I honestly wish I started using SPF when I was much younger. I remember hearing my mum tell me ‘you’re going to wish you started protecting your skin earlier in life’…and as usual, she was right. Why do we only start looking after skin when we see changes we don’t like?! Well when I did start trying to look after my skin with SPF I found that most SPF creams left a horrible white layer over my skin (which isn’t a good look if you have darker skin) and makeup didn’t really apply well on top or it would leave a greasy feeling over my skin. The ones that worked well under makeup were a lower SPF and anything lower than 50 just isn’t going to cut it for me. So, it’s taken me a long time to find a few products that I would highly recommend for darker skin tones. Moving forward, below you will find my top three SPF products based on longterm wear tests, my review and obviously the fact that they are all SPF 50.
- KIEHLS ULTRA LIGHT DAILY UV DEFENSE CC CREAM SPF 50 – This has to be one of the best SPF creams I’ve used. It comes in three different shades and gives a glowy tint to the skin. It’s a 30ml plastic tube which makes it travel friendly and you don’t have the worry of it leaking as it has a tight snap lid. I love the fact it also helps to even out the skin tone longterm. It’s a cream/fluid texture and you can apply it with either a sponge or brush but I wouldn’t recommend using your fingers as I find it can just get a bit messy (I think that’s the case with any product to be honest). Even though this is a tinted formula, you can still wear full makeup on top. It’s a bit on the pricey end but considering how little you need and how well it works, I’d happily spend to purchase my next replenishment.
- AVENE LOTION SPF 50 – This comes in a plastic tube at 100ml so you get a good amount of product and it is on the higher end in terms of price. It has a creamy texture but works great on oily or combination skin and doesn’t leave a greasy finish. I love how this has added natural ingredients to soothe and calm the skin so I’d recommend this if you have sensitive skin that’s prone to irritation.
- PAULA’S CHOICE EXTRA CARE NON GREASY SUNSCREEN SPF 50 – This is the only product I’ve tried from Paula’s Choice but it makes me want to try more. It’s an affordable product, especially at 148ml. It leaves a matte finish which is exactly what you need before makeup application, however, this also means you need to apply makeup carefully so it doesn’t disturb the way the sunscreen sits beneath. It’s a fluid texture and easy to blend in.