Sunscreen, a girls’ true best friend. When I lived in New York, sunscreen was something I only used in the summer when I was lounging at the beach. Now, it’s something I need to ensure I use EVERYDAY, beach or no beach. (Hopefully the beach is involved somewhere in my day though!) Sunscreen is the final step in your skincare routine that
ensures the products you’re applying stay effective and the skin you work so hard on stays protected. So, how do you know what the best sunscreen is to use? There’s a ton of factors to think about and hopefully, I can make it a bit easier to navigate! Before I go into the types of SPF there are, I want to just note a common misconception about SPF (Sun Protection Factor). SPF levels are NOT the level of protection you’re getting, but rather the amount of time before sunburn will occur without reapplication. So, for example, SPF 30 should be reapplied every 30 minutes. With that said, anything over a 50 is usually crap, TBH. I’ve tried SPF 100 and in about an hour, I could already feel my skin starting to burn. Just my opinion based on using a ridiculous amount of different sunscreen formulas, and a ton of sunburn.
The first decision to make is whether or not you prefer mineral or chemically based sunscreen. I personally am not a fan of mineral sunscreen because it tends to leave a white cast on my tan skin so let’s start with chemically based. My current favorite sunscreen is the Kiehl’s Dermatologist Solutions: Super Fluid Daily UV Defense SPF 50 ($38, Kiehls.com). With chemical SPF you want to make sure you give it time to absorb into the skin, just about 20 minutes. Since chemical sunscreen needs to settle into the skin, it also means that the UV rays need
to penetrate the skin before they’re blocked as well. Essentially, chemical SPF protects against UVB rays (the ones that burn) a little better than UVA rays (the ones that cause premature aging). Chemical SPF’s can also be irritating to skin that has rosacea, hyperpigmentation or acne. In that case, mineral SPF maybe better suited for you. For the body, I have been obsessed with the Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum sol oil SPF 30 ($38, Sephora.com). It leaves my skin so smooth and glistening and is easy to reapply. It also smells incredible!
Mineral SPF sits on the surface of the skin, creating a physical barrier between your skin and the sun. As much as I don’t like the cast it leaves, it is likely the best for total sun protection, as it leaves you instantly protected without the wait. When I need serious protection, I use the Coola Mineral Face Organic Matte Finish Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 ($36, Coola.com). It leaves the least amount of white cast out of all the mineral sunscreens I’ve tried. It also comes with a cucumber scent, but for those who are sensitive to fragrance, there are unscented options. Pacifica has some great smelling and even tinted mineral SPF options. The Mineral Bronzing Sunscreen in Pineapple Flower SPF 30 ($16, Pacificabeauty.com) is my favorite to keep my body protected when I’m out in the sun all day!
Now, I just want to note that when I am wearing a full face of makeup smearing sunscreen on is the LAST thing I want to do. To refresh my makeup and reapply my SPF, I really like the Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with SPF 50 ($30, supergoop.com). I also use this setting mist when my foundation doesn’t have any SPF in it as well, just to make sure I have some level of protection.
I hope this was helpful and if you have any sunscreen suggestions, let me know! I love trying new products!