THREE AMAZING SUNSCREENS I TOOK WITH ME TO CABO FROM SUPERGOOP, COCOKIND AND COSRX - BEST SUNSCREENS FOR FACE, BEST SUNSCREEN FOR OILY SKIN, BEST SUNSCREEN FOR DRY SKIN
Two weeks ago I had the great fortune to escape my Brooklyn apartment (and the bitter New York City cold!) and venture back to Mexico — one my favorite places in the world.
I’ve been to the country dozens of times, spending long weekends in Puerto Vallarta on the west coast, Cancun in the east, and Mexico City somewhere between the two.
I love being, eating and relaxing in Mexico. The people are lovely, the weather nearly always perfect, and the food exceptional.
Even as a vegan, I ate joyfully on a trip to Cancun in October. Unbeknownst to me, there’s no shortage of vegan Mexicans and, thus, it’s quite easy to find delicious tacos, nachos, quesadillas and burritos made with vegan cheeses and meat substitutes.
I’m never without skincare and on that mid-autumn trip to Cancun, I brought along several new Vitamin C serums for a super cool product shoot on the beach, by the water. If you missed that piece, and my reviews of what I considered some of the best Vitamin C serums of 2021, check out my article titled, My Top Vitamin C Picks FW21: New Vitamin C Serums I’m Crushing on from Algenist, Naturium, Goop Glow and More. Psst…you can read it here.
MY TOP VITAMIN C PICKS FW21: NEW VITAMIN C SERUMS FROM ALGENIST, NATURIUM, GOOP GLOW AND MORE
This time around, I decided to go somewhere different, to a place in Mexico I had never been before: Cabo San Lucas. Cabo is located on the southernmost tip of Baja California, the furthest western region of the country. It is completely surrounded by water and the most beautiful place I’ve ever been in Mexico. Cabo is magical. I can’t believe it took me this long to discover it!
So, over Martin Luther King Day weekend, a good friend and I packed our bags and headed to Cabo for a warm winter getaway. Of course we took lots of skincare with us, including a pack of these dope gold foil masks from spa brand Ilona Beauty. Paired with my favorite KB5 Eye Recovery Masks from Kat Burki, my skin was deeply hydrated and bright in spite of the dehydrating flight to Cabo.
While we spent most of our time relaxing in our AirBnB villa by the water, we did venture out for dining adventures at two extraordinary organic, farm-to-table restaurants — both of which offered multiple vegan options. Among the two, my favorite was Flora Farms, located in the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, just north of San Jose del Cabo.
Flora Farms is a 25-acre organic working farm and its signature restaurant, Flora’s Field Kitchen, offers a “Field to Your Table” menu with original, homemade dishes made with fresh, organic ingredients from the surrounding fields. Seriously, if you have the opportunity to get to Cabo, don’t miss Flora Farms!
We’d worked up a real appetite that afternoon, checking off an item on our respective bucket lists: racing an ATV.
I hadn’t been longing to ride an ATV like, say, I long to go on an African safari or skydive from a plane. I had actually planned to go skydiving last summer for my birthday but couldn’t seem to make it happen. Alas, July is right around the corner!
But when my friend and I saw there was an opportunity to experience an ATV adventure in Cabo, we knew we had to do it; we couldn’t let the chance slip by.
Donning hardcore helmets and sneakers we were prepared to permanently soil, we headed deep into the countryside to board our ATV machines. Those things were no joke. For 90 minutes with just three stops to take a breather and a few pictures, we barreled 35 MPH over dunes, meandered through tight pathways astride the glistening ocean. It was truly an adventure of a lifetime, in what seemed a non-stop cloud of dirt that made me feel like Pig-Pen from the comic strip Peanuts.
It was hard. It was harrowing. I was sore for days, having used muscles in ways I had apparently rarely done. We were literally covered in sand head to toe; it was embedded in our shoes, our hair, in and on our clothes. In fact, we had planned in advance to leave behind our shoes, two well-worn pairs of classic white Air Force Ones.
We at least returned home to a January deep-freeze a few ounces lighter…
The skincare stuff starts here.
