Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50, 2 Fl. Oz.

Product Information

So, you already applied your morning SPF, but now it’s midday and you’ve been out and about. Pull out this powder for easy reapplication—without messing up any makeup you might be wearing. “This translucent powder brush offers broad-spectrum SPF 50+ protection, and I find it very handy when I’m outside longer than I expected or end up in the window seat on planes,” says Dr. Lee. “It also serves as a blotting or finishing powder on humid days or after a sweaty sprint between meetings.”

This trusty drugstore find offers broad-spectrum SPF 50 (meaning it protects against UVA and UVB rays, both of which can contribute to skin cancer) thanks to naturally sourced 100 percent zinc oxide. Even better, it uses a special dry-touch technology that ensures you won’t be left feeling greasy after application. The fact that it’s non-comedogenic—meaning it won’t clog your pores—only adds to the appeal. Who It’s For All in all, it makes for a perfect base under makeup since it blends so smoothly into the skin, but it’s also a great choice for the days you want to go sans makeup (but still give your skin a little something). The only thing we wish we could change is the fact that the tint is only available in two options—Light/Medium and Medium/Dark. We felt like each tint could cover a wide range of skin tones, but we’d love to see more options so that everyone can find a more suitable match. I love trying zinc oxide sunscreens. Over the course of 2019, I’ve tried quite a few, including: Bare Republic Face Sunscreen SPF 30, All Good Sunscreen Butter SPF 50+, Coppertone Pure & Simple Sunscreen SPF 50, Badger Clear Zinc Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30, Hawaiian Sol SPF 50 Reef Safe Sunscreen. And that’s just listing the solely zinc oxide-based ones. I’ve also tried other physical sunscreens that contain a mixture of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Interestingly, CeraVe SPF 50 Face performed slightly better than CeraVe SPF 50 sunscreen in this particular trial. Also, Blue Lizard beat out both CeraVe products even though it’s SPF 30+ as opposed to SPF 50. Remember, SPF only measures a product’s protection against UVB rays, not UVA rays. It comes in four different shades that blend into a wide range of skin tones, so it’s likely you’ll find a decent match. Just keep in mind that it’s a powder, so it can cling to dry patches. Be sure to layer on a good moisturizer before application if you have especially dry skin.

Since it’s fragrance-free and has been clinically tested and approved by dermatologists for sensitive skin, we highly recommend this one for anyone with easily irritated skin. If you’re looking for a formula that contains both mineral and chemical SPF, consider this option. It’s a hybrid that blends zinc oxide and octinoxate, a chemical sunscreen ingredient, both of which are chemically proven to prevent UV damage. We love how the formula goes on totally clear—so there’s no white cast—and it dries almost immediately. We also like it as an option for acne-prone skin since it’s oil-free and contains anti-inflammatory niacinamide and gently exfoliating lactic acid.Chlorphenesin and chlorphenes are basically the same as well—both are preservatives. This means that these two sunscreens are even more similar than they appear. Main similarities A welcome addition to any beach bag or on-the-go makeup kit, this brush-on SPF is great for sunscreen touch-ups on both bare skin and on top of a full face of makeup. Caitlyn Martyn is a commerce writer on staff at Byrdie, where she covers all things beauty and style. She is obsessed with sunscreen and hasn’t gone a day without her Supergoop! Mattescreen in over two years. She’s an acne-prone, sensitive skin girlie herself, so she knows a thing or two about finding the right mineral sunscreen that’ll suit your skin. There’s no debate that sunscreen is one of the most crucial products for your skin—and overall health. But when you haven’t found one that works with your skin type or tone, sits well underneath the makeup you might be wearing, or is simply a pain to apply, it’s easy to get frustrated and skip it altogether. (Trust us, we’ve been there too.) Vinardell M, Llanas H, Marics L, Mitjans M. In vitro comparative skin irritation induced by nano and non-nano zinc oxide. Nanomaterials. 2017;7(3):56. doi: 10.3390/nano7030056

