Summer SPF

One of the reasons why I can't stand summer is because my face freaks out. It's hot out, I have to apply sunscreen which claims to be oil-free but doesn't feel it, my face produces more sheen and sweat, and I'm covered in blemishes. Ugh.

Flipping through a magazine (I forget which) I came across Cate Blanchett's Beauty Picks;  one of her favorites is Colorescience Sunforgettable Sunscreen. It has an SPF 30, while other mineral makeups have only 10 or 15, and it comes in a variety of sizes and dispensers (Brush, Orb, Mini Orb, Rollerball, and Shaker). 

My sister had bought the Sunforgettable Brush, which she couldn't open despite numerous emails to the company, plus it seems lacking in control. I bought the Sunforgettable Orb, with which one can use a brush of their own choosing.

Colorescience Sunforgettable Sunscreen currently comes in three shades, either in matte or shimmer. I am usually, as with any makeup, anti-sparkle. The first shade, "All Clear" is rather white; I bought the second, "Perfectly Clear." 

And I had a summer like no other. 

While the previously mentioned WebMD article did not recommend relying on mineral makeup as primary SPF, I would like to counter that they were going with the premise that most mineral makeups have SPF 15 or lower, which is definitely insufficient for the summer, plus I do wear beneath it a tinted moisturizer with SPF. 

I don't spend any time, really, outdoors in the summers; if I do, then I definitely use something whiter and gooier. So for those of you that are the active and outdoorsy, mineral SPF won't shield your skin enough. To provide better protection for that lifestyle, go with sunscreen lotion (like Alba Botanica Sun 30 Facial Sunscreen), and remember to reapply. One only needs one episode of Dr. Oz to scare one straight, in terms of health and premature aging.

Every morning I would apply a thin layer of tinted moisturizer and/or sunscreen and would buff on top the Colorescience. For my ears, neck, arms, and legs I would apply the regular white greasy sunscreen (Alba Botanica Hawaiian Green Tea SPF 45 Sunblock; it doesn't have a strong pool smell). 

If I sweated, I looked more "glowing" and "dewy" rather than fashvitzed and gross. 

I just read on AOL of the importance of reapplying, even if one isn't doing much during the day. They recommended  the Bare Escentuals SPF 30 Sunscreen, which is like the Sunforgettable Brush dispenser, and much cheaper. 

If one wants to experiment first, the Sunforgettable Mini-Orb is ideal. It costs much less than the full size. 

After a pleasant summer together, my orb is running low. I almost bought the same thing again, but curiosity drives me to experiment. I purchased the  Korres Wild Rose Mineral Foundation in Fair. I haven't yet tried it, but I can give a status report mid-summer.