When it comes to anti-aging beauty rules, wearing sunscreen daily on your face is at the top of the list. Nearly every dermatologist and esthetician will tell you that sun damage is one of the worst things you can do to your skin. And yet despite its importance in your daily skin-care routine, finding an SPF that isn’t greasy or doesn’t leave you a pasty shade of white can be hard to do. Thankfully many brands have recently launched new iterations of their SPF that are invisible, oil-free, and lightweight.
After hearing recommendations from friends (and Instagram influencers), I decided to try two of the most popular sunscreens– Tula’s Protect + Glow, and Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen. I spent a week using each one while doing things like working out, going to the pool, going on walks, and drinking wine on the back patio. While I actually ended up loving both of these products, for different reasons, I do find myself grabbing for one over the other.
Tula Protect + Glow
I am new to Tula’s skincare products and was very impressed with the list of ingredients. Protect + Glow includes probiotics to help lock in moisture and strengthen the skin barrier, pineapple, and papaya to help promote even skin tone wild butterfly ginger root to protect skin against blue light. It is an SPF 30 gel, non-comedogenic and won’t clog pores or leave a white cast.
The gel is a shimmery pale yellow color and very lightly scented, but not anything that bothered me in the slightest. It quickly absorbs into your skin and feels both super lightweight and moisturizing. Wearing this out in the sun and even to work out, I didn’t feel like I was sweating a layer of product off my face– it basically feels like you’re wearing nothing.
My favorite part of this product is the glow it gives your face. It’s not an overly shiny, sweaty look, but more of a dewy glow. Even my husband commented that my skin was glowing (that’s from someone who didn’t notice I cut 6 inches off my hair– so it means A LOT). I don’t like to wear a ton of makeup, especially in the summer, so I apply a light foundation over it and am ready to go.
TL;DR: Lightweight, absorbs quickly, and easily layered under makeup. Great for indoor and outdoor activities. Gives your skin a noticeable dewy glow.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen
I had heard about Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen for a while from friends who raved about how wonderful it is. I was excited to try it and was not disappointed. Unseen Sunscreen is an invisible, oil-free sunscreen with no scent that will protect skin from sun damage without leaving a white cast. It is formulated with ingredients, like red algae, to color-cancel potentially damaging blue light.
The sunscreen is SPF 40, is unscented, and blurs pores, leaving your skin with a velvety finish. I love how this product feels going on my face, it’s super soft without feeling heavy or oily– it actually feels abnormally weightless. It goes on clear and matte, similar to a makeup primer, and seemed to help grip and smooth my foundation I layered on top.
TL;DR: Goes on clear and matte, feels like a primer. Has a higher SPF than Tula’s and is water and sweat resistant. A great option if you’re looking for something mattifying and can be worn seamlessly under makeup.
Nicole McCulloch
And The Winner Is…
The Tula sunscreen is moisturizing and feels more like a lotion, whereas the Supergoop sunscreen feels more like a primer, and might not work for super dry skin. Both work well for indoor and outdoor activities and layer well under makeup. I have sensitive skin, and neither of these products caused me to break out or have a reaction.
Overall, both of these products are really great and have come a long way from the days of slathering greasy white drugstore brands on your face. However, I do tend to grab the Tula Protect + Glow more often because of the dreamy glow it gives my skin. I love the fact that it’s made with probiotics to lock in moisture, has papaya and pineapple to promote even skin tone and ginger root to protect against blue light (so essential while we are inside working from home).
However, if your skin is on the oily side, or you don’t like the glowy look, Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen is a really great option.
