reviewing every sunscreen i own
Welcome to the biggest blog post I've ever written haha! But for real though, sunscreen is such an essential product that so many people tend to skip so it's only right that this would be my longest post. One of the main reasons I hear for lack of application is that "it feels gross on my skin." I put together a review of (almost) every sunscreen I own to hopefully help you find your new favourite SPF that WON'T feel gross on your skin!
It's so important to wear sunscreen EVERY SINGLE DAY! Not just in the summer! UV rays are present even when it's cloudy out and can be just as harmful. Personally, I like to wear at least SPF 40 because if I'm gonna apply sunscreen it might as well have a good level of protection.
Reapplication is also super important to remember! You should be reapplying your SPF every 2 hours (more often if you're swimming or sweating). I tried to highlight which sunscreens I talked about are easiest to reapply (when wearing makeup).
There's a pretty good mix of different formulas in all the sunscreens I reviewed and not all of them I loved. The reviews might seem a little repetitive because I tried to talk about the key features you might consider when picking out a sunscreen. These are things such as SPF level, active ingredients, if it leaves a white cast, finish on the skin, and fragrance. I also swatched each sunscreen twice. The top arm swatch is so you could hopefully get a better idea of texture and the arm swatch underneath is what the sunscreen looks like almost completely rubbed in.
I tried to include both SPF level and PA rating although not every brand listed a PA rating. For reference, SPF stands for sun protection factor and measures UVB protection. UVB rays cause skin redness and burning. PA stands for protection grade of UVA and measures UVA ray protection. UVA rays cause skin aging and cancer. You can read more about this here
SPF 50+ PA++++
Active Ingredients: Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone
This is my favourite sunscreen from this list! I love the texture of it since it's super lightweight and moisturizing without being greasy. It's a similar texture to Glossier's Priming Moisturizer, just a tiny bit thicker. There's no white cast and the texture makes it very easy to reapply throughout the day, even over makeup! It doesn't have added fragrance but there are fruit and citrus oils which give it a very light citrus scent. Not super noticeable and it dissipates quickly which is great!
SPF 40 PA+++
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate
Another great sunscreen for underneath makeup! I prefer to use this in the winter because it can feel a little greasy in the warmer weather. If you have oily skin, this probably isn't the SPF for you! It has a very silicone-like texture since it does contain dimethicone but it makes makeup application super easy! I like that it is unscented and clear so there's never a white cast! It is pretty pricy for the amount of product you're getting though and it's very hard to get a hold of in Canada. The formula also isn't the easiest to reapply unless you're using a makeup sponge.
SPF 30
Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide
My least favourite sunscreen on this list and probably the worst SPF I've ever tried tbh. I found this formula to be super thick, heavy and uncomfortable on the skin. It takes a long time to blend and absorb and leaves a greasy finish. Definitely has the potential to leave a white cast if not fully blended. I also noticed that it has a slightly gritty texture. There seem to be little balls of some ingredient in the SPF which doesn't really make the application process very pleasant. The scent is strange but I have no idea how to describe it.
SPF 50
Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Octinoxate
I surprisingly liked this product more than I thought I would! It gives such a gorgeous glow to the skin since it has a slight pearl-like finish! If you're into luminous bases, definitely give this a try! It has a very watery consistency which was unexpected but it makes the application easy! No white cast since it has a slightly peachy tint but it blends out to nothing. I also love that this isn't scented! It's easy to reapply since it is such a watery texture! Overall I'm super impressed with this sunscreen and love using it under makeup!
SPF 40
Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide
Like Unseen, this is a great sunscreen for under makeup! If you're someone who likes a matte finish you will probably love this as most sunscreens give more of a dewy finish. This says it has a universal tint but tbh I don't really think it's super universal. If you have lighter skin than I do this probably will be too tan for you because I have to wear foundation to use this. It blends out a lot but as you might be able to tell from the photo, it does leave a bit of an orange/tan finish. I like that it's unscented but again, it's pretty pricey. Also, it's very difficult to reapply with this!
SPF 50+ PA++++
Active Ingredients: Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone
Another favourite SPF that is pretty up there with Klairs UV Essence! I feel like Korean skincare brands just get SPF so right! It's moisturizing, lightweight, and doesn't leave a white cast. I'm really interested in trying their new unscented version of this because even though it doesn't have added fragrance, it does have essential oils like lavender oil. I love the other ingredients that this has though! Centella is soothing, hyaluronic acid is super hydrating, and niacinamide is so great for brightening and evening out skin tone. Not as easy to reapply as the Klairs UV Essence but still pretty easy!
SPF 30 PA+++
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone
This gives the prettiest glowy finish! I love a good hydrating SPF in the winter cause my skin tends to get pretty dull in the colder months but it still needs to be protected! I don't love that this is only SPF 30 but I probably will only use this in the winter. It doesn't have any noticeable fragrance other than a slight sunscreen scent although it does have lavender oil so be careful if that's something you're sensitive to. No white cast and pretty easy to reapply although not sure if it's worth $58??
SPF 30 PA+++
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene
I don't know how much I can speak to this one since anti-aging isn't really a focus of mine right now. It's pretty similar to the Perfecting Day Cream in terms of texture, no white cast, and finish, although it does have fragrance in the ingredients. The scent is light though and I don't really mind it. The price tag, however, is kind of crazy and not really worth it IMO.
SPF 30 PA+++
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone
I really love the texture of this sunscreen! It's light, mousse-like, and absorbs really nicely into the skin without a white cast! I also love that this has vitamin c! I need all the brightening products I can get so this is perfect! The one thing I don't love is that companies seem to think they need to add a citrus fragrance into every vitamin c product which is what happened here. It isn't super strong though!
SPF 30 PA+++
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene
So great for under makeup! It really is super pore blurring and gives a nice matte finish. I wasn't sure if I would like this because I don't tend to like silicone-like face products but the texture is super similar to the Unseen sunscreen but instead gives a matte finish. It does have a pretty strong fragrance that I don't really like. Also, very hard to reapply this over makeup because of the matte finish.
SPF 45 PA++++
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene
If you have oily skin you will probably love this! It's definitely mattifying and pore blurring, and although I prefer hydrating formulas, this is nice for the summer! I like that this is a higher SPF than most of Murad's sunscreens cause I don't really think SPF 30 is high enough. No white cast but again, it does have some fragrance. I wish that they didn't advertise this as "delivering 10 hours of oil, shine and pore control" because it makes it sound like you don't need to reapply this when you should actually be reapplying at least every 2 hours.
Hopefully, this post helps you with your search for your perfect sunscreen! It can be super hard to find one that you really love and that makes you actually want to reapply throughout the day, especially since there are so many options! Feel free to DM me on Instagram if you have any questions! Xx Taylor
(some products were gifted but all thoughts are my own)
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