Top 3 Sunscreens at Sephora Right Now

In honor of the end of Summer quickly approaching, I wanted to remind everyone how crucial it is that sunscreen be worn EVERYDAY in every season. Many clients tell me they only wear sunscreen in the summer or even only "if they are going to be in the sun." This makes me absolutely cringe every time.   I cannot work with my clients to improve hyperpigmentation if they are not religiously applying sunscreen and I will be brutally honest with them. The options for mineral sunscreens have always been a bit limited, the options for great mineral sunscreens have been nearly non-existent. However, the options and formulas do seem to be improving so without further ado I give you the top 3 sunscreens you can find at Sephora today!

Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30: Once again Drunk Elephant came into the game with a goal to change the skincare industry and Umbra did not disappoint. At the time, and to my knowledge even today, there is no other purely Zinc Oxide mineral sunscreen at Sephora. You may not know this but Titanium Dioxide (another mineral sunscreen active) can actually be really drying. It is naturally oil absorbing, which can be absolutely wonderful for those struggling with excessive oil. However, for those of us with dry skin that are desperately attempting to hold onto every drop of moisture, we can Zinc Oxide may be the better option. This formula contains 20% Zinc Oxide, along with antioxidants to further defend the skin against the sun and other free radicals throughout the day and of course Drunk Elephants signature ingredient, Marula Oil. Umbra has a smooth texture with a very sheer light pink hue to avoid the dreaded white cast on the skin. It goes on smooth and feels hydrating upon application but dries down beautifully, not oily or greasy film is left on the skin, and it wears beautifully under makeup. Umbra's price may seem a bit steep at $36 but this is a 3 oz container and a little goes a long way with this formula, less product is required to get the maximum protection than that of a chemical sunscreen. The last tube I purchased lasted me nearly 6 months with daily use!

Tarte Tarteguard 30 Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30: This is truly a hidden gem within Sephora. You will find it tucked away in the Tarte gondala, far away from the Skincare section where those sunscreen seekers are likely to be searching. Tarteguard is a 3.36% Titanium Dioxide and 4.13% Zinc Oxide, antioxidants and contains their signature oil, Maracuja oil. It has a lighter texture than the Umbra due to the decreased amount of Zinc Oxide. By combining the 2 minerals they developed a beautiful lightweight lotion like texture. Those with normal to dry skin will appreciate the hydrating feel but those with oily skin will benefit from the oil absorbing properties of the Titanium Dioxide. My only complaint about Tartegaurd was the price to size ratio and the packaging made it impossible to tell when the product was low.

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47: This has been a top seller at Sephora for awhile but is still a great formula. It has a similar mineral composition to that of the Tartegaurd but in higher amounts, resulting in a whopping 47 protection factor rating. It contains 9.4% Zinc Oxide and 5.9% Titanium Dioxide along with beneficial antioxidants and of course Josie Maran's signature Argan Oil. This formula does contain the Argan Oil pretty far up in the ingredient list so those with drier skin may appreciate its texture a bit more than those with oily skin.

Exfoliation: What you need to know about scrubs, enzymes, and chemicals

skincare, stratia, ole hendrikson, boscia, tatcha, perricone, sunday riley, peter thomas roth, drunk elephan

Exfoliation is your BEST FRIEND! It is going to help you with the majority of your skin concerns. I cannot reiterate this enough. When client’s express concerns about texture, breakouts, clogged pores, uneven skin tone etc. my first question is always "Do you exfoliate" and 90% of the time the answer is "no". BUT WHY?! Everyone should have a well-formulated exfoliant in their skincare routine. Or they tell me "My cleanser has beads in it," NOT GOOD ENOUGH SUSAN!

However, what I find is there is a TON of misconceptions and confusion behind exfoliating. So, here we go...a simplified breakdown of exfoliation. 

So why is Susan's scrubbing cleanser not good enough? Listen, if you are 14 years old this is a great start. However, if you have real skin concerns this is absolutely not enough. You need a chemical exfoliant, something that is going to penetrate through the dead skin. Think about it, a scrub is only going to address the outer most layer of the skin, it will slough away superficial dry dead flaky skin, at most. You have clogged pores? Think about those granules for a second...Do you really think they are capable of penetrating your pores to remove dirt and solidified oil? Look at those granules and look at your pore size...it is NEVER going to work Susan. A chemical exfoliant is the only thing that is capable of penetrating a pore. Let me repeat this, a chemical exfoliant is the ONLY thing that will penetrate a pore. 

If you are suffering from breakouts and/or blackheads you need a BHA exfoliant. What is a BHA? It stands for beta hydroxy acid, you will see it listed as salicylic acid. This is an oil soluble exfoliant. What does this mean? Well, oil is in your pores and lies on the surface of your skin. Salicylic will penetrate through this oil to remove debris from the pores. Clear pores mean fewer breakouts and reduced blackheads. Yay exfoliation!

There are a number of other chemical exfoliants out there. This can get a little confusing so I do not want to go into too much detail. If you want to know more please leave a comment and I will absolutely explain with more detail.

The other chemical exfoliants you will come across are AHAs, alpha hydroxy acids. The most common of which are glycolic acid and lactic acid. Glycolic will be in the majority of exfoliants marketed as anti-aging. However, I think the biggest misconception here is that it is ONLY for aging skin. This is false, most anyone will benefit from glycolic acid. It works beautifully to smooth textured skin, speed cell turnover and will ensure your serums are not wastefully sitting on top of dead skin. The maximum percentage of glycolic over the counter is a 10%. If you find a product with 10% you will feel the glycolic. It feels a bit tingly or itchy but it subsides and this is normal, do not panic! 

If you are suffering from breakouts I would highly recommend finding a product with both AHAs and BHAs this will ensure your skin is getting the benefits of both types of acids.

Finally, I want to talk about what type of product to look for. Just skip the exfoliating cleansers, please. Invest in a product that spends time on the skin such as a serum or mask. A cleanser only stays on the skin for approximately 30 seconds. This is simply not long enough to allow chemical exfoliants to do their job and is a complete waste. I highly recommend investing in an exfoliating serum. A serum is going to remain on the skin indefinitely and thus have plenty of time to work its magic. I like to apply my exfoliating serum first, then I apply a targeted treatment serum such as a dark spot corrector, a vitamin C, or a hydrating serum. This method will ensure my treatment serum is not sitting on top of dead skin and allows it will go where it needs to be. 

Another option is a mask that stays on the skin 15-20 minutes. These are typically a bit stronger and are only needed a couple of times a week. HOWEVER, consistency is key with these. If you are someone who will forget to use a mask or cannot find the time to let a mask sit for 20 minutes, then invest in the serum option. 

I could go on for days about this topic but my goal is to keep it simple. I plan to go into further detail in future posts about Ph, more AHA’s, and specific products. However, if you have specific questions please comment below.