Summer is almost here! With warmer weather and more daylight comes more time outside in the sun, and more of a need for sun protection. Finding the right sunscreen can be difficult, especially with so many options out there. The choices get even more difficult when you have sensitive skin or are prone to breakouts like I am. I’ve tried a ton of suncare products for face and body, so here’s my guide of personal favorites!
I had been using the Supergoop! Mineral Matte Sunscreen for years and it was a holy grail of mine, but I was starting to have a hard time justifying spending $40 for a daily sunscreen, especially since I’ve started spending most of my days inside at work. Plus, I had loved the tint when my skin was a lot more broken out and upset, but now that my skin barrier had improved and my overall skin quality looked better, I felt like I didn’t need as heavy of a tinted product every single day. So, I ventured over to my local Ulta, looked through pretty much every sunscreen they offered, and landed in the drugstore skincare section with one product from Hero Cosmetics and another from Bubble (both brands I love and swear by).
I tried the Superlight Force Shield (green) over the Superbeam Force Shield (apricot). While they’re both SPF 30 and the same consistency, I was concerned the apricot pigment might not sit well with my skin tone and that the green pigment might help balance out the breakouts I get and even sit better underneath foundations. After trying for a few weeks, it became my go-to for work days. The product overall is a really light consistency that doesn’t clog my pores or feel heavy on my skin. Best of all, the green pigment doesn’t translate to a green tint, so it covers any red spots really well without making my whole face look an odd green color. I use the Peach & Lily Matcha Pudding Cream as my day moisturizer, which also has a green appearance, and the two together are quite strong at calming redness without irritating my skin. At the $20 price point, it’s a perfect daily routine product for acne-prone skin.
The other face sunscreen I tried was the Bubble Plus One Tinted Sunscreen. Unlike Hero’s Force Shield, this one has a bronzy tint (there is an untinted equivalent) and is SPF 40. I typically dislike wearing foundation so I knew I wanted something a little tinted for days that I go out with my friends or have a big event at work. This one checks all the boxes for me! This one, like the Hero Force Shield, is also a lightweight product that doesn’t sit heavy on my skin or clog any pores. While it does only come in one tinted shade, I actually find this tint to be a better color match for me than other brands I’ve tried, including the Supergoop! sunscreen I used for years. I’ve used the Bubble Plus One under other makeup products as well, and it performs so well even on long days. For $20, the Plus One Sunscreen has found a spot in my morning routine pretty much any day I’m not just sitting at my work desk.
On days when I’m spending extra time in the sun, I know I need to touch up my sunscreen, but I’m usually wearing makeup or don’t want to bring my full sunscreen bottle in my bag. So, I went on the hunt for bag-friendly suncare! The Supergoop! Glow Stick since it was SPF 50 and seemed easy to use, but I found that it made my skin look greasy after a few hours and caused a couple of small breakouts. I am not a fan of wasting products, though, so after some testing, I discovered it made for a great no-makeup highlighter on hot summer days.
While I’ve had a more difficult time finding the right face sunscreen, body sunscreen is just as important! I tried the Trader Joe’s Spray Sunscreen last year and it’s now my go-to. It’s SPF 50+ and only $6, plus it smells great and works really well! Prior to switching to TJ’s brand, I was a longtime fan of Sun Bum’s spray sunscreens. I loved the scent of all of their products and appreciated that I had a range of SPF levels to pick from. It is slightly more of a splurge than some of the other drugstore brands, but well worth it for me.
I know using sunscreen can be a tough habit to get into, but once you find the right products for you, it becomes an easy (and even enjoyable) part of your daily routine.
Enjoy the sunshine and the good vibes!
