Sunscreen

Still one of the gold standards in our view, and a solid choice for all skin types

One of our favorite minerals that's surprisingly not too drying for Gloria's dry skin. Takes a bit to rub in, but nice soft finish after everything sets.

This is an impressive sunscreen at a budget-friendly price point. The formula has a fresh break, absorbs relatively easily with no white cast. This will be a crowd pleaser and is now a staple in the chemists' arsenal of sunscreen. Positioned as body, but is definitely nice enough to use for face.

The finish is okay - not the most elegant but decent for a mineral sunscreen. The slight tint in this product is more to minimize white cast, not actual coverage. This is on the verge of pilling, makeup users beware!

The formula absorbs quickly on skin however, it left skin with some residue, and the finish was pretty shiny. In fact, it was almost on the verge of being oily for Victoria. This could be a great option for dry skin types

There's a high chance of a white cast with this one. The sunscreen film is durable, the texture is comfortable and non-drying. Solid choice if you're fair, have dry skin, or for your little ones!

This is a great, high-coverage option that needs some time to set, but eventually can leave skin with a more natural, less cakey finish. Overall, despite applying a sunscreen-amount of this product, skin still felt comfortable and not greasy. This will transfer on clothing, so keep that in mind when putting on your light-colored fit.

This felt like a pretty industrial mineral fluid. Like classic mineral formulas, it takes quite a long time to rub in, and there's a very apparent white cast even on Gloria's fair skin. The film lasts VERY well even through tons of sweat. Can be a bit drying on dry skin.

The texture of this formula is quite nice and is comparable to its chemical filter counterpart - Glowscreen. However, the "glow" aspect of this on Victoria's skin wasn't quite right and made her look more oily than "dewy".

The "tint" is very sheer. After 2 hours of wear time it was still comfortable (even on a hot day) and not too greasy. I wouldn't have any issues reapplying this one so it's a great option if you're ok with that dewy/glow/shine look.

This formula has moderate rub-in time and leaves skin with a slight sheen. However, amongst this category of sunscreens, the texture is pretty greasy. The formula has a banana fragrance.

This lotion has a creamier texture that has a whitening effect common for Asia-based "tone-up" sunscreens. The film is comfortable to wear and very layerable with makeup, but this will not be friendly to darker skin tones.

Wonderfully moisturizing texture. Unfortunately, comes with a lot of white cast and immediately pilled on Gloria's dry skin despite her not being prone to pilling. We suspect you have to REALLY underapply to make this texture work.

Robust and reapplication friendly. However, this formula takes quite a long time to rub in and leaves skin with significant shine. The film is nourishing, but can feel heavy on oily skin

This sunscreen has a very wet application, which makes rub in time very long. Once this sunscreen finally sets, the film is robust and leaves skin with a dewy finish. The texture is nice and comfortable enough to wear on the face and doesn't run into the eyes. Had to knock off a few stars since the texture encourages under-application

This formula absorbs quickly (encourages applying the proper amount of sunscreen!) and leaves a somewhat sheer tint. There is mild residue that leaves skin with a nourishing finish. Had mild eye irritation by the end of wear.

This sunscreen has a creamy application that feels moisturizing on dry skin but can definitely feel greasy on oily skin. A pretty standard texture. Boring but functional basic.

That classic water-free, silicone-y sunscreen. The finish is more powdery, and the skin is left very matte. However, Gloria had a really hard time rubbing this in to achieve an even film.

In terms of texture, one of our favorite US-filter products. Neutral, comfortable, not greasy, not drying. The biggest gripe with this one is the packaging mismatch. We found this one hard to control when squeezing out. And it smells a bit funky.

This creamy lotion absorbs quickly and leaves skin with a soft, powdery finish. In comparison to other Kbeauty sunscreens, this strikes a good balance of nourishing but clean afterfeel.

