otherwise it’s mineral sunscreen perfection. In every way. If you wanted a clear mineral block that’s cheap, check this one out.
Top to Bottom-ANESSA, Purito, CyberDERM Sun Whip, CyberDERM Zinc Ultra, Sundaze, Paula’s Choice:
*Sundaze & CyberDERM gifted but all thoughts are my own
Hands down my favorites out of this post is Purito, ANESSA & Paula’s Choice. Head to Instagram for a special surprise…