Protect your skin from sun exposure with Neutrogena® Mineral Ultra Sheer® Dry-Touch SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion. Ideal for sensitive skin, this broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 is formulated to have a lightweight, clean feel that helps prevent sunburn when used as directed. This sheer lotion from the #1 dermatologist-recommended sun care brand contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for protection from skin-aging UVA rays and skin-burning UVB rays. When it comes to sunscreen, the absolute most important thing is that you’re using one. It’s imperative that you find a sunscreen you like, you’re actually going to use, and that’s proven effective. But how do you do that? Well, for starters, decide between a mineral or a chemical sunscreen. Neutrogena Purescreen+ Mineral UV Tint Face Liquid Sunscreen felt great on my sensitive skin, and I didn’t notice any bumps, redness, or irritation—all things I’ve experienced in the past when using other sunscreens. Datta HS, Paramesh R. Trends in aging and skin care: Ayurvedic concepts. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2010;1(2):110-113. doi:10.4103/0975-9476.65081 Interestingly, both of these sunscreens contain some sort of oat-based product, perhaps because they’re both marketed for sensitive skin. Colloidal oatmeal is commonly used in eczema products because it is known to soothe itchy, inflamed skin.Turn to this multi-use formula if you’re looking for a product that can prime and protect your skin all in one shot. You’ll also really like this one if you want something to add a subtle glow to your skin. I was curious to see if my dad had any recommendations for which of these two sunscreens to choose, since they seem so similar at first glance. Here’s what he had to say. My Dad the Chemist’s review of Neutrogena vs. Aveeno Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50 Araviiskaia E, Berardesca E, Bieber T, Gontijo G, Sanchez Viera M, Marrot L, Chuberre B, Dreno B. The impact of airborne pollution on skin. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019 Aug;33(8):1496-1505. doi: 10.1111/jdv.15583. Epub 2019 Apr 26. PMID: 30897234; PMCID: PMC6766865. It’s nice to see that Aveeno has shared data about this product’s UVA protection factor, since it can’t actually list a UVAPF number on the label. You can see that Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Dry Touch Sunscreen was not listed in this pamphlet, perhaps because it offers similar protection to Aveeno’s Positively Mineral Sunscreen, and Aveeno only wanted to feature sunscreens that didn’t perform as well as this particular product. Just a guess.

Inactive ingredients: water, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, styrene/acrylates copolymer, octyldodecyl citrate crosspolymer, phenyl trimethicone, cetyl peg/ppg- 10⁄ 1 dimethicone, dimethicone, polyhydroxystearic acid, glycerin, ethyl methicone, silica, cetyl dimethicone, triethoxycaprylylsilane, phenoxyethanol, glyceryl behenate, sodium chloride, acrylates/dimethicone copolymer, chlorphenesin, phenethyl alcohol, avena sativa (oat) kernel flour, caprylyl glycol, cetyl dimethicone/bis-vinyldimethicone crosspolymer, chrysanthemum parthenium (feverfew) flower/leaf/stem juiceOne last downside of this sunscreen: It’s a bit challenging to remove. However, this is typically the case with every zinc oxide sunscreen I’ve tried in the past, so Aveeno is not the only one guilty of this crime. This sunscreen leaves behind a waxy residue that’s hard to dissolve. You need to use some sort of oil cleanser or makeup remover to get it all off. I’m curious to see if Neutrogena’s formula has the same downsides as this product, including the weird smell. I’ll let you know what happens when I finally try that one out. Related reading Dear Emily, they’re the same formula except Aveeno brand always add oat flour into the formula, I would just choose the one with lower price, usually the Neutrogena is slightly lower. Trying products is a standard—and very fun—part of my job as a beauty writer. But, to be totally honest, I end up testing way fewer products than one might expect, largely because my skin is very sensitive. There is, however, one category of products that I will always, always try: mineral sunscreen. In my 15-year career, I’ve taken every single one that’s come across my desk for a test drive. That’s largely because I firmly believe sunscreen is the absolute most important skincare product you can use. And experts agree. It’s also the one product I use without fail every single day.