I love summer (except maybe this 90+ degree heat with a broken A/C system), and I love to be outdoors. Our summers are so short in New England, I want to spend as much time outside as I can, at the beach, jogging, gardening, walking in the woods. But when I was young, I loved how my face looked with a tan, and I foolishly tried to tan with baby oil. Now I have lots and lots of sun damage. Ugh.
Today, I do as much as I can to try to fade my dark spots, but more important, I try protect my face going forward.
Everyone has their favorite skincare products and sunscreens, so this is my routine to protect my face from the sun and its damaging rays. As I’ve mentioned a few times, during the day I use Reviva Labs Vitamin C+ Serum with EMBLICA to protect my skin from pollution and free radicals while reducing my dark spots and with Reviva Labs Sun Protective Moisturizer with SPF 25, a lightweight moisturizer that’s great on its own and perfect under foundation. (Check out my reviews here and here for details.)
When I know I’m going to be outdoors, I usually apply CC Cream, in particular, one of my all-time favorites, IT Cosmetics CC Cream SPF 50+++ because of its high sun protection factor (reviewed here).
But even with several layers of sun protection, its effectiveness lessens as the hours tick by.
If I’m on the go, I’ve become a big fan of powder sunscreen. I recently received Mineral Fusion SPF 30 Brush-On Sun Defense, and it was love at first try.
It fits easily in my purse, or my beach bag or even in a small ipsy makeup bag if I’m traveling light. And it’s so quick and easy to apply. Just take off the cap, push down the clear plastic brush protector and brush on the sunscreen.
I love that it’s transparent, it has antioxidant protection from sea kelp, and importantly, it keeps my makeup intact. If I’m hot and sweaty, Mineral Fusion Brush-On Sun Defense freshens up my makeup. In fact, I reapply it several times throughout the day, and it’s never too much. Plus, it’s from Mineral Fusion, a cruelty-free brand with mineral-based makeup and skincare. $24.99 and widely available on the Mineral Fusion website (with 15% off your purchase if you signup for emails) or at Whole Foods and other health food/healthy product retailers.
Another tool in my sunscreen arsenal is Coola Mineral Liplux SPF 30 Tan Line,
a comforting lip balm in translucent Rich Coral that’s kind of a coral-nude shade. (It comes in other shades too.)
It feels so good on my lips as it hydrates with Cupuacu Butter and Mongongo Oil while it protects with minerals, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Because it’s on my lips particularly when I’m drinking water or beverages at the beach, I’m glad it’s made with 70% organic ingredients. Love love love this stuff! $18 and available on the Coola website, at Ulta Beauty and other retailers.
So this is my outdoor sun protection routine for my face. What are your face protection favorites?
This is a great read, Allison. I am looking for a sunscreen that allows me to top up throughout the day and I’m planning to pick up the spray on one from Bioderma. Had no idea Mineral Fusion has this and so many other things, I really need to pay more attention to the brand.
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Thank you as always, Shireen! I’m one of those people who can’t spray myself in the face unfortunately so I have to spray things on a cotton pad and dab on my face, no good for during the day. But if I could, I’d definitely try the Bioderma. I had a brush-on mineral sunscreen from another brand last summer, and I used it a lot. I love the Mineral Fusion just as much, and here it’s easy to come by at Whole Foods. Although the lip balm from Coola is pricey, I finally have a lip balm with a hint of color with sunscreen to protect my dry lips, yay
Oh no! Broken AC is NOT okay! Reviva is awesome, tho 😉
Brooke @ Blushing Noir recently posted…MAC Good Luck Trolls Makeup Collection Swatches + Review
9 days of 90+ degree heat with no AC has been a challenge. I can hardly wait till next Wednesday when the new system is installed
Since it’s pretty much summer all year round in South Florida, I’m always on the hunt for new sunscreens. I really like the sound of a powder formula!
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I like a good brush on mineral sunscreen. It’s perfect for touchups on the go. I always have one in my handbag. 😀
Erika recently posted…Resurface and Rejuvenate Your Complexion with Ellen Lange Retexturizing Peel
I was so happy to discover brush-on sunscreen last summer. Where had they been all my life previously??
Good. Not god. Yeah. I worship that the feet of the sunscreen gods. 😛 Stupid keyboard on my laptop doesn’t strike correctly on some letters. It’s what I hate about this computer. Grrr!
