My Favorite SPFs For The Face

Being a redhead the one thing I've had engrained in me ever since I was little was to wear sunscreen every single day. When I was younger I was much more resistant to wearing sunscreen, not because I was delusional enough to believe that I was going to ever get tan as a result of not using the stuff, but rather because I hated how it felt. To be fair, childhood was over a decade away and SPFs have come a long way since then. While I've always been pretty good about wearing sunscreen when I've been in situations with prolonged sun exposure, I have been less vigilant about wearing sunscreen on a daily basis. That changed this year however.

This sudden change in consistent SPF usage is down to two factors: 1) as I'm getting older (I'm 22 and I'm not at all complaining that I'm old yet) I've started to really realize the benefit in using preventative skin care to at least partially slow down the aging process and SPF is the best thing you can do not only from a health standpoint for you skin but from a cosmetic one as well and 2) I have found two SPFs that I genuinely enjoy using on a daily basis.

Neutrogena has always been my go-to when it comes to SPF. They were the first drugstore brand, to my knowledge at least, to spearhead a truly comfortable formula for SPF. My favorite in the range for an everyday facial SPF is the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70. Even though this stuff is pretty heavy duty when it comes to the actual SPF, the formula is incredibly lightweight and works very well under makeup as it isn't greasy at all. I prefer to use this either when I'm expecting to be out in the sun longer (because of the high SPF) or when my skin is feeling a bit dry because although I don't find the formula to be greasy it does add a bit more moisture than my everyday moisturizer would.

Me being the Glossier fan girl that I am immediately bought the Glossier Invisible Shield as soon as it was available for purchase. Whereas the Neutrogena is more of a traditional sunscreen (albeit a really good one), the Glossier is an invisible gel formula. The SPF is 35, which is perfect for everyday use and has broad spectrum protection (as does the Neutrogena). While I don't think is the best choice if you're going to be out in the sun for an extended period of time, I love to use it almost every single day when I'm in and out of the sun or in my car (because you can still get sun damage through car windows). This formula is an absolute dream under makeup because it sinks into the skin and feels like nothing! The formula, being clear and a chemical sunscreen, lends itself to working on darker skin tones as well because it does not have a white or ashy cast that physical sunscreens can leave behind.

Here's to sun protection!