As I had done on my trip to Cancun, I brought skincare with me that I could tell a fun-in-the-sun story around. This time, it was sunscreens. Plus, I was overdue for a piece on my latest sunscreens discoveries. I had last featured my finds of the best sunscreens for face on the blog in the summer of 2021 in an article titled, Surprisingly Light Sunscreens for a Hot Summer Day from Glossier, Supergoop! And Zitsticka. You can catch it here.
In the mid-summer article, I featured three of my favorite warm weather sunscreens, including one of the best sunscreens of all time: the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum PA+++. If you haven’t yet had the chance to try this remarkably innovative, Vitamin-C powered brightening sunscreen, you’re really missing out.
I also featured Glossier’s Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen+ SPF 35 — one of the most lightweight sunscreens available. If you’re a makeup wearer or have oily skin, the Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen+ SPF 35 could be just what you’re looking for. It’s the best sunscreen for oily skin that I came across last year.
SURPRISINGLY LIGHT SUNSCREENS FROM GLOSSIER, SUPERGOOP! AND ZITSTICKA - BEST SUNSCREENS FOR OILY SKIN
Rounding out my picks was Zitsticka’s new MEGASHADE Breakout-Proof SPF 50 Sunscreen Serum. Formulated especially for oily, acne-prone skin, it’s a perfectly legitimate sunscreen for the rest of us, too — particularly on a hot, humid summer day.
One of my favorite sunscreens of all time, and a staple for me in the summer or when traveling to a warm place, is the Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk. I’ve included it in multiple blog articles, including one of my all-time faves, A Complete $100 Skincare Routine with The Inkey List, The Ordinary, Benton & More! (You can catch it here!)
I nearly always have my Skin Aqua Moisture Milk with me. It’s a light, slender bottle, making it perfect for your travel bag. And the formula itself is ridiculously lightweight. While I took it with me to sunny Palm Springs over Christmas weekend, I resisted taking it with me on the trip to Cabo.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SKIN AQUA SUPER MOISTURE MILK SPF 50 – ONE OF THE BEST SUNSCREENS FOR OILY SKIN
When I was working at Kiehl’s, my favorite of the brand’s many philosophies was that it’s essential to wear sunscreen even on cloudy, seemingly sunless days. Of course, the mistake so many people make is in thinking that they can somehow outsmart the sun; that they don’t need sun protection in winter or on a cloudy day. Truthfully, the sun’s rays always find a way to our skin.
It is essential to wear sunscreen even on cloudy seemingly sunless days.
While I make it a practice of consistently applying sunscreen every day, all year round, the one thing that isn’t consistent is the texture of the facial sunscreen product itself. Like most people, I prefer heavier skincare in the fall and winter, lighter skincare in spring and summer.
Of course, in a warmer climate like I was headed for in Mexico, a lighter sunscreen is more ideal. But it’s the dead of winter here in NYC and I need a heavier daily sunscreen. So I thought I’d mix it up on my trip. It’s been just over six months since I did a deep dive into sunscreens of any kind.
I thought it would be cool to take that deep dive in the waters off the coast of Cabo!
I packed three sunscreens, two of which are new and one more of a staple in my vast repertoire of facial sunscreen products. One is a straight up mineral sunscreen, one is a purely chemical sunscreen, and the third is a blend of mineral and chemical filters.
The newest of the three is the Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++. If it sounds familiar, it’s an extension of the original Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum PA+++. The new Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil is a rich oil, ideal for dry, low-humidity air and for a drier skin type. It’s been my go-to sunscreen over the last several weeks as the temperatures have dropped dramatically and my skin is in a constant battle to stay hydrated.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SUPERGOOP! MINERAL SHEERSCREEN SPF 30 PA+++ - BEST MINERAL SUNSCREEN FOR FACE FOR OILY SKIN
The second facial sunscreen I took with me to Cabo is the Cocokind Daily SPF Facial Sunscreen Lotion — the lone mineral sunscreen of the three. I’m a huge fan of Cocokind; it’s one of my favorite brand discoveries of 2021. Formulated with 21% Zinc Oxide, Daily SPF is relatively lightweight, with that bright white texture common to a mineral sunscreen made with Zinc Oxide.