Most Kbeauty brands that create a US-friendly sunscreen usually do ok, but unfortunately, this ended up having a lot of drag and heaviness. Not our favorite...

his spray is unique in that the spray on skin is dense. (However, please remember to still rub in the film with your own hands.) This formula has high alcohol content, which isn't ideal when you're trying to spray directly onto face. The film is robust and definitely lives up to high sweat conditions, but the film is pretty greasy with high residue.

This fluid absorbs very quickly into skin and provides more of a sheer coverage. Unfortunately, this formula has a tendency to pill and isn't the most reapplication-friendly. One of those "if it works for you it's great but not for everyone" products.

This is our favorite Beauty of Joseon sunscreen in the lineup. There is a water break with a clean film that holds very well. A pleasant texture for both Victoria's oily skin and Gloria's dry skin.

With a lower SPF value we were expecting a pretty reasonable texture but this formula took the longest to rub in and absorb. The formula also caused Gloria some eye irritation. Pass.

In comparison to other asia-based fluids this formula took longer to rub in but was comfortable to wear. Oddly, the finish was filmy not that pleasant in very humid climates. Over time, the fragrance level is a bit higher than what we'd prefer.

The texture is really nice in terms of the US chemical category. When applied it has a watery break and leaves skin with a pretty clean finish. Note that we rated this sunscreen solely on texture, the price point definitely will cause your wallet some pain.

Solid! For a high coverage tint, the finish was still comfortable. Not too cakey or oily. Makeup wipe is needed to reapply.

An unfortunate combo of shiny yet drying on Gloria's dry skin. Didn't work out for us at all.

Coverage is fairly high (especially if you apply like a sunscreen, and not like a foundation). This formula is very robust and held up over time. But after 2 hours of wear, Victoria's skin started to feel pretty oily/greasy. Normal or dry skin types might have better luck!

Upon application, Gloria found this to have a light texture but definitely leaves a shinier finish than most. After 2 hours it held up well and surprisingly the drying after feel was pretty minimal. In the realm of mineral sunscreens, this is a good one!

A fter 2 hours of wear time it was still comfortable (even on a hot day) and Victoria didn't feel overly greasy. There wouldn't be any issues reapplying this one so it's a great option if you're ok with that dewy/glow/shine look.

We've also tested the traditional Anessa Fluid in the gold bottle and Gloria found this version to be less drying and more comfortable to wear. The sunscreen held up well to a rigorous workout. Overall a really solid formula if you have fair skin! It does come with a bit of a whitening finish.

A couple notes! This formula has a solid amount of alcohol to keep the texture light. That means definitely keep your eyes closed if you spray directly to face. Another option is to spray onto hands then apply on face. Also, the spritz is a lot more concentrated, which means it may feel like you're covering a wide area of your face but in actuality, it's a lot more targeted. Just make sure you rub in the sunscreen well. The sunscreen definitely held up well in the sweat test. However, despite the light application, the after-feel still left skin feeling slightly greasy with some drag. 

This has a refreshing watery break that applies very easily. We wouldn't take the blue light protection claim too seriously - but SPF50+ and PA++++ is great! This was very comfortable on Gloria's dry skin! While it's not super moisturizing - it's definitely nice and non drying. A very solid choice for daily wear.

We were baffled by this sunscreen and we're fully aware of how long this formula has been around for and how popular it is. Our takeaways are the following: 1. We don't feel comfortable recommending this one simply because it's not easy to achieve a uniform film. Sunscreens are only as good as the uniform film it creates. 2. If you feel that this is the absolute only sunscreen out there that you're willing to wear, just rub in well. Very well. So so so well. Rub in this sunscreen to the point that you feel the sunscreen has completely dried down and you no longer feel dampness or that watery break.

This sunscreen texture felt pretty comparable to btoh the Kosas and Tower 28 tinted formulas. It did have a more nourishing finish but help up well and was comfortable to wear. This will need a makeup wipe to remove before reapplication.

