Sunscreen Rotation Summer 2016

I have spent a ton of time this summer testing out various sunscreens and items with sun protection in them. Now that I am in my 30's, I know one of the things that ages skin the most is the sun, so I always wear sunscreen (totally different from the massive amount of time I spent as a teenager in Florida tanning myself with Banana Boat SPF 4 tanning oil or, worse, baby oil).  For this post, I am rounding up a few sunscreens that have worked really well for me on various parts of my face.

Personally, my eyes have been a really overlooked area of sun protection. That is mostly because sunscreens tend to burn my skin when placed anywhere in the orbital area. Supergoop has resolved that issue for me by making an eye cream that is made with sun protection in it. I like that the SPF level in the cream is higher at SPF 37, as I am now using retinol on a regular basis to try to mitigate the fine lines in the area and need an SPF of at least 30. I find that this does not cause any type of stinging sensation, absorbs really well, is hydrating, and makeup layers over it nicely.

The Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen contains an SPF 35 and is also meant to act like a blurring primer for makeup. It actually does do a nice job of minimizing pores for me and I like that it leaves the skin with a silky feel. One thing I do note is that if you do not let the product absorb fully, it can sometimes pill a bit. I usually let it set for about 3-5 minutes and that seems to do the trick. Once it sets, the finish is pretty flawless. I also like that this does not leave any type of white cast to my skin, even though it is an opaque cream color.

The Neutrogena Ultra Sheer liquid is something that I have repurchased a few times for various vacations. It has a runny consistency and you have to make sure you shake the product very well before applying. I use this mostly when I know I will be in the sun for outdoor activities. I have noted that this does tend to make makeup break down faster, so it is usually best when used on its own. I am also a fan of the Neutrogena breakout free sunscreens for days at the beach/pool.

The it Cosmetics CC cream is something that I have seen a lot of great reviews about. I do like that it is a sunscreen/color combo product that contains a high SPF of 50, but think that it is better suited for people with normal to dry skin. I can only use this on days when my skin is more dry. On days that I am leaning more oily, it is too moisturizing. If you have an oily skin type, this will be too much for you. It is nice to have a higher SPF rolled into a color product for days when I am not in the sun very much and this fits the bill for me.

Laura Mercier makes my favorite foundation primers and I currently rotate 3 of them - Original, Radiance, and Protect. Protect is great because it functions exactly like the original primer does, but has the added bonus of SPF 30.  The primer does a nice job of hydrating the drier areas of my face, but does not make me turn oily at all. I find that the Protect primer helps to make my foundation last much longer without any type of breakdown in my t-zone.

I reviewed the Supergoop Setting Mist more in depth here when I was discussing some of my favorite setting sprays. I will say that it is still the best option I have found for an SPF product that can be applied over makeup as a touch up. If you have a better one, please let me know in the comments, as it is not a perfect option.

Lips are also an area that I have overlooked as far as sun protection. I love the Fresh Sugar lipbalms and have several of them. They have a fun selection of colors and there is an SPF of 15. I love the lemon/sugary scent and find them to be nicely hydrating. I should look into some other lip products with a higher SPF, but these are working well for me right now.

I hope that this roundup has been helpful to you. I have recently ordered a few more sunscreens to test, especially as we move toward cooler weather. What are some of your favorite sunscreens?

Setting and Refreshing Sprays

Setting and refreshing sprays are, for me, a huge part of my daily skincare and makeup routine. I think setting sprays help give a little life to your makeup, extend staying power, and also play a huge part in refreshing skin throughout the day. I thought I would share a few of my favorites, as well as how I use them in my routine.



By far, my favorite setting spray that extends the life of my makeup, as well as keeping skin looking fresh, is the Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray. I love the cooling feeling it imparts on skin when applied. It has definitely helped me balance my combination skin. The cooling effect lasts for a long time and it keeps my t-zone from getting oily, but does not dry out my cheeks. I love that it is not sticky at all and the mister is ultra fine, which helps spray evenly and consistently across the face. I have had to use oil absorbing sheets far less when I use this as my setting spray. Urban Decay makes several other setting sprays as well, which I have yet to try, but do look forward to.

The Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist has a lovely rose scent and is a great setting spray and refresher throughout the day. It is designed to help balance combination skin types. It does have alcohol as a main ingredient, but I find that it is not overly drying, possibly from the aloe it contains as well. It also contains marshmallow, which is an ingredient I find works well for my skin for anti-inflammatory purposes.



The Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray is something that I have repurchased several times now. This is nice because it is oil free. This spray contains aloe as well, which I love as an ingredient, as it provides moisture but does not make me break out. Despite the claims, I do not find it overly moisturizing, which works for my combination skin. If you are drier, I would recommend the Tatcha Luminous instead.

The Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is a luxury item. I really love the packaging (everything from the Tatcha line has the most beautiful containers), as it comes in a nice glass bottle. I have this in the full size for home and the purse size (shown above) for my bag. This is great as a mist before makeup if you are feeling a bit dry and can also be used after makeup. It is very glowy and will be way too much for oily skin types. I can only spray it on my cheeks, but I love the hydration and luminosity it gives the skin. One bit of caution though - if you spray too much at once, it can get slightly tacky. If you have dry skin, I can see this being a holy grail mist for you.

I bought the L'Occitane Immortelle Precious Mist when I was looking for sprays that did not contain alcohol. I had recently started using retinol and was getting a lot of the dryness associated with that. I use another Immortelle moisturizer from L'Occitane and really like it, so I thought I would try this out. I find that this is very refreshing and has the nice Immortelle smell like the other products from the line. I love using this applied to a Beauty Blender for an afternoon touchup. It is an aerosol and I have accidentally gotten my hair with it a couple of times. That is honestly the only thing I wish was a bit better. The mist is really wide and that makes it a bit more difficult to control.



The Supergoop Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary is another recent purchase. I was looking for something with SPF that can be applied over makeup (and not ruin it). As part of adding retinol, it is also really important to protect your skin from the sun. As most sunscreens only last a few hours, it is necessary to reapply. The dilemma, of course, is when you are wearing makeup. I don't want to take all of my makeup off to reapply and most sunscreens are lotions that do not go over makeup well at all. I have tried some of the powder sunscreen formulations and did not really like adding that much powder to my skin. The Supergoop Spray has SPF 50, which is on the higher end, a really fresh rosemary scent, and adds a matte finish. Many times, I will layer this with another spray on my cheeks, as it is a bit drying. If you have oily skin, you most likely will not have to do that. So far, it is the best option I have have found for adding SPF later in the day. I did notice that Coola has made an SPF spray and am interested in trying that one to see how it compares.

I hope this roundup of sprays is helpful to you. What are some of your recommendations?