Something about Sunscreens & Sun Protection

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I can't believe half the year has flown by already. I was going to go kayaking this weekend but the weather's kinda iffy and rainy o_o

So... sunscreens! Yes. This post will be dedicated to sun protection since the warm weather is rolling around and adequate protection is key to keeping your skin from aging too quickly. Here's 5 of the ones I currently have on rotation depending on the weather.

Neutrogena Healthy Defense spf 50 - This moisturizer/sunscreen duo is an easy find anywhere, in store and online. I got this at Target and have gone through multiple bottles of it. It's a lightweight sunscreen designed to be light enough so you can still wear makeup over it. The good thing about this sunscreen is that it sinks into skin fairly quickly and feels invisible. It has a smell of a floral bouquet and may be kind of strong smelling. Remember to shake it well. There is a little ball inside that makes a sound when you shake so you know that it's mixing up the liquid well.

Cancer Council sunscreen spf 30 - One of the best moisturizers ever! If you like the feel of Eucerin or Aveeno's sunscreens (spf 15 or higher), this is nearly identical in texture. This is an Australian brand that I was really lucky to try because I won it in a giveaway :) Since I started using it, it is the perfect morning time moisturizer that is also cooling (aloe vera is one of the ingredients) and light. The texture is less watery and absorbs into skin much more faster than the Neutrogena one. I wish it was more readily available in the US. It's a wonderful sunscreen.

Garnier UV Protect spf 50 - I bought this sunscreen on a blogsale originally to try it. It's my first Asian drugstore sunscreen and i was hearing pretty awesome raves about it. This one is a little different because it's also a color correction. The one i have is purple which is supposed to fix sallow looking skin. One of the best multitasking products are color correctors in sunscreens. When I use this, it gives my face a little more color which I need always :) This moisturizer is on the thick side, perfect for cooler weather because it helps your skin retain the moisture that it loses when it's chilly out. I really like it and I'm looking to try more Asian drugstore sunscreens. I know there's a ton out there =p

Here are two of my Shiseido sunscreens - one for face & body and the other one strictly for the face. The PA sign is additional protection from your skin getting dark. UVA/UVB protects against sun damage, but the PA is protection against UV rays that cause darkening of the skin. The + signs are the level of protection (the higher the better).

Face & Body spf 60 PA+++ - This one has a very nice texture, a lot like the Neutrogena one. It's very liquidy. If i lay it down uncapped, the lotion runs out of the bottle. It's also meant for the body too, but I only use it for the face because it only has 3.3oz of product and is kind of expensive ($30+) so I want to make it last as long as I can ;) It has the usual Shiseido sunscreen smell which is quite strong (floral spa-ish, daisy, hard to explain). Absorbs into skin very well and very moisturizing. It feels light and airy and is a definite luxury on the skin (for me at least!)

Facial sunscreen spf 55 PA+++ - This sunscreen keeps your face matte and is thick and goopy. Very similar to the Garnier one. I use this also on days when it's cooler simply because of its thickness. I don't necessarily prefer this sunscreen all the time because it's hard to wear makeup under but it gives that ultimate protection I think all the other sunscreens lack. It keeps my skin looking even and non oily for a good 4-5 hrs. The smell is quite strong and kind of lingers. Both Shiseido's are like this unfortunately.

I've tried many sunscreens in my lifetime and I believe some of the best are at your local drugstores. I really like the Neutrogena ones and the Cancer Council one. Shiseido is more of a splurge for me but not a must. I like any lightweight sunscreens that absorb easily so you can get on with your day.

What are your favorite sunscreens? :)