The SPF/Sunscreen Thread: What are your faves this season? 😎☀️

[Anna2BT]

Helllooo BIC! In celebration for the first day of summer (June 21^st) it’s time we put the spotlight on our friend SPF! When the days get a little bit longer and brighter, I always make sure to give my SPF-packed products a little extra love because I know they’ll be working overtime to protect my skin. 💪 Anyone else here feel the same way?

I don’t know about you, but I know my SPF collection needs a 2022 update. SO, what are your favorite products containing SPF? Whether you are diving into sunscreen for the first time, or already have some tried and true favorites, let’s use this thread to talk about all things SPF and sun protection! ☀️

There are so many great options for SPF out there – here’s a peek at my wish list as I gear up for some fun in the sun:

• Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day™ Face Sunscreen SPF 50+ 3.38 oz / 100 mL 
• Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer 
• Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen 1.7 oz / 50 mL 
• Supergoop! SPF Yeah! Sunscreen Kit 
• Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA++++ with Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide 1.7 oz/ 50 mL 

Leave all your SPF/Sunscreen products, comments, questions, and any other fun stuff down below! ✨

[Cissy63]

I concealer to wear sunscreen daily.  I am outside daily with our dog so I want protection. My favorite continues to be Supergoop! Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40 Mineral Sunscreen 1.5 oz / 45 mL . 

[Aradhana007]

This season I am not even planning to go out in the sunlight. Will apply for SPF25 when I have to go for a while. 

[haleyvvvv]

Great thread!!

I really like the LANEIGE Hydro UV Defense Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ 1.6 oz/ 50 mL as a chemical sunscreen for my dry skin. It doesn't run or sting if it gets in eyes which is a plus.

I also tried the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sunscreen SPF 50 and it's disappointingly just okay. And doesn't have any Watermelon scent 😔. 

My fail is the Murad Essential-C Day Face Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 PA+++. Oof. This budget at the slightest bit of sweat and stingssss in the eyes. Maybe good for an inside day. 

[CynthieLu]

I haven't tried the Murad or Glow Recipie sunscreens @haleyvvvv , sorry to hear they were not for you! I was interested in trying GR but there are mixed reviews on that one

[haleyvvvv]

The GR one isn't bad, @CynthieLu , it's just not great IMO. I'm glad I tried it though!!

[VenusRicci]

Mine would be 

Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA +++ for when I want to look glowy underneath my makeup

Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 0.7 oz / 20 g for reapplication when I don't have my makeup on

Supergoop! 100% Mineral (Re)setting Powder Face Sunscreen SPF 35 for reapplication over my makeup! 

[WinglessOne]

UPDATE: I've used a few test candidate and added 3 new potentials (I have 'em at home but was busy testing other sunscreens first). 

For reference, here's my: 

• Original post in this thread 
• List of SPF requirements, because we don't all have the same skin: 
  
  Spoiler

  I have mostly-dry combo and quite reactive/inflammation-prone skin, plus fairly sensitive eyes. I live someplace that gets all 4 seasons—sometimes within one week. 😂 (The joy of midwestern spring and having a Great Lake in your city's front yard.) In winter, I always need a separate moisturizer under sunscreen. In summer, I can skip moisturizer depending on the sunscreen I use. My skin tone’s in the “medium-deep to deep” range. Since I don't wear liquid or cream foundation, the finish a sunscreen leaves is very important. 

  Must-haves: 

  • Minimum SPF of 30 
  • Broad spectrum 
  • Natural, radiant, or glowy (but not greasy*) finish; preferably a naturally radiant look 
  • Blends easily; doesn’t require lots of rubbing (otherwise my skin will flush red for hours and possibly welt up) 
  • Bonus points for at least one good moisturizing ingredient (dimethicone, shea butter, squalane, etc.) 

  *In winter, I don’t mind heavier greasy sunscreens. They’re an extra layer of protection from windburn and deep-freeze dehydration. But during summer, those sunscreens are usually too much for my face to handle. Example: I’ve temporarily stopped using the thick greasy CoTZ Sensitive SPF 40 Non-Tinted Mineral Sunscreen on my face, but still use it on my body. I’ll also pick up Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50 Clear again when winter returns; that one gives me super dewy glass skin in the frigid depths of January. 

