For most, there's probably at least one beauty product you absolutely cannot leave the house without. For my BFF, it’s a tube of bright-colored lipstick. For my colleague, it’s blotting papers to touch up her T-zone, which starts to sop up around lunchtime. Me, though? I like to take a boring (albeit more practical) approach. On a daily basis, I'm packing SPF 60+.
As the resident skin-care editor here at Allure, I've written my fair share sun protection stories (see here, here, and here), urging readers to slather themselves in sunscreen to protect against sun damage and the potential for skin cancer. (Hell, just last week, there was a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, which reported a rare form of skin cancer, known as Merkel cell carcinoma, was on the rise.) All of this to say: Sunscreen! Is! Important!
Which brings me to my go-to sunscreen. Because I refuse to step outside without a hefty dollop of SPF 30 swiped all over my face (true story), I've recently upped my SPF game to include the Best of Beauty-winning La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF 60. The lightweight fluid, which has a whopping SPF of 60, protects against UVA and UVB rays with photostable sunscreens, including oxybenzone. The best part, though? Unlike traditional facial sunscreens, this one doesn't leave a chalky cast behind. Instead, it dries down (fast) into a silky, matte finish, allowing makeup to practically slide onto skin immediately afterward.
And while I could sing praises for La Roche-Posay's high SPF count (which, by the way, is something scientists are taking a closer look at) all day long, I do have one minor qualm with the featherlight UV-ray shielder: It's not nearly as hydrating as I'd like it to be. (I blame this on the fact that the formula dries down so. Damn. Fast.) Luckily, there's a quick fix: Top it over — not in lieu of — your favorite moisturizer.
After I apply it over my moisturizer, I drop the palm-size bottle into my bag, because no matter the weather — rain, shine, or snow — I never leave home without my sunscreen.