This UV fluid feels like a textbook sunscreen fluid. It absorbs quickly and leaves a silicone, powdery finish with some residue. It held up well throughout the day and wouldn't have any issues reapplying. However, probably by the third reapplication, this felt like it wanted to pill. If Victoria had to choose between the two Naturium sunscreens, she would pick the Dew Glow Screen. The texture is more lotion-like, but it seemed to absorb better on her skin.

Coverage was somewhere more in the middle. Not as high coverage as the Kosas/Supergoop/Tower 28, but more than Tatcha, and Murad City Defense. Overall, I ended up having to rate this a 4/10. Unfortunately, the product I had smelled like one of the oils had gone rancid. It could just have been bad luck on my part. More importantly, this texture didn't quite work for my oily skin. After two hours of wear, it felt like it was sliding around and didn't want to absorb.

This sunscreen has a classic silicone texture with a lot of slip and a powdery finish. However, compared to Anessa, this definitely left more of a film & nourishing finish. The overall texture was appreciated and definitely a worthy sunscreen for dry skin types. But, it didn't hold up as well when it came to sweat resistance, despite its positioning. Eye irritation with sweating alert!

 We LOVED how fast this sets. It's really helpful in promoting wearing the correct amount of sunscreen as opposed to those formulas that just feel like rubbing forevvverrr. The texture is also very "neutral" - it's not drying nor moisturizing - pretty good for all skin types. This definitely lives up to the hype!

This has a refreshing watery break that absorbs fairly quickly. This does leave skin with a bit of shine but it's tolerable. Overall this had some wear but the texture was appreciated and comfortable. We consider this a great neutral texture. Not too powdery, doesn't have too much slip, neither too moisturizing or too drying. A great one to consider for all skin types!

This felt a lot like Victoria's beloved Murad City Defense. It wears well, and felt comfortable on Victoria's oily skin, yet not drying on Gloria's dry skin. But the price tag is just a bit hard to swallow. 

This felt comfortable on Victoria's oily skin with no white cast. It held up quite well through hot yoga as well. This is another one that's comparable to the Tatcha & Murad Tinted Minerals. Bonus that this one is ~$20 than the other two so a definite win!

This stick is noticeably less spreadable and glidey than the Aveeno baby stick. It's pretty hard to get an even, solid film with this product. Sadly... this isn't quite what we're looking for in a baby sunscreen

This is a fluid mineral sunscreen that feels pretty close to La Roche Posays' Anthelios Mineral Fluid. The formula absorbs quickly and leaves only a slight residue on skin. It does have a powdery-scented fragrance. Unfortunately, over time, this formula started to run into Victoria's eyes. However, this is a running theme (pun intended) with all thin mineral fluids for her. This might not be the same experience for others.

This is a tinted hybrid mineral sunscreen that provides sheer coverage and had a pretty long rub in time. However, once rubbed in this texture was quite nice. It absorbs well, feels comfortable on skin, and left skin with a pretty natural finish. Overall this sunscreen held up well and Gloria didn't find it drying for skin.

This formula has the classic mineral sunscreen issues - very long application time, greasy residue, and white cast. But! It didn't dry out Gloria's dry skin, and held up very well in sweat. Strong redeeming qualities make this an affordable, dependable mineral sunscreen for body use and for those with fair skin.

Ok this was a sad day for us. We've tried other sunscreens in their lineup and didn't face the same issue but this one refused to absorb. So after trying for many minutes to rub all of it in, the formula sadly decided to pill profusely on Gloria's skin. Skin is personal after all - you might have better luck than us?

This is a very pleasant texture for a sunscreen only using US-approved filters. The Asia version is still fresher, lighter. However, it was pretty surprising to find that the US version still retained that signature watery break. Solid choice for those unable to get international sunscreens.

This tinted formula took a surprisingly long time to rub in and absorb. While the formula held up well, if not careful, this pilled very easily. This formula felt comparable to the DRMTLGY tinted and ultimately we would choose DRMTLGY over this one. Not the greatest initial application and pilling tendency is too high.