Last is a personal favorite straight out of the Skincarma Vault, the floor-to-ceiling medicine cabinet which houses my regular and daily skincare stash. The COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is the lightest of the three and a blend of both mineral and chemical sunscreens — including three Asian and European sun filter innovations: Amiloxate, Ensulizole and Tinosorb S.
I’m naturally drawn to sunscreen products from outside the US marketplace as they’re nearly always composed of the most innovative sun filter technologies, something we’re sorely lacking here.
Whether you use a sunscreen made with 1980s technology or one that’s straight out of a modern-day Japanese lab, what’s important is that you find a facial sunscreen you love to use so much that you wouldn’t even think of skipping it. That’s why I’m always talking about sunscreens. If I can get even one reader of this blog to find a facial sunscreen they love, I’d consider my mission accomplished!
With that, let’s take a deeper look at three of the best facial sunscreens — the ones I took with me on my trip to magical Cabo San Lucas, Mexico…
Supergoop! | Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++
I have a super personal relationship with skincare products. There’s this one indicator that I’m sensitive to when it comes to whether or not I like a product during my initial experience with it. Make that two indicators: Do I believe the formula is pro-skin health and do I like using it.
And that is particularly relevant with a daily sunscreen.
For the better part of the last year, one of my favorite facial sunscreens, one that I literally get excited to use, is the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum PA+++. It’s certainly pro-skin health and I actually LOVE using it. As I like to say, it’s important to find a sunscreen you love. If you do, you’re more likely to use it consistently — even on cloudy, seemingly sunless days in Mexico, or wherever you are in the world!
The new Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++ is as much of a pleasure to use on a dry, cold, low-humidity day in New York City as the original Daily Dose serum.
I always have to acknowledge Supergoop! for calling out the PA rating in their sunscreens and on the Daily Dose packaging. It’s something you rarely see in US sunscreen products. It’s such a shame and a real lapse in FDA oversight of such an important skincare product.
If you don’t know what a PA rating is, it’s an indicator of a formula’s level of UVA protection — in the same fashion as SPF indicates a sunscreen’s level of UVB protection. And, as UVA rays are more insidious and the cause of most serious skin cancers, it makes more sense to pay close attention to a product’s PA rating rather than its SPF.
When it comes to skin damage and skin aging, UVA defense is where it’s at.
The PA+++ rating on each of the Supergoop! Daily Dose formulas indicates “high UVA protection,” the third highest level and just below PA++++ — an indication of “extremely high UVA protection.”
PRODUCT REVIEW: SUPERGOOP! CLOUD 9 100% MINERAL SUN BALM SPF 40 – BEST ANTI-AGING SUNSCREEN
What Does PA Mean in Sunscreen and What Is the Difference between SPF and PA?
There’s an excellent piece from the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, What Does the PA+ Sunscreen Symbol Mean? on the brand’s website here.
The SPF rating on a sunscreen bottle stands for Sun Protection Factor, a measurement of how long you can stay outside during the day and be protected from the sun’s burn-causing UVB rays (assuming you’re applying sunscreen the right way). UVA rays are present, too; this is where the PA+ rating system comes into play.
Some sunscreens include PA+ rating on their products. The letters “PA” followed by plus signs (PA+, PA++, PA+++, and PA++++) on a label are a rating system developed in Japan to represent how much UVA protection the product offers.
The sun’s UVA rays do not cause sunburn; rather, they cause skin to turn brown. UVA rays are known as the sun’s silent killers because you don’t feel them affecting skin. Despite the lack of pain associated with UVA rays, they penetrate deeply into skin, causing a somewhat different type of damage than UVB rays.
This is what each PA rating means:
PA+ = Some UVA protection.
PA++ = Moderate UVA protection.
PA+++ = High UVA protection.
PA++++ = Extremely High UVA protection.
Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++ has the texture of a lightweight facial oil, similar to a conventional “dry oil” that dries down on application. The Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost formula contains a luxurious blend of non-fragrant plant oils, including Squalane, Soybean Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, and soothing Oat Kernel Oil.
