Sunscreen
If you've been following us for a while, you'll know that we are big proponents of good sunscreen habits. UV damage is the main culprit of accelerated skin aging and, more importantly, the leading cause of skin cancer. However, the textures of sunscreens don't make it easy to include in your daily routine.
Instead of making our own (for now), we've spent our summers running a 30 for 30 sunscreen challenge where we test 30 sunscreens in 30 days in a rapid-fire trial on Gloria's dry skin and Victoria's oily, acne-prone skin to help provide a chemist's perspective on the available popular sunscreens you'll encounter in your research.
UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence
Still one of the gold standards in our view, and a solid choice for all skin types
Shake Shake SPF 50 Mineral Milk
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.
Light as Air Sunscreen Lotion
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.
Solar Sun Barrier Mineral Sunscreen
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!
Solar Shade
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
Mineral UV Mild Gel
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!
Tint & Protect SPF50+ Tinted Serum Foundation
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.
Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion Mineral SPF 60+
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.
Glowscreen Soft-Radiance Drops Mineral SPF 40
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".
Glowscreen SPF 40 Sunscreen
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.
Every Tone Invisible Finish Face
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.
UVIDEA Anthelios Tone-Up Rosy
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.
Cicaplast Balm UV Soothing Cream
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.
UV Filters SPF45 Serum PA++++
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
Everyday Active Sport Sunscreen Lotion
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
Future Screen SPF 50 Mineral Facial Sunscreen Serum
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.
Hydrating Sunscreen Milk with Colloidal Oatmeal
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.
The One Invisible Sunscreen Gel
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.
RESIST Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid
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.
Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream
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.
White Truffle Waterfull Essence Sunscreen
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...
UV Athlizm Skin Protect Mist
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.
Daily Tinted Fluid Sunscreen
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.
Sun Aqua Fresh
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.
Watermelon Dew Shield
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.
Bio Watery Sun Cream
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.
Pro-Collagen Skin Protection Fluid
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.
DreamBeam Tinted SPF
Solid! For a high coverage tint, the finish was still comfortable. Not too cakey or oily. Makeup wipe is needed to reapply.
Black Rice Pure Mineral Relief Daily Sunscreen
An unfortunate combo of shiny yet drying on Gloria's dry skin. Didn't work out for us at all.
SunnyDays Tinted SPF30
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!
Daily UV Defense Mineral
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!
Glowscreen
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.
Perfect UV Sunscreen Milk (Sensitive)
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.
Super Spritz SPF50 Face Mist
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.
Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen
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.
Sun Protect Water Gel
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.
Protec(tint) Daily SPF Tint
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.
UV Reflect Antioxidant SPF50
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.
Slip Tint
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.
Ultimate Sun Protector Face and Body Lotion
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!
Anthelios UVMUNE 400
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!
Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum
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!
The Silk Sunscreen
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.
Hydrakate Illuminating Sunscreen
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!
Baby SPF50+ Mineral Stick
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
Eryfotona Actinica Ultralight Mineral 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.
Universal Tinted Moisturizer
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.
Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
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.
Make it Hybrid
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?
UV Aqua Rich Daily Hydrating Facial Moisturizer
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.
UV Clear Tinted
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.
IS THERE ANOTHER SUNSCREEN WE NEED TO TRY?
There's always a new launch we probably missed. Let the chemists know what sunscreen they should test next!


















































