Whether you’re lounging at the beach or sipping spritzes in your backyard, any blissful time spent in the sun means more exposure to its rays, which can wreak havoc on skin if you’re not careful. Nothing can — or should — replace a protective layer of sunscreen, as Dr. Howard Sobel, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital and the founder of Sobel Skin, reminds us. “For the best sun protection, you should always be wearing regular sunscreen,” he says. But nowadays there are lots of ways to add an extra dose of protection to that provided by your sunscreen because more and more beauty brands are formulating everything from tinted moisturizers to eye shadows with SPF in them. Below, we’ve compiled a list of all the makeup with SPF we’ve written about on the Strategist — which, we’ll remind you, should be used in tandem with your favorite sunscreen, not as a replacement for it. (While we’ve written about a lot more skin care with SPF, here we’re focused on products that are decidedly makeup.)
SPF-infused foundations and tinted moisturizers
If you’re looking for a spot in your makeup routine to add more SPF, face makeup is a good place to start. We’ve heard about this Ilia skin tint from dermatologists and makeup artists alike. Makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran explains the product is “first of a kind for its formula, which combines skin care, SPF, and coverage.” Dermatologist Caroline Robinson, the founder of Tone Dermatology, says it is “lightweight with just enough ‘skinlike’ coverage and a mineral SPF to protect against the harmful effects of UV rays.” Strategist beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton describes its coverage as “mediumish,” adding that the tint “takes the edge off of redness or hyperpigmentation while still allowing skin to look like skin.” Aside from SPF, Robinson notes it has other good ingredients like “squalene, for hydration, and niacinamide, to support the skin barrier.” Makeup artist Rose Siard promises that the tint “melts into the skin seamlessly,” and, when choosing between its 30 different shades, makeup artist Jonet Williamson suggests going a shade lighter than usual to find your perfect match.
This tinted moisturizer took the title of best overall in our roundup of expert-recommended options. It has a slightly lighter coverage than the Ilia skin tint above, and, as Rio wrote back in 2019, “a dime-size amount gives the perfect amount of daytime coverage — it takes the edge off of any dark marks, redness, and under-eye bags, and makes my skin look like it has nothing on it at all.” Rio adds that this is “also intensely hydrating — it’s the only makeup I’ve ever felt comfortable putting over eczema flare-ups.” Makeup artist Jamie Greenberg is also a fan and notes the product comes in both a regular (original) and oil-free version. “If you’re looking for a more blurred, matte skin look — oil free is the way to go,” she says. “But if you prefer a more ‘dewy’ look (great for people with drier skin), Laura Mercier’s original formula is perfect.” While the regular formula contains SPF 30, the oil-free one only has SPF of 20.
“I absolutely love the whipped-cream texture of this formula,” says Williamson. “It goes on like butter and melts into the skin, giving light-to-medium coverage.” In addition to SPF 30, the moisturizer is infused with hyaluronic acid, which can give drier skin a nice boost of hydration.
This foundation from Estée Lauder “provides buildable coverage with built-in SPF and probiotic technology to hydrate and soothe the skin,” Robinson explains. It is available in 28 shades.
While this skin tint from Milk Makeup comes from our story about the best expert-recommended makeup for
teens, it’s a great option for anyone looking for a light-coverage tinted moisturizer with the added benefit of broad-spectrum SPF 30. Makeup artist Risa Miyamoto says it works well at giving a dewy glow. Because it is formulated with a slew of hydrating natural oils — including grape seed, avocado, mandarin, jojoba, and olive — it’s also ideal for those with drier skin.
CC creams, Robinson explains, are “color-correcting products that incorporate shade coverage and sun protection.” She recommends layering a CC cream “on top of sunscreen to improve persistent hyperpigmentation.” Dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu, the writer of the DermTalk blog, is a fan of this CC cream from It Cosmetics, which she explains has SPF 50 as well as “niacinamide to soothe and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate.”
SPF-infused powders
If you’re looking for a pressed powder that helps block UV rays as it fights off shininess and sets the rest of your makeup, Chang recommends this mineral-based one with SPF 30. In addition to sun protection, she notes “it contains some great anti-aging ingredients such as licorice-root extract, which lightens brown spots, and retinyl palmitate, a derivative of retinol, that helps to ward off wrinkles.”
Robinson recommends this powder formulated with SPF 50 specifically to those with sensitive skin. Two things she likes about it (on top of the added SPF) are the powder’s “iron oxides, to protect against visible light, and antioxidants for repair.”
SPF-infused concealers and eye shadows
Because the delicate skin around the eyes is thinner than that on the rest of the face, it’s more susceptible to UV damage. Cle de Peau’s full-coverage concealer — which comes from our list of expert-recommended under-eye concealers — has SPF 25, making it a good choice if you want a product that protects skin as it evens its tone. As Strategist writer Chloe Anello explains, Cle de Peau is “the ‘Holy Grail’ of concealers” because of how it makes dark circles, like the ones under her eyes, virtually vanish. Makeup artist Lori Hamlin Penske goes so far as to call it “my favorite full-coverage, long-lasting concealer: It covers dark circles and spots beautifully without appearing too heavy.”
Those in the market for something for their eyelids should consider this “delightful twofer” that Rio says is both SPF and eye shadow. “The stuff is creamy and blendable and, best of all, requires little to no effort to apply (you just brush it on with your finger and you’re done),” she writes. “It has a beautiful, subtle, shimmery sheen — not an attention-grabbing glitter or sparkle — that’s perfect for achieving an everyday, your-eyes-but-brighter, soft, twinkly effect.” Available in four shades (all of which contain SPF 30), Rio’s favorite is Golden Hour, which she describes as a “lovely pale gold.”
SPF-infused lipsticks and balms
Strategist contributor and veteran beauty writer Linda Dyett first told us about Kiehl’s “blissfully hydrating and smoothing” Butterstick Lip Treatment SPF 30, which she found through a makeup-artist friend. “Containing both coconut oil and what’s described as butter derived from lemon peel, not only is it heaven on my lips, but all five shades (plus colorless) are of the moment,” writes Dyett, who says her two favorite shades are Simply Roses and Naturally Nude. Ashley Weatherford, a senior editor at Into the Gloss, is also a fan and praises the product’s “super buttery” formula. “As a bonus, it comes in an extra-secure screw-top tube,” Dyett adds.
Dermatologist Dr. Shari Marchbein says that Fresh’s lip protectant infused with SPF 15 “doubles as lipstick.” It also comes recommended by aesthetician Elena Duque, the owner of BodyBrite Spa, who notes that the product “comes in a variety of sheer shades, including a sport balm that goes on clear” for those who just want extra SPF and not extra color.
Coola’s Mineral Liplux SPF 30 is formulated with cupuaçu butter and raspberry and jojoba-seed oil to provide a dose of hydration in addition to sun protection. Available in four different shades, makeup artist Rebecca Perkins first introduced us to it, describing the product in one word: “gorgeous.”
Weatherford describes the texture of this is as a gloss-balm hybrid, making it a better choice for those who prefer a lip gloss. It’s available in three shades: nude (her favorite) and the more pigmented rose and rhubarb.
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