In fact, the formula is wonderfully soothing on the skin and, I imagine, an ideal sunscreen for sensitive skin types, too.
In addition to those replenishing plant oils, there are, as the name indicates, ceramides in the formula. Ceramides are lipids, or fats, that are naturally occurring in the skin; they’re essential to skin health. Skin’s ceramide content helps to fortify the skin barrier against moisture loss.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SUPERGOOP! ULTRA DAILY DOSE VITAMIN C + SPF 40 SUNSCREEN SERUM PA+++
What Are Ceramides and Are Ceramides Good for Your Skin?
Of course, I go straight to my most trusted source — the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team. There’s a rather in-depth piece on the site titled, What Are Ceramides and How Do They Work in Skin Care Products? You can read the full piece here, if you’re so inclined. Here’s what I loved most from the article:
As far as anti-aging ingredients go, ceramides have a proven record, but are often overlooked, and rarely explained. Here, we’ll dive deep to clarify how ceramides help skin retain moisture, fortify its protective barrier, and keep its appearance firm and plump—especially given the recent research clarifying ceramides’ unique ability to rejuvenate skin’s appearance. Below, we’ve gathered the research-supported answers to your top ceramide-related questions:
What are ceramides?
Simply put, ceramides are lipids (fats) that are found naturally in high concentrations in the uppermost layers of skin. They make up over 50% of skin’s composition, so it’s no surprise they play a vital role in determining how your skin looks (and how it responds to environmental threats).
What do ceramides do?
Think of ceramides as the mortar between bricks—if the bricks are your skin cells. Ceramides help hold skin together by forming a protective layer that limits moisture loss and protects against visible damage from pollution and other environmental stressors. In addition, ceramides—even more than retinol, niacinamide, and peptides—are one of the anti-aging “powerhouses” responsible for supporting skin’s dynamic nature. Two particular ceramide precursors—phytosphingosine and sphingolipids—actually help skin make more ceramides.
If my skin already contains ceramides, why do I need them in my beauty products?
Age and sun damage reduce the effectiveness of your skin’s natural ceramides—and can eventually deplete them, which weakens your skin’s barrier. The results are drier, rougher skin, wrinkles, irritation, redness, and visible signs of dehydration. This is where skin care knowledge comes into play—because it really is possible to significantly restore what’s been diminished.
Like the original Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum, the sun filters in the Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil are chemical in nature. The sun filter blend includes 2% Avobenzone, 9% Homosalate, 5% Octisalate and 10% Octocrylene. While I prefer mineral sunscreens, it’s far more important to love your facial sunscreen — and both Daily Dose formulas are simply too pleasurable to overlook based on the fact that they use chemical filters.
(More on the differences between chemical and mineral sunscreen filters below.)
In addition to its pro-skin health ceramides, replenishing plant oils and sun filters in the Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost formula, there’s also a touch of moisturizing Vitamin E, nourishing Bacillus Ferment, and humectant Sodium Hyaluronate — the salt form of Hyaluronic Acid that’s more compatible with skin.
If you have dry skin, sensitive skin or are currently living in a cold, low-humidity climate as I am, the new Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++ is perfect for you.
What I like about it: The Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++ is simply exquisite. The texture is everything. If you have dry, very dry or sensitive skin, there’s literally no sunscreen that’s more soothing and nourishing. You’ll love it.
What I don’t like about it: Of course, I wish it were a mineral sunscreen, but I know there’s simply no way to make a product this luxurious using the available mineral sun filters.
Who it’s for: All skin types, except oily or acne-prone.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++ for $46 here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SUPERGOOP! BRIGHT-EYED 100% MINERAL EYE CREAM SPF 40 – BEST ANTI-AGING SUNCSREEN FOR EYES
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
COOL CLEAN FACIAL SUNSCREENS TO KEEP US SAFE AND SMILING IN THE SUN!
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Cocokind | Daily SPF Mineral Sunscreen SPF 32
Cocokind is one of my favorite brand discoveries of the last year. I’ve been super intrigued by the clean, California-based brand and their firm commitment to sustainability. Notably, Cocokind has the most in-depth, product-specific information on a web page that I’ve ever seen.
