CEO of SPF Collection
Any dermatologist you speak to will probably tell that you only need a good cleanser, moisturizer and SPF product for your skin. I’m not a dermatologist but I’ll still tell you the same thing.
I’ll be sharing current sunscreen products I use and my opinion about them. Keep in mind this is my personal experience using them and these products may or may not work for you! My suggestions should be taken with a grain of salt.
My Skin Type
I have dry/combination, sensitive and eczema-prone skin. My skin concerns include preventing inflammation from skin-sensitivities, hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory marks from eczema or the occasional pimple.
So… I have a lot of concerns (and unfortunately a lot to work with).
Applying and Reapplying Sunscreen Improved my Skin.
Using SPF products has made drastic and positive changes for my skin. I’ve noticed fading in hyperpigmentation, eczema flare ups and skin irritation with my consistent and borderline obsessive use of sunscreen.
Ok let’s finally begin with the lineup!
Mineral Sunscreens
Make P:rem Mild Sun Stick SPF 50+ PA++++, $26.99 (currently) on Amazon
Ingredients: (EWG Health Rating via Skincarisma)
Pros:
Non-nano mineral sunscreen safe for people with sensitivities to chemical sunscreen.
Easy to apply and reapply if you don’t wear makeup.
Can be a nice base under makeup
Non-greasy, portable stick formulation.
Great for all skin types including oily skin.
Cons:
Not budget-friendly.
Has lavender oil if you’re sensitive to fragrances. It’s still pretty low on the ingredient list which is probably why I never had problems with it.
SKIP AREAS. It’s easy to miss areas of your face using any kind of sun stick. As with all sunscreens you should be generous when you apply.
You will get a white cast with this if you use it properly by applying enough of it. This is normal for mineral-based sunscreens.
Do I recommend this?
I recommend this as a base or primer to your makeup. I personally use it this way and apply a sun cushion over it to make sure I don’t miss any areas on my face.
I’ve repurchased this item multiple times over a year, I never had issues with it irritating my skin. I think anyone who is on the go or if you’re a runner can benefit from this stick formula to reapply easily.
Cerave Hydrating Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30, $7 on Amazon
Ingredients: (EWG Health Rating via Skincarisma)
Pros:
Tinted SPF that completely cancels out the white cast concern as a mineral-based sunscreen.
Tinted SPF formulas have iron oxides that have been proven to help with reducing post-inflammatory marks from acne, melasma and hyperpigmentation. Here’s a Harvard blog post discussing the benefits of tinted sunscreens.
Tinted formulas thanks to iron oxides (once again) do also help with blue light protection also mentioned in the Harvard blog.
Easy to apply and reapply. The medium skin tint is is compatible with a wide range if skin tones (compared to Korean products I’ve come across) which makes it perfect for every day use and reapplication.
Can replace your foundation if you have a medium skin tone.
Extremely hydrating.
Fragrance Free.
Cons:
Doesn’t match all skin tones and the color oxidizes a slight orange.
Only SPF 30
Might not work for oily skin types.
Needs to be set with a powder (personal preference).
Do I recommend this?
I recommend because of its easy reapplication potential and for a mineral based sunscreen it’s super hydrating. As someone with eczema I’ve noticed a lot of mineral sunscreens tend to dry out my skin and would cause some flare ups. Safe to say I never had an issue with this one.
This tint is actually a little too dark for my skin and the color oxidizes a bit. Despite this I do recommend it for anyone does match it because it’s a great sunscreen overall.
I found this because of Dr. Dray’s recommendation. HIGHLY recommend you check her out!
Mineral/Chemical Hybrid Sunscreen
Troiareuke H+ Cushion SPF 50+ PA++++, $38 on Amazon
Ingredients: (EWG Health Rating via Skincarisma)
Pros:
Makeup and SPF product.
Great for dry, combination and sensitive skin.
Easy to apply and reapply.
Iron Oxides = blue light protection and help reducing post-inflammatory marks (like the Cerave sunscreen I mentioned previously).
Cons:
Only two shades that are for light to light-medium skin tones.
Not budget-friendly at $38 as the lower prices I’ve seen for this product.
Has Fragrance.
Has a white cast which will be more noticeable during reapplication.
Do I recommend this?
I recommend this more as a makeup base that has SPF rather than your only SPF product. I often start off my day with the Make P:rem sun stick and then apply the Cerave tinted sunscreen or Troiareuke. I’ve been repurchasing this product for a couple years now and will continue to do so.
I also have tried the Troiareuke A+ Cushion and recommend that as well, and I’ve heard good things about the Seoul Aesthetic Cushion.
Chemical Sunscreens
Eucerin Daily Hydration Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30, $10.99 at CVS
Ingredients: (EWG)
Pros:
Moisturizer + SPF formula makes this product hydrating for dry skin.
Dermatologist Recommended.
Easy to apply and reapply.
Affordable at $10.99 for 8 oz of product.
Fragrance free.
Cons:
Not for people sensitive to chemical sunscreens.
Not water resistant.
Not an adequate sunscreen for outdoor activities or prolonged periods of sun exposure.
Do I recommend this?
Personally I don’t recommend this. Despite it being budget-friendly, it’s pretty common for people to not reapply sunscreen which is a huge flaw for this product.
While it’s easy to reapply, you should be reapplying this product more often than every 2 hours because of it only having SPF 30 and it’s not water resistant. Most likely it’ll rub off on clothing or break down from sweat.
Skin Aqua UV super moisture gel SPF 50+ PA++++, $16.28 on Amazon
Ingredients: (EWG Health Rating via Skincarisma)
Pros:
High SPF
Pump dispenser!
Easy to apply and reapply.
Fragrance Free.
Satin-like finish and moisturizing.
Recommended by Dr. Dray on Youtube.
Cons:
Certain SPF products have alcohol in it including this one. If you have alcohol sensitivities I’d avoid this but the alcohol in it is meant to solubilize the UV filters. Dr. Dray explains it better than I do.
Do I recommend this?
YES. This sunscreen is budget-friendly for a fair amount of product. It’ll last you a while. I use this for reapplication of sunscreen throughout the day using my makeup sponge (Skinfood wedge puff sponge $6.21 on Amazon).
I hope you guys enjoyed this blog post, let me know if you end up picking up these products or have recommendations as well!
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