mareh

I can only use a physical sunscreen. I was using Suntegrity 5-in-1, but they changed it so the tint isn't consistent from tube to tube. I recently bought Farmacy Green Defense, which is untinted, and like it so far. I don't think it has a masking fragrance so the smell isn't great, but it fades pretty quickly. It doesn't leave much of a white cast on me.

ysolde

How does it work under makeup? One provblem I tend to have with physical sunscreens is that so many of them pill and ball up under makeup.

mareh

I have that same problem. I don't think anything will ever be perfect on me, but this comes the closest so far. I can also mix it with another product. That's surprisingly hard to do with most physical sunscreens. I like to add a little moisturizer in the colder months, even though it lessens the protection a bit.

rsqrott

Two sunscreens have come across my radar. I wear sunscreen all year long but I also wear glasses so I need to find something that does not make my glasses slide and does not irritate my eyes. The only sunscreen that ticks all of those boxes is Shiseido but I'm always looking for alternatives. Here are the new ones that I've seen ads for:

Tatcha- The Silk Sunscreen. I have tried their Silken Pore perfecting sunscreen but my glasses will slide when I use it.
Supergoop- Every.Single.Face watery lotion

Both are spf 50. Anyone have any experience with these?

rsqrott

Answering my own question regarding the Supergoop Every.Single.Face. While not as matte as I like this sunscreen goes on evenly with no white cast. It does not irritate my eyes and it doesn't cause my glasses to slip. It also costs around 14$ less than the Shiseido Urban Environment sunscreen which is my go to*. My only real complaint is the awkwardly shaped round bottle and overly large, space wasting cap. I hope they change the packaging.

*Shiseido appears to have recently changed the formula for the Urban Environment sunscreen which may mean that it's no longer going to be my go to. sigh. They've also reduced the larger size a bit and raised the price. I'll need to try out the new version but at least the Supergoop ticks the right boxes for me.

freecia

Instagram ads presented me with some non-slip eyeglass nosepads this morning https://www.setexgrip.com/products/eyeglass-nose-pads They have a few different thicknesses. No idea if they work but the pricing seems reasonable to me and could be tested with an old pair of glasses + SPF.

gretchendz

Until this moment I did not know I would want to "mimic a gecko's foot fibrillar structures for a comfortable, strong grip even on wet, sweaty or oily skin". Ha!

ysolde

Two new contenders:

Chantecaille's Ultra Sun Protection Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Primer. This does double duty as both an SPF and a primer. It is an amazing SPF, in that it somehow manages to work under makeup (it is a primer, after all) without pilling or otherwise looking funny. It is a little thick and can feel a little tacky (set with a little powder if this is a problem). I am at a stage in my life where a lot of SPFs (Tatcha and even Super Goop's Unseen Sunscreen) leave me feeling too dry. It makes my skin feel wonderful all day long, especially in the fall and winter, when my skin needs a bit more radiance and moisture. At $98, it is very pricey. Remember, it is both a sunscreen and a primer. I try to purchase it when I can get two tubes for the price of one.

Which brings me to my new summer moisturizer. Dermalogicas's Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50. I have only recently been using this, but am really enjoying this now that the weather is warmer. I like the fact that it is a moisturizer with built-in SPF 50. Two pumps of this moisturizer give me full SPF coverage to my face. I have put this one through its paces recently, going out on a day of sightseeing in Florida and then flying the next day (I find I sunburn easily on flight days if I am not careful with the SPF). No burning at all. In fact, not so much as a freckle. It also works well under makeup. No pilling, no whitecast. It has a bit of a scent, and I would not use it around my eyes (I still like the Shiseido eye cream with SPF for around the eyes, although even that one is bothering me if it gets too close to my eyes). Like the Chantecaille, the Dermalogica is pricey ($77). Like the Chantecaille, it does double duty (this one is both a moisturizer and a sunscreen -- in fact, if it works for you, it may be more practical as an everyday sunscreen than the Chantecaille). It leaves a really soft, silky feeling on skin that is easy to work with.