In the early fall, I was super into the brand’s $19 Revitalizing Eye Cream. It’s a great formula with a dense, silky texture that makes it ideal for a seasonal drop in temperatures. It’s just thin enough to dispense from a tube. I love well-formulated eye creams that aren’t in jars! And it has one of those cooling metal applicator tips. It’s a real pleasure to use.
The Cocokind Oil to Milk Cleanser is a similarly pleasurable formula. If you’re not a fan of cleansing balms because they’re so rich and heavy on the skin, this one is super lightweight and has a light, milky texture when emulsified with warm water, making it surprisingly easy to wash off. I believe it to be most ideal for oily skin — something you rarely find in a cleansing balm.
You can catch my review of the Cocokind Oil to Milk Cleanser on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: COCOKIND OIL TO MILK CLEANSER - BEST CLEANSING BALM FOR OILY SKIN
The Cocokind Daily SPF Mineral Sunscreen SPF 32 is as much of a pleasure to use as the other Cocokind products I’ve experienced of late. Unlike the Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA+++, it’s a straight up mineral sunscreen.
Made with 21% non-nano Zinc Oxide, it has that white opaque texture you’d expect from a sunscreen with a high level of Zinc Oxide. And while I actually love its luxurious, velvety texture, what intrigues me most about it is the sustainability info on the product page for the Daily SPF at cocokind.com.
The Daily SPF tube is “40% sugarcane-derived LPDE 60% sugarcane-derived HDPE” and 100% recyclable. The product’s cap is made of virgin plastic, which is not recyclable. The box is 100% recyclable, consisting of “FSC paper with soy ink and water-based coating.”
I’ve never seen a similar level of transparency and detail from other skincare brands and hope they follow Cocokind’s lead. Have a look at this extraordinary product detail:
No Skincarma Blog review about sunscreen products and the importance of sun protection would be complete without mention of Jeanne and Susan, identical twin sisters.
Seriously, I can’t imagine a Skincarma Blog article about the best facial sunscreen products for the summer heat without an introduction to my friends Jeanne and Susan — identical twin sisters.
No, they're not my actual friends; in fact, we’ve never met. But I feel like I know them. As good friends would, they inspire me to be better — and to wear sunscreen every single day of the year. If you need proof of the very real effects of sun damage on your skin, look no further than these two ladies.
The sisters looked exactly alike growing up. But Susan has spent her life in Florida worshiping the sun (she’s also a heavy smoker!) while sister Jeanne lives in Ohio and has generally avoided overexposure to the sun (and smoking) throughout her life. While both were 61 when the adjacent photo was taken, a scientific study of Susan’s skin at Case Western Reserve University showed an 11-year age difference — Susan has extreme hyperpigmentation (sun spots), deeper wrinkles and degradation in skin elasticity.
Be a Jeanne, not a Susan!
What’s the Difference Between Mineral and Chemical Sunscreens?
For some real insights, there’s an excellent article by the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, Mineral vs. Synthetic Sunscreen Ingredients available here. In the piece, the experts explain the differences and benefits between mineral and chemical sunscreens — and even dispel a myth or two:
“The two types of sunscreen ingredients are mineral and synthetic [chemical], and both are equally protective. Further reassuring is that each can be included in formulas created for every skin type. For example, if you have normal to oily skin, there are weightless, non-greasy options; if you have normal to dry skin, it’s possible to find skin-smoothing, hydrating SPF products.
What’s the Difference Between Mineral and Synthetic Sunscreen Ingredients?
The differences aren’t about which type is more effective; rather, it comes down to personal preference and how sensitive your skin is—mineral sunscreens are considered the most gentle options.
Mineral sunscreens: There are only two mineral sunscreen ingredients: titanium dioxideand zinc oxide. They work in skin's uppermost layers to both absorb and, to a lesser extent, deflect and scatter the sun’s harmful rays. These mineral ingredients are sometimes referred to as physical sunscreens or physical blockers, although that’s not a factual representation of how they work.
