The Best Sunscreens for your face - These are my top three.

The Best Sunscreens for your Face - My Top 3 Mineral Sunscreens

Sunscreen…we’re always hearing that we should be wearing it anytime we go outside, leave the house, or heck, even when staying indoors!  But how do you decide which sunscreen to use?  And once you find one, how can you easily add this into your routine?  What if you’ve had bad sunscreen experiences in the past, like burning eyes, looking like a ghost from the zinc oxide or feeling like it’s a waste of time?  We are going to review all of that and much more with my top 3 mineral sunscreens, and my hope is you will like them so much you will WANT to wear them, every day. 

UVA and UVB light are the two types of ultraviolet light radiation that change the DNA of your skin and can lead to premature aging and skin cancer.   Unlike what is considered normal chronological aging (age and genetics), photoaging happens when the sun permanently damages the skin.  An easy way to compare this is to look at areas of your body that aren’t exposed to the sun and compare that to your face, hands, arms.  You will probably notice a difference!

How do we stop or slow this process of photoaging?  You can stay out of the sun (not really practical), or you can wear a broad spectrum sunscreen (that means it blocks both UVA and UVB) with an SPF of 30 or higher.

With all the choices online and at the drugstore, how do we decide which sunscreen to use?  My top three recommendations are all mineral sunscreens and here is why – the mineral properties reflect the sun, they don’t burn your eyes, and they are broad spectrum (remember, we want to block both UVA and UVB).

Top 3 Mineral Sunscreens

Sunscreen number 3 – La Roche Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Sunscreen – Mineral SPF 50.  This was my first mineral sunscreen and is still in my rotation.   This is a serum like sunscreen, with a thin consistency.  It has a faint smell when applied, but the smell dissipates quickly.  It contains 5% zinc oxide and 6% titanium oxide.  To use, shake well and use ¼ teaspoon to cover face, neck and any remaining on the back of the hands.  It rubs in easily with fingers, though needs a few minutes for the light white cast to subside.  This is easy to find at the drugstore or on Amazon and is a fairly well-regarded brand.

 La Roche Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Sunscreen – Mineral SPF 50, 1.7 ounce $34.99

Sunscreen number 2 - Undefined R&R Sun Serum Mineral SPF 50.  I recently added this to my sunscreen rotation and it quickly became a favorite.  It is a tinted serum sunscreen with a thin consistency.  It has the strongest smell of the three I recommend, but as with the LaRoche Posay, it dissipates quickly.  It contains 12% zinc oxide and niacinamide, a skincare ingredient with lightening properties.  What I love most about this sunscreen is the tint – it provides sheer to light coverage and I use it as foundation.  It can be applied with fingers, though I like to press it in with a foundation brush and finish it off with a makeup sponge.  It is a bit dewy but dries down quickly.  Use about ¼ teaspoon to cover face, neck and back of the hands.  This one can be found on the Target or Undefined website.

Undefined R&R Sun Serum Mineral SPF 50 – 1.7 oz $28.00

My Number One Favorite Sunscreen 

Elta MD Skincare UV Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 44 – tinted.  This is my favorite for so many reasons, one being it is recommended by dermatologists.  I love the texture and consistency and the way it applies and becomes one with my skin.  The tinted coverage is a bit more than the Undefined R&R, but it still gives me that “my skin but better” look.  This formula contains 10% zinc oxide and 5.7% titanium dioxide.  Due to its creamy consistency, it can be applied just like a moisturizer – in fact you may not need or want a moisturizer under this one.  Apply ¼ teaspoon to face, neck and back of hands, using fingers, brush or sponge.  Like the Undefined, I use this as a foundation. This sunscreen has two more great ingredients, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid (HA).  The vitamin C is an antioxidant that reduces free radicals, and the HA is a humectant that attracts moisture.   You can find Elta MD at some dermatologist’s offices, online at EltaMD.com, and Amazon.

Elta MD Skincare UV Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 44 – tinted – 2 ounces $38.50.

Important Considerations

In order to be most effective, mineral sunscreens need to contain zinc oxide.  Titanium oxide is a great too, but only when it is mixed with Zinc.  On its own, it doesn’t cover the full spectrum of UVA light.  So watch the ingredient list on sunscreens.

Mineral sunscreens are great for sensitive skin – which is why dermatologists recommend them.  They don’t burn your eyes, either, and are an actual barrier to the sun as they reflect light. 

Chemical sunscreens are a bit tricky.  You need to watch the ingredient list, as of the top 5 chemical ingredients typically used, only one blocks part of the UVA spectrum, and the other four only block UVB.   Keep your life simple and stick with zinc oxide based sunscreens.

We all need to find that one sunscreen that makes us WANT to wear it every day.  I certainly found it with my top three and look forward to putting them on every day. 

I hope this information was helpful to you.  Take care, and don’t forget to wear sunscreen, everyday!!!

Kelly😎