Hoyaheel

@ysolde - sounds wonderful! I ask - as a middle-aged woman with limited "makeup" skills/experience - when you say you're using under makeup, do you mean foundation/concealer/otherwise tinted creams, or do you just mean anything that you use on your face- blush, eye shadow etc? I don't like anything tinted, don't use foundation etc - I tried a lightly tinted spf and a bb or cc cream when they first came out and I just....don't like it on me. I'm thinking because my product use is limited on my face that the texture of my spf/moisturizer isn't as critical as it is when more layers are involved. (I am currently using a la roche posay SPF/moisturizer option I like)

As for eyeglass pads - I used to keep an older pair of wire rim glasses with silicone nose pads for gardening & exercise (less slippage) but my last few pairs (and prescriptions) have been tortoise (plastic/resin) so no silicone pads - but the eyeglass place did tell me I could still add nose pads. I had never checked but dang I really like those "gecko" options ;-) Thank you for sharing @freecia!

ysolde

Yes, under foundation and concealer. Unfortunately, many good sunscreens tend to ball and pill under foundation, making them difficult to use. These two sunscreens (the Chantecaille and Dermalogica) work beautifully under foundation and concealer. In this sense, they are real finds.

Hoyaheel

Thanks ysolde!

For anyone looking for the eyeglass nose grips - Setex has a store on Amazon. They also sell grips for mobile phones, game controllers, and earbuds (I think - maybe only the apple ones? not sure) Anyway - I'm going to order a set to try - just not sure if I want to try different thicknesses or if I know I'll only want the thinnest.....

rsqrott

I may not have mentioned that this is one of the "boxes" sunscreen needs to tick for me (along with not making my glasses slip, no shine and no stinging my eyes). I just use concealer under my eyes and a dusting of powder, no foundation, but the sunscreen goes on after the moisturizer, before anything else. And undereye concealer can end up looking cakey and dry so I've got to me careful about anything that goes on underneath it.
The Supergoop Every.Single.Face works under concealer (and ticks the other boxes as well).

I also caved and picked up a bottle of the Shiseido Urban Environment now touted as Sun Dual Care. I was wrong earlier, the size is still the same though the price has gone up. The new formula is a bit thinner and slightly tinted but I find that it requires more rubbing in to remove any cast than the previous, thicker version. It does sink in nicely and become matte, working well as a primer and ticking all of the boxes. So I can alternate it with the Supergoop. I just wish Supergoop would change the packaging, then it would be right up there as a go to.
Supergoop is SPF 50 while Shiseido is SPF 42.

rsqrott

Sephora has the new Aquabomb sunscreen by Belif and this is another one that ticks the boxes for me. SPF 50, mostly matte, does not irritate my eyes or make my glasses slide. It is a more watery formula, like the Supergoop and doesn't leave a whitish cast.
I have been using the Belif Aquabomb for the past few years as an everyday face cream and I really like it. It's a light consistency that's very moisturizing without feeling heavy or sticky. Plus it does not irritate my face. The sunscreen has the same feel. I also like the packaging better than that of the Supergoop. So for now I've got 3 good options for an everyday sunscreen. Belif may edge out Shiseido based on the price alone plus the slightly higher SPF. I'm hoping that I can help some other faces out.

Belif Aquabomb sunscreen at Sephora

bamboola

I use Biossance's sunscreen in fall, winter, and spring. It is only 30 SPF and tends to be overly moisturizing - i.e. a bit greasy. I also use Pipette (a different line from the same parent company) that is available online and in several stores.

My favorite, however, is Missha's, a Korean brand that is sold online in the U.S. https://misshaus.com/ It was discontinued for a while and is now back. The ingredient list is quite long, and it is not "clean" like Biossance and Pipette, but I love it in the summer because It's like wearing a primer. The Buy One, Get One Free ends today.

freecia

Side Note PSA:

Some Japanese skincare brands reformulate their sunscreens every few years or even annually. Shiseido Anessa has gone through a few versions over the last couple years. There was however, also another reason to discontinue a Korean SPF product in 2021 ...

There were issues found in late 2020 with some Korean sunscreens not having the SPF & PA ratings labelled based on reputable independent lab tests. I'm not very knowledgeable on the actual details so will try to summarize the relevant bit: It seems like Korean regulations allowed a formula to be re-worked after SPF rating testing and keep/"bridge" the SPF rating including thinning out a product which reduced the effective SPF. I would also speculate (but no proof) large established reputable domestic companies like Missha probably also looked at their formulations, manufacturers, and tightened in-house testing to make sure there weren't any issues with their products.

More details:
2021 Korean sunscreens that are clinically tested and approved ? Christinahello
https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty...ersy_industry/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty...the_fact_that/ - Also a reminder that domestic sunscreen can cater to local climates & usage habits in addition to cosmetic elegance & approved chemical filters.

Just piping up in case people weren't aware and if people have one of the impacted older bottles, it may be beyond the use by date anyhow. I think I still have some sealed samples of the Purito which isn't good for anything but spf, so I'll be tossing those.