Let’s talk for a sec about the importance of sunscreen. Yes, you’ve heard it again and again, but it’s so important we’re going to lecture you one more time. Say it with me: YOU NEED TO WEAR AN SPF EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Especially on your face and at least an SPF 30. (And no, the SPF in your makeup doesn’t count–just consider it a bonus.) The skin on your face is so sensitive and needs to be protected, otherwise you’re going to need Botox and chemical peels and facial rejuvenation surgery before you hit the big 3-0 and nobody wants that. To help you choose the right sunscreen product for your face, we test-drove two.
The Contenders: Tarte Tarteguard 30 Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion ($38, sephora.ca) and Vichy Idé©al Soleil Face Ultra-Light Lotion SPF 30 ($25, available at mass drugstores nationwide)
The Control: We wore each of these for a week, worked into our normal skincare routine and underneath makeup.
Observations:
Tarte
Pros:
- Super hydrating and great ingredients like maracuja, red algae, soybean, apple and honeysuckle–so good!
- Pretty good moisturizer–it’s almost a bonus that it has an SPF.
- Light, yet yummy scent. Always extra points in that department.
Cons:
- It’s not super-spreadable and it felt like you needed more than a squirt to cover your whole face, which is fine, but it’s a high price point to be running through it so quickly.
- Because of its thicker texture, it’s not great over top of another moisturizer. Serum and then this. That’s it.
- We needed a priming mist after–it added a bit of shine that had to be mattified before foundation.
Vichy
Pros:
- So lightweight!
- Its barely-there texture left our skin looked soft and primed–not at all shiny or dewy. No need for a priming mist before makeup at all!
Cons:
- This was almost too runny (can we get an SPF somewhere in between?).
- Didn’t have a lot of hydration to it, so it definitely needed to be applied over a moisturizer (especially if you have dry skin)
The Verdict: This was a really tough call to make. One was overly runny, while the other was just a bit too thick (though if that’s your preference of daily moisturizer, then go for it!). While Tarte doubled as a moisturizer and an SPF, Vichy eliminated the need for a priming mist to mattify your skin, so we’re going to leave this one up to you and your personal face-stuff preference. As long as you’re wearing a sunscreen everyday on your face, we’re happy!
