16 MORE Sunscreens That Won’t Make You Ashy

I’ve been talking about EVERYONE, especially those of us with darker skin tones, wearing sunscreen all year round for ages, but if you come across sunscreens that are heavy, greasy, and leave your skin looking like Ashy Larry, WHO would want to wear THAT?!?!?

But did you know that there are TONS of sunscreens out there that blend right into darker skin tones? That aren’t heavy or greasy? THERE ARE! I have been adding ones I’ve come across over the years in my aptly titled non-ashy sunscreen tag so make sure you check ’em all out here.

I’m so adamant about everyone wearing sunscreen, I went on national television to talk about it on “The Real”…lol. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about sunscreen, especially when it comes to those of us with darker skin tones, but three really good reasons to wear it include: 1. protection from skin cancers (we may not get skin cancer in the numbers that our white counterparts might, but when we do get skin cancer, it often goes undetected and is more aggressive) 2. if you’re treating dark spots and/or uneven skin tone, sunscreen is even more important because you don’t want your spot treating and skin evening efforts to be in vain because the sun is further darkening your spots and 3. because I said so.

Just kidding (no I’m not) but another good reason is that the sun’s harmful rays are one of the biggest culprits against the breakdown of collagen (collagen is the protein in the skin that keeps it snatched) so if you’re looking to avoid premature aging, slather on that sunscreen, boo. (Not that you want to AVOID aging, I myself am embracing my future golden years because I will be one fly, sexy mature thang collecting husbands and insurance policies, but who wants to age faster than they really need to?)

Recently I had K-beauty retailer site Beautytap send over a number of Asian sunscreens. Beautytap is a vast online store featuring a mix of tried-and-true favorites like Sulwhasoo and Cosrx to the latest innovations from cult and indie brands including Oneoseven and a robust and objective editorial team bringing the latest K-beauty news and trends to the site’s dedicated global community of K-beauty lovers. Over the last few months I’ve been trying them out as so many beauty people rave about how lightweight and undetectable the various sunscreens made by Asian brands (Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, etc) are. I also picked up a few on my own from Amazon and some U.S.-based brands have sent me some SPF products that I’ll list in this post as well. Let’s quickly go through the latest on my Non-Ashy Sunscreen list.

Quick notes: it’s important to understand that increasing SPF numbers don’t mean a huge jump in sun protection. So for instance, it might be easy to think that an SPF 30 provides twice the amount of protection as an SPF 15. But in actuality, an SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays while SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays. And then when you go higher to an SPF 50, it blocks 98% of UVB rays. There is no sunscreen product out that blocks 100% of UVB rays.

You want to make sure your SPF is broad spectrum which means it helps to block both UVA and UVB rays.

It’s also important to not fall into a false safety net with higher SPFs. Sometimes people think “oh, I’m wearing SPF 100, I’m covered for the whole day.” NAH YO. Because of things like sweat and being out and about, sunscreen breaks down. It’s recommended to reapply every two hours because of this—especially if you’re going to be outdoors. Also, you need to put ENOUGH on. About a shot glass worth is suggested for your face and body with a nickel-sized dollop for the face alone. If you don’t put on enough, you won’t get the full protection on the label.

Check the expiration date—sunscreens do expire, ya know.

For more info on how to apply and other sunscreen tidbits, check out my video below!

Face

Olay Whips with SPF 25. ($28.99) If you watched me on The Real, you’ll know I talked about the Olay Luminous Whip which is a great SPF moisturizer that is SUPER lightweight and it has these really cool blurring properties which help your makeup go on even better and last longer like a primer would. It comes in three formulas depending on your skincare needs: Luminous, Regenerist, and Total Effects. Find out more at Olay.com.

Blanc & Eclare Serin Essential Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++. ($27) This goes on a little white at first but thankfully once rubbed in, it disappears. Despite the white scare, it wore well on my oily skin even when it was warmer out.

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Specturm SPF 40. ($32) This reminds me of Murad Invisiblur (Invisiblur has more blurring action) in that it’s clear and helps smooth over pores leaving a soft, velvet finish. You would use this as your last step in your skincare routine so you wear your favorite moisturizer and then can wear this on top to make sure you’re protected. It has a strong smell, but it’s a pleasant smell (to me at least). It’s also water and sweat resistant for up to 40 minutes.

Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA+++. ($15.44) While we have the Bioré brand here in the U.S., this particular product is Japanese. This is SUPER SUPER lightweight, and immediately blends into the skin and feels completely weightless. Some people use this in conjunction with a moisturizer (moisturizer first and then this on top) which is how I would use it. It does have a pretty fragrant smell, so be mindful of that. I bought this on Amazon and it can take some time to get here, but so much of the internet raves over this product. I did hear whispers of it being harder to get lately.

Eclado Laboratory Eclado Suncream Oil Free SPF40 PA +++. ($28) Another great-smelling sunscreen. It feels very hydrating on the skin, but doesn’t dry down like the Cosrx—you can still feel the hydration even after you rub it in. This might be better suited for normal to dry skin types, but could work for oily skin in the colder months.

Pure Block Natural Sun Cream SPF 45 PA +++. ($8.66) Pleasant smell, feels very hydrating and moisturizes well. It feels weightless and is very lightweight, but it did feel a little bit heavy on my oily skin. It worked okay on my skin when it wasn’t as hot out, but this seems like it would be nice to try for normal to dry skin types when it’s warmer out.

Cosrx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++. ($14.45) I love the smell—it doesn’t have that “sunscreen smell” to it. It feels (just as its name suggests) very soothing and it’s very moisturizing yet dries down to feel like nothing is on. While the hydration makes it feel like something those with normal to dry skin types should try, the weightlessness makes it nice for oily skin particularly in cooler weather.

Body

*SOME* body SPFs can also be used on the face—make sure you check the label. But because the skin on the face can be more delicate than the skin on the body, I would use a product made specifically for the face on my face. (And yes, you *could* use a face product on your body BUT you’d be using A LOT of product and could potentially be wasting money).

Moroccanoil Sun SPF 50 Broad Spectrum Sun Lotion. ($32) This is a new recent fave. The Moroccanoil team sent this over and I AM OBSESSED. It smells amazing and feels great on the skin—I love that it alone can be my summer scent. It has a very nice Tahitian-vibe to it—like a mix of vanilla, brown sugar, and coconut. I’ve already finished an entire bottle already. It’s also water resistant up to 40 minutes.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Broad Spectrum (SPF 30 & SPF 50). ($10.99 each) I am a huge fan of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost SPF for face, so I was very happy to see they made it in a body version. Just like the face lotion, the Hydro Boost body SPF also feels super hydrating but goes on lightweight without feeling greasy. Both SPF 30 and SPF 50 versions are water resistant up to 80 minutes.

Black Girl Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30. ($18.99) This blends in and looks absolutely undetectable, is moisturizing, and get this—fragrance free and SUPER lightweight. I briefly met the owner at the Momference this year in MD.

Primers

You put these on after your moisturizer and before your makeup. I am a little nervous about face primers that contain SPF because I feel like many people won’t put enough on to get the full amount of coverage on the label. SO make sure you read those labels.

By Terry UV Base Sunscreen Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Invisible Sunscreen Primer. ($55) This blends right in and they are not lying when they say it’s invisible. It has a smooth velvety finish and works on all skin types.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen / PA +++. ($38) This blends right in and feels hydrating on the skin. It did feel a little balmy on my oily skin, so I would say those with normal to dry skin types might appreciate this more.

Physical/Mineral Sunscreens

Finding a physical/mineral sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white cast can feel like a full time job, but I recently came across two to check out.

Drunk Elephant UmbraSheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen. ($34) (20% zinc oxide). It does take a few seconds to blend in, but it won’t leave a white cast. I’m not a fan of the smell at all—it kind of reminds me of glue and crayons, but hey, we all have different noses.

Derma-E Natural Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30. ($11.95) (19% zinc oxide). Like the Drunk Elephant, it does take a few seconds to blend in, but it also won’t leave a white cast. I like how convenient this mini stick is because you can pop it in your bag or even in your pocket so you can apply and reapply on the go. It is water resistant up to 80 minutes. I’m also not a fan of the smell, but hey, again, we all have different noses.

See even more non-ashy sunscreens here

Have you tried any of these sunscreens listed? Would you? Tell me about it in the comments!