There’s a Mineral SPF Boom — I Tested Them All

Korres’s Mineral Milk is the perfect texture — lightweight but not too runny, similar to a serum. I didn’t need to rub it in too vigorously for it to sink into my skin. Instead, it absorbed after just a few swipes and left the most subtle glow. The first time I used it was before a sweaty run, and thankfully, it stayed in place without getting into my eyes. Since then, I’ve worn it under makeup. and it properly hydrates my skin, prepping it for foundation without any pilling. But this has quickly become the SPF I reach for on no-makeup days. The one thing worth noting is that it had a slight yogurt-y smell when I first opened it (I suspect because it’s formulated with Greek yogurt), though that went away quickly.

Before going on a vacation to Puerto Rico, I did a quick search on reef-safe SPF. Babo’s sunscreen was included in anold story of ours, and it happened to have just come out with a new mineral face formula. I ended up using it every day I was in the ocean, but I’ve incorporated it into my everyday routine, too. It’s much more watery than Korres’s formula, but, surprisingly, it blended in well and didn’t leave my skin looking greasy. I surfed, snorkeled, and sunbathed in this sunscreen, and I never felt like I was sweating it off. Now that I’m back home, I’ve tested it under makeup, and while it takes maybe a minute longer to set in compared to Korres’s formula, it doesn’t pill underfoundation.

I also tested Dune’s newest addition to its lineup, the Melt Stick. In general, SPF sticks are my go-to for quick reapplication in a pinch. I tried this one out before a morning run, and it was completely undetectable from the first swipe. The stick format makes it hard to know exactly how much you’re applying, so I was sure to really slather it on. The formula is one of the most hydrating ones of the bunch and left my skin looking slightly shiny, but it’s so lightweight that I didn’t mind. It didn’t pill, even with the amount I swiped on, which was impressive. It’s also meant to protect the lips. I was hesitant as someone who’s very sensitive to new glosses and balms, but it left my lips moisturized, no irritation. This is by far the best SPF stick I’ve tested — mineral and chemical — but because of the stick format, I don’t see it becoming my everyday go-to sunscreen.

We’ve written about Colorescience’s sunscreens in the past, so I had high hopes for their newest mineral one. The No-Show formula has a texture right in between Korres’s and Babo’s formulas, but it took more rubbing to fully blend it in. The glow it left on my skin was more matte-looking than those of the other formulas, but I realized this was because it left the slightest bit of white cast. It didn’t look too off on my tanned olive skin, but I can see this being an issue on darker skin tones. Aside from that, it left my skin feeling smooth and hydrated, and it stayed in place when I tested it on a hike.

Yon-Ka Paris’s Mineral Fluid came out in January this year and is the highest priced of the bunch. Its consistency is similar to Babo’s watery formula, but it blends in without leaving any white cast. It did leave my skin with a glow. However, it was more oily-looking than the other formulas. This might be more suitable for drier skin types, but I found it slightly too greasy on my T-zone for my combination skin. I’ll usually pair it with a setting powder to offset the shine as a workaround. While I still use this sunscreen regularly, for the price, it’s not one I see myself purchasing.

Biossance was another sunscreen I was excited to try since we’ve written about the brand’svitamin Candmasksin the past. The formula is thicker than any of the other SPFs mentioned so far but still feels like a lightweightmoisturizer. After I blended it in, my skin felt like I’d just applied a hydrating serum (I think thanks to the squalene), but I was disappointed with how it blended. While it didn’t leave a greasy residue, it did leave a noticeable white cast. My skin had an almost blueish tint to it, even after I’d rubbed it in vigorously and applied a bit of foundation over it. For lighter skin tones, this might work, but it didn’t make the cut for me.

I’d heard of Badger’s sunscreens before, but mainly because its creamy lotions have beenrecommended for kids. So, when I saw it had released a sheer tinted face SPF, I was intrigued. This one was by far the thickest formula of the bunch. It’s described as “lightweight” and “weightless,” which are not words I’d associate with it. I tried applying two fingers-length of product on my face and neck, but this was too much for me to properly blend in. And while the shade was close to my skin tone, it looked more like I had applied too much foundation than a sheer tint. I’ve worn this out with maybe a quarter of what I initially used, but I didn’t feel like I was using an adequate amount of protection. I’ll leave this one for the kids.