Is Powder Sunscreen Effective?

There are many options when it comes to sunscreen, so here's my review of Colorescience Sunforgettable, one of the many powder sunscreens on the market. (There are more options at Ulta.)

Yes, you should be putting sunscreen on your face several times a day. It's hard to remember and kind of a pain, but more than 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to skin aging are caused by the sun.*

I've always kept some good old Neutrogena Visibly Even sunscreen in my purse to reapply throughout the day, but a good friend and my dermatologist recommended the powder stuff, so I decided to try it. I got mine at Specialists in Dermatology, but you can buy yours here even cheaper.

Powder vs. Liquid:
The biggest difference here is preference. I don't wear a lot of foundation or concealer, so I don't mind rubbing a moisturizing sunscreen on my face throughout the day. Some people don't want to dislodge carefully applied makeup, and Sunforgettable won't.

Pros:

1. Sunforgettable is water-resistant, which isn't true for all sunscreens.
2. It is extremely easy to apply. You don't have to worry about streaks you didn't rub in, or wash your greasy hands off afterward.
3. It's powder - not oily - so if you have oily skin it actually works like a blotting strip and doubles as a sunscreen.**
4. Sunforgettable is refillable, so the price point goes down after your initial purchase.
5. It claims to be safe for children to use. I probably won't, because even though none of this information alarmed me, I won't use anything on my child unless the FDA is 100% convinced of its effectiveness.
6. It provides light foundation coverage, so you can wear it in lieu of makeup. One of my friends puts it on before she goes to the gym.

Cons:
The only real con here is that I actually have dry skin, so I kind of miss the moisturizing effect that regular sunscreen provides.

I've saved a little bit of time using powder sunscreen, and in our busy lives that can make a big difference!

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Suggestions? Leave a comment! A lot of people email/text/message me about my posts, but the bigger the discussion, the more of us benefit from knowledge and experience. I love you, reader, but others want to hear your insights too!

PS - Learn everything I learned from the dermatologist here.


*Sources: The Skin Cancer Foundation and Colorescience.

**Bonus: You don't get greasy residue on your screen when you use your phone!