I KNOW that sunscreen is necessary, but to be truthful it kind of feels like a necessary evil. My first beef with it has always been the overwhelming scent (I have a similar aversion to strong scents with other consumer products like laundry detergent, dryer sheets, dry shampoo and more) that most sunscreens tend to have. Secondly I have never liked the way it feels on my skin - face, arms, legs and otherwise. And since I have breakout prone skin I am especially hesitant about putting anything on my face (most people that struggle with acne have similar aversions to trying anything new or "heavy" on their skin). Whenever I used to slather sunscreen on my skin I just felt "ewww" about it and then when I started studying up on ingredients in sunscreen I got even more grossed out. So I never wore it. Or rarely wore it.
As a "responsible adult" I'm slowly coming around to sunscreen as I have tried a LOT of different options and found a few I love. I am always on the hunt for "safe" beauty products but I want to make sure that along with the safety of a product, I balance actually liking it. So a few of these products are "safer" than others - but all of them I have used and loved. And not cringed. haha.
Keep in mind... these are just my opinions on what have worked well - I'm not a scientist or any type of skin expert!
1) Mineral based sunscreens like this Countersun 30SPF get a "B+" rating from me. They feel thick and tend to look a little white on the skin but they are actually the "safest". I use this sunscreen when I feel like I have maybe overdone it already, like at the end of a 7 day beach trip or after I had an aggressive facial peel last fall it was clutch. This is definitely the "strongest" of the bunch in my opinion. You can layer makeup over this but I will warn it starts to feel heavy quickly.
2. This COOLA Makeup Setting Spray in SPF30 is my far and away favorite for a day at the beach. This one is lighter feeling because it's not mineral based and it sprays thinly and evenly on the skin with a light and fresh scent. This is probably the third bottle I've bought of this sunscreen. It's THAT good. I just keep buying it! What I love is that it's perfect for a day at the beach without makeup or you can apply it mid day if you are heading to an outdoor event WITH makeup. Plus it's easy to retouch up throughout the day. After about 2-3 applications (on an all-day-in-the-sun-day) I like to wipe my face with a baby or makeup wipe and start fresh. It does start to feel heavy.
3. My everyday sunscreen is this Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer in SPF30. I wear this year round on days when I wear makeup (which is most days) since I use this as my foundation. It does contain mineral sunscreen but somehow feels lighter than the Countersun lotion. This gives a nice dewy look and is a great base for the rest of my makeup.
4. COOLA Sport Face SPF50 is a fan favorite in our house. It's organic and NOT mineral. So you get some added safety with organic part and then sacrifice a bit with some of the other chemicals. You win some you lose some. But it's a balance I am comfortable with. This sunscreen is very light feeling on the skin with a very light scent and it feels great on your skin. This is the only sunscreen my daughter uses on her face because of her eczema.
5. This Umbra Tinte is a new favorite of mine. As you can see I have this tiny sample I've been using and I just ordered the full size. It's very much like the Dew Skin but instead of a dewy finish it has a nice matte finish. I LOVE this for outdoor sports. Since I started playing tennis I need a sunscreen I can really sweat in. This one stays put, even with sweat, and feels dry and soft on my skin.
