My favorite sunscreens and a word on dark spots, my old enemy

I've tested dozens (honestly, maybe 100+) sunscreens over the past 8 years and there's a massive gulf in quality.

Sep 02, 2023

Michelle Lee sunscreen kid — Sunny days sans sunscreen (I’m the peanut on the right)

I was an outdoors kid. My sister and I would venture out into the woods behind our house, collecting violets, harvesting mica from rocks. One year, my parents installed a little above-ground pool and we’d run in circles then float—the kid-made waves carrying us away, in a fit of giggles, around a swirling whirlpool. In high school, a month before the start of classes, I had field hockey practice nearly every day, the August sun beating down on my face.

I have a faint flicker of a memory of sunscreen, mostly the piña colada scent of the Coppertone lotion we’d wear on rare occasion during a long beach day. But because my skin doesn’t burn, SPF just wasn’t a thing for me until my 20s.

READ: Out, Damned Spots: How I Finally Faded My Dark Spots

You know those cameras that show the UV damage on your skin? Well, you can also get a glimpse of it when you’re looking in a normal mirror too (and sometimes in that dreaded front-facing camera on an iPhone) if you happen to catch the light just right. The horror! In my early 20s, I started to see dark spots developing all around my face. These were not Lucy Liu freckles. They were a constellation of my bad decisions.

READ: 7 Greatest Lipsticks Ever—and 3 That Didn't Work Out

Today, the single, most impactful skin care product I use is sunscreen. So I’ve been on a mission for years to find the best ones. I wish I could tell you that there’s a magic bullet that works for everyone. (Similarly, why is there still not one toothpaste to rule them all?) But different occasions call for different products; different skin types sometimes call for different ingredients. Here’s where my personal testing has brought me:

Best Overall Sunscreen for Face

La Roche Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Sunscreen For Face SPF 50

la roche posay mineral tinted sunscreen — This loose, liquid texture in a mineral sunscreen? Dreamy and hard to find

A lot of digital ink has been spilled about mineral sunscreen’s downsides. And, listen, they’re valid. The unsightly white cast, the pasty texture. I’ve spackled on a bunch of those and totally get the frustration. Those bad mineral formulations are not “cosmetically elegant,” as we say in the biz.

That leaves us in a real pickle because, especially for hyperpigmentation-prone folks like me, lots of dermatologists prefer mineral sunscreen. Yes, yes, the best sunscreen is the one you’ll wear. But the difference boils down to how each type works. Mineral sunscreens are physical blockers. They sit on top of skin and don’t let those harmful rays shimmy on through. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, create a chemical reaction, transforming UV rays into heat which gets dissipated. And therein lies the difference for folks who are susceptible to dark spots and melasma, since heat can be a trigger for hyperpigmentation.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention there’s another category of sunscreens too…hybrid. These formulas can be the best of both worlds for some people because they combine the blocking protection of mineral with the elegance of chemical. For a long time, I suggested Elta MD UV Clear, which has both micronized zinc oxide (mineral) and octinoxate (chemical). It’s fragrance free, non-comedogenic and wears so beautifully, just like a medium-weight moisturizer. I’m still a fan. BUT…I did find that my dark spots would creep back while I was using this. And I personally found that using the La Roche Posay 100% mineral one nipped it in the bud more. My go-to was toppled.

The texture of the LRP one is gorgeous: it comes out of the little squeezy bottle as a tinted liquid that spreads smoothly over skin, like a lightweight foundation. No pastiness. No white cast. And while it’s not the cheapest SPF out there, it is a somewhat affordable drugstore product, which is a big plus if you follow the guidance of wearing sunscreen every day.

Buy La Roche Posay Sunscreen here

Best Clear Mineral Sunscreen

Musely The Day Cream Clear, SPF 50

musely day cream spf — A non-pasty mineral sunscreen that’s great for the whole family

OK, maybe it’s a bit of a misnomer since most clear sunscreens aren’t clear at all. I tried a bunch while I was in Tokyo too and expected them all to be clear gels but, instead, it just meant that they start out white but become transparent once they get rubbed into skin.

