This Face Goop Is the Only Stuff That’ll Get Me to Wear Sunscreen Every Day

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen is the magical, non-greasy sunscreen I’ve been searching for. Background image by Getty Images/jamielawton

I hate sunscreen. I hate the well it smells. I hate how it leaves a sticky, slimy film all over my skin. I hate how, no matter how long I’ve let it “soak in,” it still makes my face shiny, like I’ve slathered it with Crisco.

But here’s the thing: Wearing sunscreen is the one point every single dermatologist seems to agree on. And while I may have (foolishly) eschewed the stuff in my youthful days, I got a serious reality check last year: During a visit to the Body & Beauty Lab on Chestnut Street, I took advantage of the med spa’s complimentary Visia Complexion Analysis. This futuristic machine uses UV lighting to snap in-depth photos of your skin — mapping out all the wrinkles, age spots, and — yup — sun damage.

Ya’ll, it was frightening. Horrifying. Seeing all the speckles of aggressive sun damage spread across my face like a topographical map scared me straight — and sent me running to the store for sunscreen. For a while, I experimented with CeraVe‘s moisturizer with SPF 30 because it was cheap and I could find it at my local Acme. But it didn’t take long before I got grossed out by the feeling that the stuff was creating an oily layer on my face, with my makeup floating on top like pond scum.

So I went hunting. There’s got to be a non-greasy sunscreen out there, I thought. I headed to a local spa with its own skincare shop, but while I looked at a bunch of little vials of $60 creams and smoothed little on the back of my hand, the results were all the same: Oily. Ick. 

Then I stopped by Sephora. After having tried a bunch of expensive, fancy-pants brand sunscreens, I was skeptical that I’d find anything there that would meet my needs. But then, friends, the impossible happened: I found the perfect sunscreen.

It’s not oily. It’s not white and gloppy. It smoothes on with a matte, dry finish — almost like a silicone. It actually works as an excellent makeup primer.

It’s called Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen. Supergoop is a vegan, cruelty-free skincare brand that was created by a former teacher who wanted to make wearing sunscreen more appealing. And let me tell you: They have succeeded. I wear the stuff every day under my makeup — I actually like applying it — with zero greasy, slimy residue.

Supergoop actually produces a whole line of SPF-packed products — from a makeup-setting mist to a daily moisturizer — making finding a sunscreen that fits with your lifestyle easier than ever. As we get into the heat of the summer, I highly recommend finding a sunscreen you not only can tolerate, but actually love. After all, the easiest habit to form is one you actually enjoy doing.

Each product in this story was selected by an independent editor. Philadelphia magazine may earn revenue as a result of purchases you make through these links.