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I Tested Out 3 Viral Sunscreens To Find the Best One — Here's What Happened
I put these popular sunscreens to the test. So, which one is the best?
Ake Ngiamsanguan
At the start of every season, I take inventory on my skincare products and see which ones could use a refresh. With warmer weather approaching, I decided it was time to invest in a new sunscreen. I like to protect my skin with at least SPF 40 before leaving the house in the morning. However, it’s often hard to find a sunscreen that feels lightweight on my oily and acne-prone skin. In an effort to find a new sunscreen that can carry me through spring and summer, I tested out three of the most popular ones out there. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like about each one.
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Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen
When I polled my friends for their favorite sunscreen, most of them recommended the Unseen Sunscreen from Supergoop! I have used their body sunscreen before when out with friends and I was eager to try this one for my face. I grabbed a standard size bottle of the Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 (1.7 oz) for $38 and wore it for one week.
- Light, silicone texture
- Blends into skin instantly
- No added fragrance
- Good base for makeup
- Easy to apply too much
- High price point
- May have contributed to breakouts
What I Loved About Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen
The texture of the sunscreen is extremely lightweight. It feels less like a cream and has a liquid, silicone-like texture. I didn’t have to spend a long time rubbing it into my skin because it blended instantly. I also really appreciated that this sunscreen was fragrance free because the smells of moisturizers or creams can irritate my sinuses, especially if I’m wearing them for a long time. Before applying my makeup, I let the sunscreen sit on my face for five minutes and noticed minimal shine.
What I Didn’t Like About Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen
The first couple of times I applied the sunscreen, I overestimated how much I needed and used way too much. Because the texture is so thin, it’s easy to think you missed a spot and then put another clump of sunscreen on your skin. When I did this, I noticed that my skin looked extra oily and I experienced a few more breakouts than usual. I also found the price point to be higher than I’d like to spend on a face sunscreen. Because it was expensive, I didn’t feel as thought this was a product I could afford to wear every day.
Courtesy of Jen Glantz
Bottom Line About Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen
If you’re someone who is looking to wear a daily sunscreen underneath your makeup, a little bit of this can go a long way and act almost like a primer on your skin, while providing SPF coverage. However, the price point was a bit high for this sunscreen, especially for the size of the bottle.
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MALIN+GOETZ SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen
Another popular sunscreen recommendation from my friends was the MALIN+GOETZ SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen. Unlike the other sunscreens that I tried, this one was a mineral sunscreen. The main difference is that a mineral sunscreen uses mineral ingredients, like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, to protect the skin against UV rays. I grabbed a standard size bottle of the MALIN+GOETZ SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen (1.7 oz.) for $38 and wore it for one week.
- Creamy texture
- Cooling effect
- Hydrating and can replace morning moisturizer
- Thick consistency
- Mineral formula leaves a white cast
- Light fragrance
What I Loved About Malin+Goetz Mineral Sunscreen
The sunscreen had a lightweight, but cream-like texture. Right after I applied it to my skin, I felt a nice cooling sensation, likely from the minerals. I felt like I was rubbing moisturizer on my skin and felt like I didn’t need to put on any other product before applying my makeup. This sunscreen hydrated and brightened my face enough. Because of the matte finish, it didn’t make my skin feel oily and greasy and I liked that a lot.
What I Didn’t Like About Malin+Goetz Mineral Sunscreen
The sunscreen was the thickest texture of all the ones I tried. It left a white cast when worn on its own and after blending in my makeup, that did go away. If worn on its own, it might be obvious that you are wearing face sunscreen throughout the day. I like sunscreen that lets me forget I’m wearing it. Between the light fragrance, texture, and white residue of this one, it was hard to ignore.
Courtesy of Jen Glantz
Bottom Line About Malin+Goetz Mineral Sunscreen
If you are looking for a sunscreen that provides UV protection and the benefits that come with mineral ingredients, you will love this one from MALIN+GOETZ. But if you’re hoping to use it as an initial layer to protect your skin from the sun before applying makeup, you might find it too heavy to use for that purpose.
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Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
When I searched in online forums, a lot of people recommended trying out Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen as an inexpensive and lightweight alternative to other name-brand options out there. I went to my local Trader Joe’s store and picked up the Daily Facial Sunscreen (1.7 oz) for $8.99 and wore it for one week.
- Most invisible finish on the skin
- Lightweight gel with matte finish
- Good primer for makeup
- Slight tropical fragrance
- May have cause irritation
What I Loved About Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
The texture of the sunscreen was quite surprising. It was thin and lightweight but had a matte-finish once applied. It felt soft on my face and went on completely clear. I was nervous that because it had a gel-like texture it would make my skin look oily and greasy, but that wasn’t the case. Out of all the sunscreens, this one felt the most invisible when applied on my skin. When worn alone, it was easy to forget that I had anything on my skin. When I applied moisturizer and makeup on top of it, it didn’t impact how these products felt or looked on my skin.
What I Didn’t Like About Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
The sunscreen had a very slight tropic fragrance to it that I didn’t prefer. At the end of the day, when I went to remove the products on my face, I noticed that my face was a bit more irritated than usual. I also noticed more breakouts after using the sunscreen daily.
Courtesy of Jen Glantz
Bottom Line About Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
This sunscreen was almost identical to the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen. At a much less expensive price point, it seemed like a cost-effective option to use as a daily sunscreen, especially when worn underneath makeup. While I did notice some irritations and breakouts, I still found that the benefits of wearing this SPF to protect my skin from the sun was worthwhile, especially when going out for the day.
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My Final Pick: Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
When you’re hunting for a new sunscreen, try out a few options and see which one feels the most lightweight on your skin and doesn’t cause breakouts. Skincare products are all about personal preference. After testing out three of the most popular sunscreens, I decided to go with Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen as my top choice. The price point was affordable and I didn’t mind wearing it all day long. It’s a product I look forward to using in the morning and plan to keep using all summer long.
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