I didn’t start regularly wearing sunscreen until a couple years ago when I embarked on a journey to improve my skin. Prior to that, I thought of it as something I only needed when I was going to be outdoors and worried about a sunburn. In reality, it should be something you use on a daily basis. It helps prevent signs of aging, prevents skin discoloration spots, reduces your risk of skin cancer, and even reduces inflammation.
Not all sunscreens are created equal. You have chemical sunscreens, mineral sunscreens, and combinations of the two. There are creams, sprays, and powders. Some products are tinted, and others have no pigment. It can be a daunting task to sort through all of the products and personal preferences may differ. Today I’ll be reviewing some products that were staples in my personal skincare routine throughout the year.
DRMTLGY Sunscreens ($23-$28, available at drmtlgy.com)
I rotate through these three different formulas depending on my needs for the day.
The Universal Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46 provides sheer color coverage that blends with a range of complexions. I’m quite fair skinned, so this gives me a bit of a warm glow which is perfect for the summer.
The Physical Tinted Moisturizer SPF 44 formula is a bit thicker and provides buildable color coverage. It leaves the skin with a nice glow that is a little less warm for me than its physical/mineral combo counterpart.
The Broad Spectrum SPF 45 is a combination mineral + chemical sunscreen with no tint. It applies with a whitish/purplish tint but dries down to a clear finish without leaving any cast on my fair skin.
The finish on these sunscreens is somewhere between natural and dewy. They definitely aren’t matte, but they aren’t super shiny either.
Australian Gold Botanical Tinted Face Mineral SPF 50 ($15.99 at Ulta.com)
If you are looking for a strictly mineral sunscreen formula that dries down matte, this might be THE holy grail. Available in two finishes (Fair to Light pictured here, and Medium to Tan not pictured) this has a velvety formula that dries down completely matte and has a blurring effect to even out your complexion. It’s fragrance free, affordable, and also water resistant up to 80 minutes. This one was a staple in my beach bag this year.
Clinique Pep-Start Daily UV Protector SPF 50 ($23.00 at Sephora.com)
This mineral sunscreen has just enough tint to prevent leaving a white cast. It blends in perfectly on my fair skin without offering much coverage. It has a liquid consistency that’s on the thinner side and applies quite shiny, but it dries down quickly and with a natural looking finish. It’s lightweight and works well under makeup and/or layers well for reapplication.
CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ($14.89 at Target.com)
This is a simple moisturizer with chemical sunscreen filters. The light creamy formula features ceramides and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and protect the skin. It applies easily with no white cast and leaves a dewy finish. I originally tried this in 2020 and I’ve repurchased this product several times this year. This is the bare minimum SPF for days I don’t leave the house, my go to for tossing in my purse for reapplication on busy days and during road trips, and it’s the product I reach for to prep my skin if I’m planning on wearing a full face of makeup.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 ($12.33 at Walmart.com)
Until now, this review has focused on the sunscreens I have been using on my face/neck. This new sunscreen from Neutrogena was my favorite formula for the body this year. The water gel consistency makes this product apply like a dream with a slight cooling sensation. It spreads quickly and evenly and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. It’s perfect for applying before a trip to the park or a walk on the beach. While this formula can be used on the face as well, it does cause some burning and stinging if it migrates into my eyes so I don’t often use it for my face. It also has a fragrance that isn’t my favorite, but I can ignore that since it doesn’t irritate my skin. Overall, I think this is a great sunscreen at a great price.
Powder SPF (Colorescience Sunforgettable SPF -$69.00 at colorescience.com and Supergoop! Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45 - $30 at JCPenney.com)
The first point I’d like to make here is that powder sunscreen is not sufficient protection on its own. To get good protection with these you’d need a very dense and evenly applied coat of powder across the skin surface, and that’s difficult to achieve. These products are supplements to my other favorite sunscreens. I use them to matte down anything that leaves my skin a little shiny. I use them in my part and/or thinning areas of the hairline. I also use them to reapply over other sunscreens and makeup multiple times a day while on the go.
Colorescience offers luxury beauty and makeup products designed to protect your skin. They offer this powder sunscreen formula in SPF 30 and SPF 50. The formula is great, the packaging is convenient, and based on my own research I think this is probably one of the best powder sunscreens on the market. Unfortunately, it it comes at a premium price. You can sometimes get a deal by shopping a sale on their website or sales through other distributors, or by buying a bundle deal including other products from the brand. Overall, I love and will probably repurchase this product, but not at full price.
Supergoop! has done some rebranding and repackaging of products, and I think this specific one I have been using may be discontinued. They currently offer this new (Re)Setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF 35 on their website and in Sephora, and it looks similar to the product I have shown here. Overall, I have enjoyed the Invincible Setting Powder. The formula is nice, and so is the price point, but the packaging was a bit frustrating. The brush is magnetized to the base so it can pop off and cause powder to spill. I also felt it was harder to slide up the plastic shield to encase the brush before replacing the lid. This plastic shield also cracked very easily the first time I dropped it. The Colorescience packaging did not have any of these problems.
I will probably try the new powder SPF packaging from Supergoop next time I need to purchase a product in this category. Although we can’t rely on them as our main source of protection, I think powder sunscreens are something I’d like to keep in my arsenal.
I’m looking forward to protecting my skin with these favorites and hopefully finding some amazing new products in 2022. I hope you will find something useful from my recommendations, but remember that skin care is a very personal thing. The best sunscreen is whichever one you love and will wear regularly. Happy New Year!