SKIN | 5 Facial Sunscreens Everyone Should Have!

Either sunscreens seem to be more in fashion this year than last OR I am just extremely aware of different sunscreen options this year. Maybe it’s a bit of both, but everyday I have found myself swimming in a variety of options for both the face and body so because I couldn’t narrow down my favourites into one post, part one will be all about the face and part two will focus on my must-have body sunscreens. I have personally discovered so many lovely brands this year thanks to being a vendor in Sephora and having cast members share their favourites so thank you to all of the West Coast Sephora girls for giving me some lifelong sunscreen favourites!

Sunscreen Review Kiss My Face Murad Coola First Aid Beauty Supergoop (3)

Sunscreen Review Kiss My Face Murad Coola First Aid Beauty Supergoop (2)

Kiss My Face with Hydresia Broad Spectrum SPF 40*

KMF is one of my favourite brands to feature every Earth Day for their range of eco-friendly and human-friendly products. This is a mineral sunscreen with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which has that typical thicker white texture, but as it states on the tube, blends in completely clear. It does not have any scent and is ideal for children and sensitive skin types. This sunscreen uses a patented technology developed by Botaneco that allows for the inclusion of Hydresia oleosomes. Oleosomes are naturally-occurring spherical structures found in oil-bearing seed plants and are most commonly found in sunflower, almond and safflower plants. Botaneco has developed a way to extract these structures intact which most importantly delivers natural moisturizer to the skin, but in a “time-released” manner so that as the day progresses, skin continues to receive moisture. There are a whackload of products that contain Hydresia and on an ingredients list will be listed as “safflower” or “sunflower oleosomes”.

Murad Invisblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 PA+++

I first encountered this multi-purpose product in Sephora Calgary back in April, but they were completely sold out as were all the other Sephoras in Vancouver. I ended up purchasing one at Sephora Bellevue and with the exchange rate on my credit card, paid so much more than I should have, but I just had to have it. This is a chemical sunscreen that in addition to being a sunscreen is a makeup primer and skincare treatment. As a primer, this is VERY silky smooth thanks to dimethicone and is the only makeup primer I own that has SPF in it. Dimethicone also blurs pores and fine lines so your skin really does look smooth and ready for foundation. If you are not a fan of thick feeling, mineral white sunscreens, Invisiblur really is invisible and barely there. Although this is marketed as a skincare treatment with ingredients such as: black current seed extract, sunflower seed oil and shiitake mushroom extract, I primarily treat this is as a primer with sunscreen and find the added skincare benefits a pure bonus.

COOLA Mineral Sunscreen Cucumber Matte Finish Broad Spectrum SPF 30

This has been the darling of the eco beauty world for a few years now and is a beautifully matte, lightweight mineral sunscreen. It has a similar finish to Murad’s Invisiblur as there is also dimethicone and cyclopentasiloxane in the formulation, but higher up on the formulation list is organic shea butter and cucumber extract giving this sunscreen a much more absorbent texture. This sunscreen is my preferred option if I’m not going to be wearing makeup and the natural cucumber scent is very refreshing. COOLA makes a number of different finishes and tints and is readily available at retailers like iHerb and small indie boutiques throughout Canada. I picked mine up at LYNNsteven in the Gastown area of Vancouver.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Pure Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 40*

I have a friend who works for FAB so even though this is SUPPOSED to be on Canadian shelves as of two months ago, there have been some delays so I was lucky enough to score an extra one from her. FAB is the brand for those with sensitive skin, eczema, gluten sensitivities and is even safe enough for pregnant women and children. This moisturizer takes a little bit of work to dissipate the mineral “whiteness”, but is not quite as thick in texture as KMF. What I like about this moisturizer + sunscreen is that there is that characteristic Ultra Repair Cream consistency which keeps skin hydrated in a comfortable way. For those that prefer to combine their moisturizer and sunscreen into one step, this has been one of my favourites since May.

Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary SPF 50 PA+++

I owe it to the girls at Sephora Bellevue for this find and more Supergoop! love because THIS is the solution for when you need to reapply your sunscreen during the day and do not want to wreck your makeup OR if you have forgotten to apply any form of SPF and only realized it at the very end (me more often than you would think!) This is a chemical sunscreen that sprays out completely clear and sets makeup and also controls oil production throughout the day. It feels ever so slightly thick at first which you can really notice on the lips, but in a few seconds I hardly remember it’s there. I am hoarding this like crazy because Supergoop! is next to impossible to get in Canada since the line does not have a Canadian retailer due to the Canadian requirement for SPF to have a DIN. THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is the perfect solution to our sunscreen touch-up problems!

Is there a product here that you would like a more in-depth review of? Let me know in the comments below!

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