I cannot tell you how many hours of my life I have wasted applying skincare products that I really and truly did not need. (Raise your hand if you also participated in the 10-step Korean skincare trend!) According to beauty director Shannon Lawler, all you need is a simple skincare routine that involves two or three effective products each time you wash your face. And out of that small handful of products, there's really only one that's an absolute nonnegotiable.
"If there's one skincare product you should never skip, it's the use of daily SPF," dermatologist Nyla Raja told Lawler. "UVA is the number one cause of accelerated skin aging, and even when it's not sunny, these rays are still emitting."
To satisfy that A.M. routine requirement, Who What Wear editors have been reaching for Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 from e.l.f. SKIN, a broad-spectrum sunscreen that also serves as a makeup primer. Read on to see why Whoa Glow has remained in our daily rotations.
Who Is Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 For?
Like Dr. Raja said, daily SPF is the most important thing you can do for your face, and this e.l.f. SKIN formula is an affordable alternative to more expensive brands that offer the exact same level of sun protection. (Heads up: If you have sensitive skin or have had a reaction to chemical sunscreens in the past, consider using a mineral sunscreen instead.)
This face sunscreen also works as a makeup primer, so the two-in-one product saves time in your morning routine and space in your makeup bag. And even if you don't wear makeup, you should still consider Whoa Glow. It leaves behind a subtle shimmer that's so flattering on bare skin.
What are Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30's ingredients?
e.l.f. SKIN is double-certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny & PETA, and it takes ingredient transparency and quality very seriously. (As every skincare brand should! But alas, that's not always the case.) In Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30, its four active ingredients—avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene—are clinically proven UV filters. In other words, sun protection comes first in this formula.
Keep going a bit further down the ingredient list, and you'll find a few more superstars that make this e.l.f. SKIN product so much more than just sunscreen. There's aloe, squalane, and hyaluronic acid, all hydrating agents that work in tandem to lock in moisture, plump up the skin's appearance, and soothe inflammation. And don't forget about niacinamide, which helps brighten skin and protect your summer glow. In fact, you might like the look of your skin post-Whoa Glow so much that you'll skip makeup altogether.
Is Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 a mineral sunscreen or a chemical sunscreen?
"Mineral and chemical sunscreens both protect skin from UV light, but they differ in how," beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock wrote in her guide to sunscreens. "Mineral sunscreens use ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to reflect UV rays. Meanwhile, chemical sunscreens use ingredients like avobenzone or oxybenzone to absorb UV and convert it to heat."
With its inclusion of avobenzone, Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 is a chemical sunscreen. Chemical sunscreen is dermatologist-approved and safe to use on all skin tones, as well as most skin types. But if you have sensitive skin, including conditions like eczema and rosacea, or you've had an allergic reaction to chemical sunscreen before, you might want to consider this e.l.f. SKIN mineral sunscreen instead. Dermatologists recommend mineral sunscreens for these conditions because the formulas are gentler and less likely to cause flare-ups.
How does e.l.f. SKIN sunscreen compare to expensive brands?
Pick a price, any price—you can find a sunscreen to buy for $50, $100, and I could keep going higher. But here's the thing: e.l.f. SKIN’s Suntouchable Whoa Glow provides the same SPF 30 coverage you would get from the latest prestige trending product, and it's only 15 bucks.
The lightweight e.l.f. SKIN sunscreen has a non-greasy feel and doesn't require much product to cover your whole face, so even when you're using it every single morning, a bottle can last a couple of months. Plus, since it doubles as a primer that firmly grips onto any foundation or BB cream you apply over it, you can stop buying your current makeup primer, saving you even more money in the long run. So forget about that teeny tiny pricey product that won't even last you through the summer and stock up on e.l.f. SKIN SPF at a reasonable price.
Does e.l.f. SKIN make other SPF products?
Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 is available in three flattering shades: Sunbeam (a sheer champagne shimmer), Sunburst (a sheer bronze shimmer), and Sunlight (a sheer peach shimmer). Each is suitable for a range of skin tones and imparts a shimmery glow. But just like there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to clothes, e.l.f. SKIN knows that one sunscreen isn't going to be the perfect fit for every single skin type, tone, and preference.
That's why you can find a whole bunch of SPF products under the Suntouchable umbrella. I've got my eye on the Suntouchable Invisi-Stick SPF 50, which rolls on clear with no white cast and is perfectly purse-sized for on-the-go touch-ups—after all, SPF should be reapplied every couple of hours, especially if you're spending a lot of time outside in direct sunlight.
There's also Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen SPF 35, a matte formula with a velvet finish (it doubles as a blurring primer!), and Suntouchable All Set For Sun SPF 45, a sunscreen setting spray that's designed to go over your makeup.
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