Musely’s hero product is their Spot Cream to treat melasma and hyperpigmentation. So when they were creating a daily sunscreen, the derms on their team were very focused on what would be best for people with those conditions. I brought a tube of clear The Day Cream (it also comes in tinted and original cream) on our summer vacation and used it on the whole family (for some reason, putting the tinted LRP on the 3 year-old felt a little funny).

It wears nicely, even under makeup. And the price is stellar ($26 for a nice sized 3 ounce tube; and they run pretty frequent promos). When I’m reaching for a mineral SPF, it comes down to the moment. On days when I’m wearing makeup or doing Zoom calls, I prefer the La Roche Posay because it preps a prettier canvas. In harsh lights, the Musely one does occasionally reflect a bit of white. It’s not noticeable in everyday situations but just under direct lighting (say, if you’re filming with studio lights). That being said, the Musely one feels like it has a bit more heft and power, like it lasts longer and, in outdoor sun, it’s water resistant up to 80 minutes.

If you want to try it, I arranged a deal with the folks at Musely: use promo code MICHELLE10 at musely.com through the end of September to get 10% off The Day Cream (clear, tinted or original).

Get 10% off with code MICHELLE10

Best Cosmetically Elegant Sunscreen

RéVive Soleil Superiéur

I’ve been obsessed with RéVive’s moisturizers (Sensitif is my current fave) for years because they wear so beautifully—like you’ve sprinkled fairy dust or pearls all over your face but in an ethereally glowy, not glittery, way. When I wear a moisturizer with SPF, I still tend to layer a face sunscreen on top, especially if I’m spending time outdoors or near a sunny window (similarly, I appreciate foundations with SPF but don’t think it’s enough sun protection alone). So on days when I really want my makeup to look *chef’s kiss*, I love Soleil Superiéur which is broad spectrum SPF 50. And woooh it’s nice. It’s a bit more of a splurge than the others but it’s really gorgeous.

And ok, this is a biggie: I’m extending my friends and family code to my Substack readers. Use promo code MICHELLELEE to get 20% off any purchase at reviveskincare.com. Stock up, friends!

Get 20% off with promo code MICHELLELEE

Here’s what all 3 look like, pre-rubbing: La Roche Posay, Musely, RéVive

Special mentions

It’s hard choosing favorites. So I wanted to give a shoutout to a few that didn’t make the final 3. I’m also a fan of the Dr. Jart Every Sun Day Mineral Sunscreen which wears nicely and doesn’t pill (my pet peeve). It got edged out by the others above because the tube got a little hard to squeeze toward the end. And it was oddly difficult to find for a while when I first tried it (but it seems like it’s widely available now). While I was in Japan this summer, I picked up an Anessa Sun Dual Day Serum, SPF 50 PA++++ and the texture is very nice and watery. I’m still testing it so the jury is out on how it performs but I love the consistency so far.

Also, don’t forget about lip SPF on those really sunny days. I feel very fancy with my Clé de Peau Protective Lip Treatment, SPF 25, or the Coola Organic Liplux is quite nice too.

READ: My Hair, a Tragic Love Story

Now let’s talk reapplication. I don’t have any problems reapplying any of my favorites above, even when I’m wearing makeup. The tinted one, for example, goes well over makeup since it’s kind of like layering more foundation on top of everything. It’s also rare that I’m wearing a makeup look that needs to stay so pristine. That being said, if you are concerned about fucking things up, there are lots of powder SPFs that could be a good option. I’ve tried the Colorscience brush-on sunscreen and it’s nice as a touch-up but because of how inexact the application is, I question whether it could provide enough coverage on its own.

Anyway, I could go on for hours talking about this. And this certainly wasn’t an exhaustive list. I mean, we didn’t even cover sport sunscreens or reef-safe ones. So much to discuss. I’d be happy to continue the conversation in the comments. Please ask questions or tell me your thoughts below! I’m also curious how you’re liking some of the other elements, like, do you want more promo codes?