When you were a kid, do you remember someone putting really white sunscreen on your face when you were about to go into the summer sun? Do you remember sunscreen having a particular smell such as coconut or just very "tropical"? It seems that as a child, there was only one type of sunscreen and it was slathered on both your face and body. Now, in 2019 as grown adults, we have different skincare needs, desires and personal preferences such as a vegan, gluten-free, all-natural physical sunscreen that blocks out UVA/UVB and blue light in BPA-free packaging. Do such things exist? You bet they do. There are literally thousands of sunscreen choices with many different features and varying price points. To sift through everything would take a long time, but we've managed to hone in on dermatologist-recommended and beauty guru-approved choices that we think you will love. Read on to see what we've picked and why we love them!
Face Sunscreen For All Skin Types
With Sephora's
Clean At Sephora label, it is easy to navigate their website and find products that contain no harsh chemicals. As adults, we should be concerned with aging and skin damage caused by the sun, but we also need to be aware of the ingredients of what is in our skincare as well. The
COOLA Full Spectrum 360° Sun Silk Drops SPF 30 ($46, 1 oz.) is the perfect face sunscreen for those who want a lightweight feel but wants to cover all of their protection bases, including a shield from broad spectrum UVA/UVB, IR (infrared), and HEV (high energy visible) Light. This product doesn't just protect you from outside aggressors, it also protects you from digital overexposure from your devices (hello, Instagram and YouTube!). What's worse about the
blue-violet light emitting from your devices is that it penetrates deeper into the skin than the sun's UV rays, causing premature aging. Luckily, there are many sunscreens that now include protection from blue light, just like COOLA's organic formula, that you can wear daily without a greasy feel.
Best Sunscreen to Wear Under Makeup
If you wear makeup, the last thing you want to worry about is a thick layer of sunscreen under your foundation. Some foundations offer a level of SPF protection, but does it truly block out blue light and the sun's rays? You definitely want to be sure you are protected, especially during the summer. When you wear sun protection under foundation, we are sure you will want something undetectable, light-weight, and acts as a moisturizer. Behold the
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 ($32, 1.7 oz). It not only helps your makeup stay on longer, but it features a little bit of a glow so that you can rock this sunscreen without makeup and still look fab! This formula also protects your face from blue light with natural red algae--which also adds softness to your skin. People love this sunscreen so much, that it was the
Allure Best of Beauty winner in 2018.
Water-Resistant Face Sunscreen for Swimmers
There are some important tips that you'll need to know if you plan on swimming outdoors this summer. The number one thing you need to do before heading out is to apply a water-resistant sunscreen 15 minutes in advance. After one hour to eighty minutes of swimming, you will need to reapply to the exposed areas once again. This is a step that a lot of people forget to take, then end up with a bad burn later. If you towel dry off, then you will need to immediately reapply your sunscreen. For the face, we did some research to find a good sunscreen that is mineral-based and will last on the face for up to two hours! The
Pacifica Mineral Face Shade Coconut Probiotic SPF 30 ($13, 1.7 oz) features a coconut probiotic which adds a superpower punch of hydration to the skin. For those looking for a vegan and cruelty-free option, Pacifica is your brand!
Face Sunscreen for Oily Skin
If you have oily skin, you know that the last thing you want to apply to your face is a heavy and greasy sunscreen product. Those types of products definitely do exist, and we will do our best to help you avoid it. Also, you may wonder what could work under makeup as well as protect--and for acne sufferers--you are probably a little paranoid about purchasing anything that isn't labeled non-comedogenic. After doing a little digging, we found something! The
CLINIQUE Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector Broad Spectrum 40 SPF ($26.50, 1.4 oz) is not only non-acnegenic, but it is perfectly lightweight for daily use under makeup for all skin types--even for oily and really sensitive skin! This invisible sunscreen features broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun-blocking ingredients and antioxidants. Since you want to avoid mineral oil in your facial sunscreen, you will be glad to know that this one doesn't have any oil or fragrance to cause irritation.
Tinted Sunscreen
You are probably going to wonder why you had not heard of this sooner--but there are tinted facial sunscreens out there and we are very excited to have finally discovered its existence! If you want to skip the two-step process of layering sunscreen and then your foundation, then a
tinted sunscreen is your new favorite. During a trip to
Sprouts, we found the perfect product for covering redness and evening out the skin tone while adding sun protection. The
MyChelle Sun Shield Liquid Tint SPF 50 ($24, 1 oz) is the perfect oil-free matte tinted sunscreen that is 100% mineral broad-spectrum protection. The added Bentonite helps to absorb excess oil and impurities from pores. The product is reef safe, cruelty-free, and vegan! There are two shades available, but you can also
purchase it without a tint.
Best All-Natural Face Sunscreen
There are both good oils and bad oils that you can apply to your skin. For years, consumers have been told to avoid oil at all costs when it comes to buying skincare, and only just recently,
face oils are one of the biggest trends in beauty. The trick is knowing which
face oils to avoid and which ones are going to benefit your particular needs. The
Raw Elements FACE + BODY SPF 30 ($18.99, 3 oz.) has so many beautiful ingredients on their list, and you will recognize everything in it. The active ingredient is zinc, which will act as a reflective shield from the sun. The rest of the ingredient list is simple: Sunflower Oil, Green Tea, Black Tea, Coffee Bean, Hemp Seed Oil, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Beeswax, Rosemary Oil Extract, Vitamin E. Sounds good enough to eat, right? The sunflower, cocoa, hemp, mango, and vitamin E oils will naturally hydrate the skin while the coffee bean and black tea act as powerful antioxidants that protect against UVA and UVB rays. Best of all, it is safe for all ages!
Best Powder Sunscreen for the Face
Convenience is key when you are traveling--especially when it comes to your beauty products. Broken makeup compacts and foundation bottles are very common during air travel--unfortunately--but there are products that are designed to go with you wherever in the world you are. Since reapplying sunscreen is so important during the summer, it can be frustrating to have to stop and apply a cream to your face every two hours, especially if you don't want to carry a heavy bottle in your bag. There is a solution for those that want a quick dab of sunscreen without too much hassle. The
Colorescience Sunforgettable Brush-On Shield with SPF 50 ($65, 0.21 oz) is a color-correcting on-the-go face powder in a brush that protects from UVA/UVB rays as well as blue light, and is water resistant! This 100% chemical-free, zinc-based powder contains hyaluronic acid to restore moisture with green tea and grape seed extracts to help battle the signs of aging. Just pop the brush in your bag and go!
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