  Dealbreakers: 

  • Noticeable white/grey/purple cast 
  • Eye stinging, if I plan to use it on my eyelids and undereyes (sometimes I'll use an eye-safe sunscreen in that area while using a different sunscreen on the rest of my face) 
  • Itchy reaction, or any bad reaction (rash, burning/stinging, etc.)  
  • Pilling 
  • Essential oils 
  • Lavender extract, water, or oil 
  • Strong fragrance or scent 
  • Very matte finish 

Test results: 

• Native Unscented Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 30 ❤️ - easily blends out to a streak-free, naturally radiant (not greasy or shiny) skin finish that's nearly invisible on my medium-deep skin tone. A little sheer tinted powder or powder foundation fully removes the barely noticeable white cast. Has no scent. Very impressive for a non-tinted mineral sunscreen. 
  
  
• Bondi Sands SPF 50 Fragrance Free Sunscreen Lotion (the body version) 👍 - fully invisible chemical sunscreen that leaves my skin shiny, but not as greasy as, say, Eucerin's Age Defense sunscreen (which I also like). Easy to blend out. Has a mild sunscreen smell, but not obnoxious enough to keep this product off my face. Plus, the body and face versions seem to have identical INCI lists (though they could be formulated differently); the body version gets me more product for my buck. 
  
  
• Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50 👍 with a caveat - chemical sunscreen that looks nearly invisible on me, except where it pools in my lines/wrinkles. This sunscreen contains a tinosorb, a type of chemical UV filter that can leave a white cast on skin. I tested it around my eyes and on my neck, 2 places where my lines live; I wound up with very noticeable stark white stripes in those lines within an hour of application. On the rest of my face, it left a dewy glowy finish—not "glass skin" but more than a natural glow. Has a faint plasticky sunscreen smell I stop noticing 30 minutes after application. 
  
  
• Eucerin Oil Control Sunscreen SPF 50 😐 - chemical sunscreen that's 100% invisible on my skin. My oily zone is on and around my nose, but I didn't notice any "oil control" from this sunscreen. In fact, it gave my whole face the same shiny finish as Eucerin Age Defense Sunscreen, and it feels just as thick and greasy—which will be good in cold weather but not so great for me in summer. On a more positive note, it also doesn't mattify any of my skin, something I worried about because I don't like a very matte finish on my face. Eh, I'm neutral about this one for now... I've been using it on my neck, arms, legs, and feet without issue. 

New additions to my Test It list: 

Spoiler

• La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF 50+ (non-tinted, fragrance-free) 
• La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Hydrating Cream SPF 50+ 
• Native Unscented Mineral Body Sunscreen SPF 30 (to see if it leaves as nice a finish as the face version) 

[CynthieLu]

Excellent reviews @WinglessOne so much good information in there! 

[WinglessOne]

Thanks @CynthieLu !

[Saradestin]

I love your reviews @WinglessOne, always so informative and complete! 👍

[WinglessOne]

Aw, thanks @Saradestin ! 

[Saradestin]

@Anna2BT After using them for several months in the Florida sun/heat/humidity, my favorites have been and are:

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ 1.7 oz/ 50 mL 

Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 1.7 oz/ 50 mL 

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30 1.7 oz/ 50 mL 

innisfree Daily UV Defense Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 36 Sunscreen 

Sunday Riley Light Hearted Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Daily Face Sunscreen 1.5 oz/ 45 mL 

REN Clean Skincare Clean Screen Mineral SPF 30 Mattifying Face Sunscreen 

They all performed great on top of my skincare, under my makeup and under the unforgiving Florida weather. 🌞🌞🌞

[CynthieLu]

Excellent spf protection @Saradestin 🌞 

[Saradestin]

Thank you so much @CynthieLu ! Any sunscreen is better than none. Let’s not forget to apply daily! 

[NellyAsiaa]

I love supergoop sunscreen too!

[Saradestin]

Supergoop is a winner @NellyAsiaa !!

[LindaMarie3]

Elta MD and Dermatology.  Not a super fan although I love their eye sunscreen, it will pill.

[Samtian]

I'm interested in trying the Saint Jane Beauty Luxury Sun Ritual Pore Smoothing Face Sunscreen SPF 30 1.7 oz / 50 mL  @itsfi thoughts?

[itsfi]

@Samtian, following up on the Saint Jane Beauty Luxury Sun Ritual Pore Smoothing Face Sunscreen SPF 30 1.7 oz / 50 mLIt's love. Squeezing it into my rotation of favorites. 😍 

It’s a sheer, lightweight, subtly tinted, silky smooth, lightly hydrating, physical sunscreen (10% zinc oxide) with a faint floral scent that spreads easily (and without a white cast), absorbs smoothly, wears comfortably, and delicately blurs the pores on my nose, all while imparting a lovely (and non-greasy) soft glow to my complexion that comes through makeup beautifully on my now drier-leaning combination skin.

[Samtian]

@itsfi It does smell good! I think I'm going to have to get a full size version.