Sundayskin’s SPF Guide 2019 ☀️ (Updated!)
Hello all! How is everyone’s skin doing? So I have an old version of this spf master-post here, but, well, that’s old, so I decided to make a newer (hopefully improved) one. There’s not going to be too much structure with these reviews, I’m just going to run through them from 1-10, and give you guys a little info with suggestions for each. I’m going to try to make this short, but I gotta cover 10 spfs, so bare with me! Also, please bare in mind my thoughts are based on my experiences, okay? Just cause I may like or dislike a product doesn’t mean you’ll have the same experience! Let me also point out that all of these products have ingredients that are not comedogenic (irritating/pore-clogging/acne-causing) or have a low possibility of being comedogenic (save for #10). Plus, all of these spfs provide a decent amount of UVA and UVB protection that should be enough in your daily life (some provide better/stronger protection than others, though). Oh, and I’ve got dry/normal, sensitive, acne-prone skin btw. Alright, grab your snacks, tea, coffee—whatever is your thing—and let’s get started!
1. Supergoop! Superscreen Daily Moisturizer SPF 40 PA+++: This is definitely one of my favorite spf products I’ve tried, if not my absolute favorite. This one is a light cream moisturizer with the bonus of spf coverage, is non-irritating, and has no visible white cast. I absolutely think all skin types would enjoy this, especially those that struggle with spfs that break them out or spfs that are too pigmented and/or heavy/oily. If you’re annoyed by the idea of having to apply a moisturizer then an spf, this may kill two birds with one stone for you. I personally plan to repurchase this again and again.
2. Skin&Lab Fre C Sun Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++: This has a light gel texture with no white cast. The finish of this gives a beautiful dewy look to the skin (think glass-skin), so while this is lightweight, it might feel/look greasy on oily skin types. If you aren’t about a dewy/glowy finish, I might skip this one. As a dry/normal skin type, I love this spf and grab for it regularly. It has never broken me out, either. I wrote a full review for this here.
3. Nivea Sun Protect Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++: This is probably the most lightweight spf on this list; it has a very watery gel texture with no white cast. This one is most likely not going to irritate your skin, and it really absorbs in well and doesn’t feel like anything on the skin. I think everyone would enjoy this spf, especially those looking for an extremely lightweight, clear-finish spf.
4. Jigott Whitening UV Sun Block SPF 50+ PA+++: This spf is meant to brighten the complexion, thus it does have a slight white-cast finish which is going to be more apparent the deeper your skin tone is. I am fairly pale, so the bright finish looks very natural and blends in well with my skin. This has a thin, cream-like consistency and is an spf that sits more on top of the skin rather than sinking in and disappearing. If you absolutely loathe white cast, I’d skip this one. If you want a moisturizing, brightening spf, this may be a good one to try. Beware though, this one can start to peel off the skin if rubbed in too much and/or is applied on top of a lot of layers of other skincare. I’ve found applying this with a makeup sponge prevents this issue.
5. A’pieu Madecassoside Sun Cream SPF 39, PA++: This one resembles the texture and finish of #’s 4 and 9. It has a thin consistency that dries quickly, so blend it quickly on hydrated, smooth skin. It’s generally quite pigmented, but if you blend it out well the white cast should disappear for the most part. My deeper skin tones might think this has a visible white cast while my lighter tones might find it disappears completely when blended in. This one also doesn’t feel crazy heavy on the skin and, consequently, isn’t that moisturizing. I think this suits all skin types, just bare in mind the consistency and finish. I wrote a full review for this here, but I pretty much say the same things.
6. Missha All Around Safe Block Essence Sun Milk SPF 50+ PA+++: Like the name suggests, this one has a thin, milky texture with no white cast when blended out well. I think this has a very crowd-pleasing texture and finish and is an all-around good spf (see what I did there?). Especially a good choice for those looking for a lightweight spf that gives a little moisture as a bonus.
7. Cosrx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++: This is a moisturizing, medium-heavy cream spf. It definitely has white pigment, but blending it out well should eliminate any major white cast. To me, this can become a bit oily on the skin, especially in humid/hot weather and/or if you have oily skin. I think this might be best as a cold whether spf or for those with dry skin. Likewise, if you’re searching for an spf that is moisturizing enough to serve as a moisturizer-and-spf-in-one, this might be one to try. For me (personally!), I enjoy layering several products on for my skincare routine and oftentimes I just want a lightweight spf to top it all off, so I don’t personally grab for this one often.
8. A’pieu Pure Block Natural Sun Cream Daily SPF 45 PA+++: I think, like the Missha one, this spf is a crowd-pleaser in terms of being a good, every-day spf for all skin types. This one has a lightweight gel-cream texture, no white-cast finish, and gives off a natural finish (it’s not too dewy/moisturizing nor too matte). While it gives a little bit of moisture, it’s not heavy at all. If you don’t want to explore too much in terms of spfs and just want one that is good for every-day use and you know will work fine with your skin type, I’d consider trying this one.
9. InstaNatural Vitamin C Moisturizer SPF 30 Broad Spectrum: This one has a thin, dry texture and finish, similar to #5. I can guess that those who hate any white pigment at all in their spfs might not prefer this one over more seamless-finish spfs. No matter how many times I’ve tried applying this, it always starts to crumble and the application becomes patchy and flaky on the skin. But this one has good reviews elsewhere it seems, so I’m not sure if it just doesn’t work well with my skin or if I somehow am applying it with the wrong products underneath, etc. Either way, this might be better for oily skin types that don’t mind an spf that does have some white pigment (it’s mineral based, so it’s to be expected really). Other than that, I wouldn’t personally recommend this as a top choice when it comes to spfs.
10. Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50: You’re probably wondering why I even included a swatch of this one—one reason was to keep this post format consistent, another was to try to show you guys the finish. The finish is dewy and a bit shiny, so if you look closely at the “swatch” you can sort of see that shiny finish (maybe? lol). Anyhow, I got this spf mist with the hopes I could use it throughout the day to easily reapply spf because reapplying a cream type is a hassle. But the finish of this is a bit too oily feeling for me (it feels and looks exactly like your typical spf body spray) and the spray dispenser isn’t a fine mist like it should be but rather sprays unevenly. Plus, I realized after purchasing this that is has “alcohol denat”, an apparently very irritating, possibly acne-causing ingredient that you should ideally avoid using. I can say that this may have caused a few light break-out areas on my face after having it on my skin for awhile. Thus I don’t recommend this mist, especially for acne prone, oily skin types—this is a definite no-no. But who knows, maybe your skin is super resilient and you don’t have oily or acne-prone skin, so it might be an okay setting spray option for you, even despite the alcohol denat, because I know “bad” ingredients don’t always have negative effects for all skin types (especially considering we don’t know the specific percentage included of such ingredients most of the time). In any case, I think you all are better off searching for a better spf facial spray.
If you got this far, thanks for reading! Remember to wear your spf everyone! ♡