Good texture for zinc-based hybrid sunscreen (international chemical formulas are still fresher). Comfortable wear for those with normal to oily skin. Slightly drying on Gloria's dry skin. A bit of a mild white cast, so not for those with darker skin tones!

Solid! Wear is pretty good, texture was light and reapplying despite sweating isn't so bad. The finish is a bit dewy. There is a bit of an alcohol + fragrance smell that's not too overwhelming.

A deceivingly nice-feeling sunscreen ... until you try to apply the proper amount of sunscreen. This simply would NOT set on Gloria's face at all. And because the product sloshes around on the face, it eventually leads to a ton of eye irritation. A reminder that "a little bit goes a long way" is NOT the way to go in sunscreen.

for such a high SPF, the texture was surprisingly nice! It's feels like a classic lotion that has a clean finish without being too powdery or drying. It applied and set fairly quickly. Gloria DOES have dry skin, so this might be a hint too heavy for those with oily skin. The texture is pleasant enough that when I reapplied, it didn't feel too gross

Solid texture for being an SPF 50 with water resistance. Held up decently after a snorkel. A solid choice for your ... well, vacation. A bit on the heavy side for everyday face wear.

Minerals are tough and non-nano minerals are even tougher. The texture has some heaviness to it so it’s not the best mineral texture out there. Coverage is on the minimal side and blended fine with Victoria’s medium light complexion. This is an unfortunate combination of heavy + drying for Gloria - a common problem for her in this category.

A pretty traditional US chemical sunscreen texture that feels nourishing, but may be a bit too heavy for some. It didn’t make Victoria’s oily skin too shiny, and is comfortable on Gloria's dry skin. Kudos to UVA PA testing!

All in all, a reliable sunscreen for outdoorsy, sweaty days and lives up to the name "sport face". But probably not one you'll reach for otherwise due to the greasy texture. 6.5/10

Noticeable white cast and runs into eyes despite the water-resistant claim. Not the best formula. Originally tested in 2023. Now with boat loads more tests under our belt, we'd probably bump this rating down to a 3....

The performance is really good against a tougher workout out with more sweat. That said, the initial play time is also on the long side much like the Athlizm. Gloria personally preferred the Athlizm since the Anessa formula's more on the drying side for her skin, but those with oily skin may prefer the Anessa.

This rubs in quickly and is surprisingly comfortable (nourishing but not too greasy). 7/10 for a daily sunscreen. Sadly... it didn't hold up well in my boxing class. Some got in my eye (minimal irritation), and some got in my mouth (TERRIBLE taste) post-workout. 5/10 as a sports sunscreen.

Pro: sets pretty fast

But sadly, this is a bit on the filmy, greasy side of things. Can be a good "nourishing" option for those with dry skin. Those with oily skin won't like this one too much.

This one definitely has that classic sunscreen lotion texture - but not necessarily in a bad way. It's creamy, applies a bit thicker than some would prefer but dry skin types probably won't mind. It wears well, and holds up throughout the day. It does get a bit tacky when re-applying though. Decent work horse formula that does the job at a good price point.

Major cons: takes FOREVER to rub in, and the finish is rather shiny.

Despite that, over time skin didn't feel heavy and the shine eventually went away. Not the worst texture, but not the best texture we've tried.

Texture alone, this formula had a slightly longer playtime but finished really clean on skin. Wear time and wash off were both a ✅ ✅. We bumped it down a couple of points because Gloria found that the formula felt slightly drying on skin over time despite a great texture. Definitely a good one for oily skin types.

The texture of the formula is very nice. It sets quickly into a moisturizing film that's not too greasy heavy. The film "sets" very quickly and doesn't slide around on my face at all. The finish IS a bit on the shiny side for my taste. This COULD be a nice option for many people - sadily, it made Gloria's face a bit itchy.