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LOL, I know what you mean. I’m sorry that this comment program doesn’t have a edit for commenters. I’m so OCD that I correct the mistakes anyway 😉
I need to try that powder Sun Defence. I’m on the lookout for the Coola makeup setting spray which also has SPF – sadly, NO ONE will ship aerosol even for a mile, so I have to get it in-store after my ban ends.
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You’ve picked some great products to protect you. I don’t think I knew of the Coola Lip Balm before. I’m not an outdoor person but I’m out there plenty so I want to be protected too.
I’ve been wanting to try out Coola!
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The Coola tinted lip balms look awesome. I’ll definitely be picking up one!
I love powder sunscreen. I keep one in my purse all the time in summer to put on over makeup.
Carleen recently posted…Mid Summer Beauty Essentials with Special Guests Pauline Briscoe, Nicolette Vallone and Lara Hughes
So important to protect your skin!
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Great product list! The AC went out at work yesterday and it was miserable!!
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The A/C system in my house died 10 days ago, and we’ve had a 10 day heat wave of 90+ degree temperatures and high humidity. The new A/C gets installed next Wednesday, I hope. I’m at the end of my rope. So I feel your pain
Great picks! I love the new(ish) idea of powder SPF. They’re so great for on-the-go reapplication which I am so good at forgetting about.
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I like those brush on sunblocks… I tried one from Brush On Block and really enjoyed it. My favorite skin care protectant is a combination of different products, but I like reading about yours… I’m gonna go check some of these out. My Tatcha is just getting too expensive for me to keep up with so I will need to find a replacement for something more affordable that will not cause me to break out. 🙂
I had Brush On Block last summer and I liked it a lot. This one from Mineral Fusion is very similar and easier to find in stores. I didn’t know that Tatcha had a brush-on but maybe you mean their lovely but expensive sunscreen.
I did mean their expensive, but lovely Tatcha sunscreen. I’ve kept up with the cost now the last year, but sadly – I am looking for something else to replace it… can’t keep buying it any longer…
I know what you mean. And you have three sons to take care of.
I really want to try a powder SPF, I’ll have to look for that Mineral Fusion one. I think they carry that brand at whole foods!
Yes, Mineral Fusion is sold at Whole Foods!
I really need a powder SPF like that and those Coola balms look so pretty!
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The Mineral Fusion Brush-On Sunscreen Powder really is handy. And I really needed the Coola balms – love it!
I am too dry to use that powder so I gave it to my sister who lives in dry heat in CA and she loves it. I agree with you, sun care is so important.
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Your sister lucked out to get the Brush-On sunscreen! I’m lucky that my dry skin is less dry in summer, and the powder is great for me to reapply at the beach or if I’m running around town.
I was looking for reviews of the Coola lip balms. I just bought a set of three shades: Coral Reef, Nude Beach, and Summer Crush from Coola on Amazon for $27.99. I really love translucent colored lip balms with SPF 30.
I also just placed my Sephora spring sale order and bought the big container of Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF 40 primer. I’m a natural redhead and love the light golden glow it gives my skin. I usually add a light coat of Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 foundation on top.
I am very interested in the Mineral Fusion Brush On Defense powder. My problem is finding a shade light enough for my skin, so I love seeing reviews from other redheads.
I also LOVE my Ray-Ban sunglasses because they are gorgeous and large enough to cover the delicate skin around my eyes.
I also love Supergoop! Shimmershade SPF 30 cream eyeshadow/primer. I love easy 5 minute eye looks, and I have never found a sunscreen product that didn’t burn my eyes. I use the Daydream pinkish nude as primer primer and use the bronzey chocolate Sunset shade as eyeliner and have never had a problem with burning or irritation with my contacts. The Shimmershade creams also work really well under powder eyeshadow. They’re not the best primers I’ve ever used, but I love them for the SPF protection and as cream eyeshadow. I usually use a primer underneath.
I got one of the Coola lip balms with spf in a discovery bag of facial moisturizers that I bought from either Dermstore or Lovelyskin. But unfortunately for me, the Coola lip balm SPF 30 was Peppermint Lip Balm with peppermint oil that absolutely wrecks my lips. Sadly, I gave it away. The tinted ones you bought sounds lovely! I haven’t tried the Supergoop Glowscreen primer because I am addicted to Tatcha Silk Canvas, but the SPF 40 in the Supergoop certainly is terrific. I just bought another Shimmershade shadow in my recent Sephora VIB sale order. I agree with you – so quick and easy! This time I got one of the lighter shades, so I think I will use it as you suggest as a base for protection of the lid!