Synthetic sunscreens: There are over 30 synthetic sunscreen ingredients, all of which absorb into the top layers of skin, where they work similar to mineral sunscreens: by scattering and deflecting the sun’s harmful rays, and by converting UV rays into heat and “deactivating” them. (Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing.) Common synthetic sunscreen ingredients include oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, and avobenzone. These are sometimes labeled “chemical sunscreens,” which is both misleading and false. All skin care ingredients, even water, are chemicals.
In addition to its anti-aging mineral sun filters, the Cocokind Daily SPF Mineral Sunscreen SPF 32 formula is infused with multiple pro-skin health actives. There are numerous non-fragrant plant oils that moisturize and replenish the skin. Among these are Argan Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil and Shea Butter.
There are several humectant, too, that help to prevent dehydrating trans-epidermal water loss, including high levels of Glycerin and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice — at ingredient number five and six respectively.
Interestingly, the brand highlights the small amount of blue phytoplankton and microalgae in the formula. While they’re both replenishing and hydrating, they aren’t really included at high levels so let’s just say they’re nice to have.
What’s most important is the Daily SPF formula’s more powerful pro-skin health actives and its mineral sun filter, Zinc Oxide. And, it’s a pleasure to use, meaning you may just love it enough to get excited to apply a daily sunscreen!
What I like about it: The Cocokind Daily SPF Mineral Sunscreen SPF 32 is a straight up mineral sunscreen with a 21% level of Zinc Oxide. There are multiple moisturizing plant oils and humectants in the formula which give it an elegant texture and make it a pleasure to use. A sunscreen that’s such a pleasure to use means you’re more likely to use it.
What I don’t like about it: I wish it were an SPF 50. It also contains no highly effective UVA filters. These would, of course be chemical in nature. It’s always a trade off.
Who it’s for: All skin types, except very oily or acne-prone.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Cocokind Daily SPF Mineral Sunscreen SPF 32 for $25 here.
COSRX | Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++
While the Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil is a purely chemical sunscreen and the Cocokind Daily SPF is a 100% mineral facial sunscreen, the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is a hybrid, using a blend of mineral and chemical sun filters.
If you know COSRX, you know it is a favorite among K-Beauty fans — me among them! One of my favorite hydrating toners of all time is the fermented COSRX Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner. If you haven’t tried it, you’re really missing out.
The COSRX Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner is a simple formula, comprising just 10 ingredients. Its star fermented active, as the name indicates, is Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate — the second ingredient after water. It’s simply divine and in my opinion one of the best hydrating toners ever. You can catch my review of it on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: COSRX GALACTOMYCES ALCOHOL-FREE TONER – BEST HYDRATING TONER
I don’t actually know when COSRX introduced their iconic Aloe Soothing Sun Cream but I first discovered it and reviewed it on the blog last spring. Hey, as they say, better late than never, right?!
A quick google search and I discovered that the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream was first introduced in 2015 as COSRX’s first and only sunscreen to this very day. So it took me six years to finally experience this terrific K-Beauty sunscreen.
The Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is actually one of two K-Beauty sunscreens in my stash, the other being the reformulation of Purito’s original, scandal-plagued sunscreen — the Purito Daily Go-To Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++. Indeed, Purito nailed it — it’s a “go-to” for me.
The COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream formula is a blend of five sunscreen filters, four of which are chemical. Only one of the filters is commonly found in US sunscreen products. The others are all Asian or European sun filter innovations, including: Amiloxate, Ensulizole and Tinosorb S.
The lone mineral sun filter in the Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is Titanium Dioxide.
I know many people prefer to avoid chemical sunscreens. As I’ve said, what’s important is that you find a sunscreen you love to use so much that you wouldn’t even think of skipping it. If it’s a chemical one, good for you.
What makes the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream such a stand-out is its refreshing texture. It’s not overly lightweight, certainly not as light as the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen Serum or the two J-Beauty icons the Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk and Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence.
But the Aloe Soothing Sun Cream has got a really nice, silky texture that’s more of a thick lotion than a runny milk or serum.
