For years before I knew anything at all about skincare, I used only Coppertone Water Babies on my face. This was before I realized there are sunscreens out there that are specifically made to go on your face, and that this particular one isn’t even a favorite in the skincare world. And it undeniably always left a white cast on my face that showed through my makeup and made me look rather ghostly sometimes. So I decided to experiment with some of the top-recommended products.
MDSolarSciences MD Mineral BB Creme
This was the first tinted sunscreen I’d ever tried. I used it incorrectly for a while, not putting nearly enough on. This tends to be an issue with tinted sunscreens–people don’t use enough of it because there’s so much color in it that it feels like too much as it builds up. The correct amount of sunscreen is 1/4 teaspoon on your face and another 1/4 teaspoon on your neck. I was using wayyy less than this, and when I upped it to the correct amount, I realized it turns my face orange. Even the lightest shade. It also does not sit properly on my face, even in a very small amount. If I so much as grazed my finger across my face to brush away a strand of hair, I would come away with a huge chunk of sunscreen under my nail. It was pretty gross. I loved the idea of being able to replace foundation with a sunscreen and skip an extra product, and I don’t know if this was just this particular product or all tinted sunscreens. But I think I’ll avoid tinted products for now and leave foundation in my routine.
Beauty of Joseon Moist Sun Serum
I was nervous to try this as I am highly allergic to ingested ginseng, but had never tested it on my skin before. To my relief, the allergy does not appear to extend to skin contact in my case. This went on like jelly and was so extremely greasy on me. If I happened to touch my face at any point during the day, my hand came away so greasy I had to get up and immediately wash it off. It was completely wrong for my skin type. This one is also not waterproof. I personally would avoid starting a habit of relying on a daily sunscreen that you can sweat off without thinking about it.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun
This one is creamier than the Moist Sun Serum. It feels amazing–in fact, I can barely tell that it is on! There’s a complete lack of any white cast at all. It does leave a dewy look (I prefer a matte finish) and is still somewhat greasy (though not as much as its moist sun relative). It also is not waterproof, so despite how nice it feels, it can’t be my daily go-to. The search continues.
EltaMD UV Clear
The first thing I noticed about this one was its delicious scent. This sunscreen smells like cake, maybe a lemon cake. I was in love with that feature right away. Unfortunately, this one is also not waterproof and thus not a good daily for me. Also, this did not play well at all with my other skincare. And apparently it is known for that. It felt soft and smooth at first, but then it immediately rolled up and started peeling off my face in little chunks. So forget about using this one with any other skincare. It also isn’t quite SPF 50, if that’s a concern for you.
ISEHAN Kiss Me Mommy! UV Aqua Milk
Finally, a waterproof option! (I really need to check more carefully before purchasing.) This one is pretty much perfect. It feels just about as nice as BoJ’s Relief Sun (a little eggier during application, but light and smooth while on). It doesn’t pill, and although it is still dewy rather than the matte that I like, I did get a compliment on my foundation one of the first days I wore it and got to explain I was not wearing foundation, just a sunscreen. It’s also nice and moist without making me feel like I’m drenched. This will be my new daily, unless I happen to prefer one of the others I bought that I haven’t tried yet.
Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel
I spoke too soon, because this one is every bit as good as the ISEHAN Kiss Me Mommy! It feels wonderful, more liquidy than eggy during application, but also light and smooth while on. I can feel it all day and it makes my skin dewy, which by now I am coming to not hate so much. I think dewy/shiny/glassy is growing on me. It’s easy to layer my primer, concealer, and foundation over it (don’t think I ever tried with the ISEHAN, so I’ll have to give that a shot). And it feels just like the ISEHAN–moist, but not drenched. It is also waterproof! I’m honestly torn by which one to keep as my daily, but I think I’m going to stick with this because I’ve been using it most recently–plus it doesn’t have the weird name that I frankly find a little creepy. (Hey, when two products are equally great, it comes down to either a coin flip or a surface-level grievance.)
Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Milk
I couldn’t understand why there were two different ones with slightly different names until I was squeezing it out of the bottle. Oh OH–so that’s why it’s called “milk”! This literally has a paper-thin texture that slithers out of the bottle much too quickly to apply anywhere. I’m sure it’s a good product if you can make it work for you, but I can’t. I’m not coordinated enough. I need a little more substance to actually get it on my face.
Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel Gold
This one feels too thick for me for everyday wear on my face. But I think it would probably be good for a beach day! It sounds like it has all the benefits of the regular Super Moisture Gel while also being slightly thicker and maybe a little more UV protection.
In Conclusion
Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel is my new go-to! (ISEHAN Kiss Me Mommy! UV Aqua Milk is an equally good backup.)
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