As the name asserts, there’s some aloe in the formula in the form of Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract. I have never seen Aloe Arborescens in an INCI. What happened to our old friend Barbadensis? Is she on vacation, too?
A COMPLETE K-BEAUTY ROUTINE WITH THE BEST FACIAL SKINCARE FROM PURITO, COSRX, MISSHA & MORE!
I wish that the chemists at COSRX had taken inspiration from their exceptional Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner formula and replaced the water at ingredient number one.
COSRX’s Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is not a perfect formula — with both denatured alcohol and a tiny amount of fragrance as the last ingredient in the INCI. Nor does it contain the kind of antioxidant botanical extracts I would expect from well-formulated Korean skincare products. Hmm. I have to wonder where the centella asiatica and the Licorice Root Extract are. They must be costly ingredients.
It’s clear that the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is more of a straight-up, no-frills facial sunscreen. And at just under $13 a bottle, you kinda get what you pay for: a super affordable, pleasurable, and highly effective sunscreen. Period.
What I like about it: The COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream is effective, pleasurable and super affordable at around $13 a tube. With its blend of innovative sun filters, you really can’t beat that.
What I don’t like about it: There are denatured alcohol and fragrance in the formula, both of which are potentially sensitizing to the skin.
Who it’s for: All skin types, except perhaps sensitive skins.
SHOP THE BLOG: For a limited time, save 25% at Yesstyle. Purchase the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream for $11.70 (reg. $15.60) here.
That’s it, guys! I hope this helps you to find a sunscreen you love — and that you’ll use it even on cloudy, seemingly sunless days. I invite you to explore all my top picks, what I consider the best sunscreens for face, here.
See you next week…
💟 Carmine @skincarma
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THE BEST HYALURONIC ACID SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE INKEY LIST, GHOST DEMOCRACY & MORE
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The Ingredient List of the Supergoop! Daily Dose Hydra-Ceramide Boost + SPF 40 Sunscreen Oil PA++:
Avobenzone (2 percent), Homosalate (9 percent), Octisalate (5 percent), Octocrylene (10 percent), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Polybutene, Ethyl Olivate, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Squalane, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Squalene, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Tocopherol, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Germ Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Ceramide NP (Ceramide III B), Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Phytosterols, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax.
The Ingredient List of the Cocokind Daily SPF:
sii|h 0 0, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice 
so|h, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil aox|emo, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil emo 0 0, Coco-Glucoside surf, Glyceryl Caprylate pres, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter emo|vc, Cetearyl Glucoside emu|surf, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside surf, Xanthan Gum vc, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate emo, Lecithin emo|emu, Polyhydroxystearic Acid emu, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate emu|vc, Isostearic Acid surf|emu, Oryza Sativa Starch vc, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate so|h, Bisabolol so, Caprylhydroxamic Acid chel, Sodium Phytate chel, Sclerotium Gum vc, Sucrose h|so, Phaeodactylum Tricornutum Extract h|so, Glucose h, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, C10 Alcohol emo|surf|vc, C8 Alcohol perfThe Ingredient List of the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++:
sii|h 0 0, Propylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 0, Cyclopentasiloxane emo|solv, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid sunsc, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine sunsc, Dicaprylyl Carbonate emo, Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate sunsc, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate emu|surf, Alcohol 
amic|solv|vc, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1-2, Titanium Dioxide sunsc|col, C14-22 Alcohols, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, PEG-100 Stearate surf|emu 0 0, Triethanolamine buff 0 2, Silica vc, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer vc, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside emu|surf, Aluminum Hydroxide emo|h|vc, Stearic Acid emo|vc 0 2-3, Fragrance perf, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Phenoxyethanol pres, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer vc, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract(1,100 Ppm) h|so, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate so|h, Carbomer vc 0 1, Xanthan Gum vc, Limonene perf|solv, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Disodium EDTA chel, Hexyl Cinnamal perf, Linalool perf, Benzyl Salicylate perf, Geraniol perf, Benzyl Alcohol pres|perf|solv|vc, Citronellol perf, Benzyl Benzoate solv|perf|amic, Citral perf
