Radical Skincare Skin Perfecting Screen: My Favorite SPF Right Now
Sunscreen is a boring topic. Or at least it was when I was in my twenties and thought my skin would always be beautiful. Now, it's one of the only topics on my mind, along with babies (in my case, the prospect of having them), travel and work. Welcome to the life of a 30-something.
Wrinkles have set in, and age spots and cellulite have magically appeared. WTF? I'm half Asian/half Latina and thought I had at least one extra decade before this happened. And worse, I can actually flip through old Facebook photos and see the age evolution over the last few years. Needless to say, sunscreen is very important to me now, and it gets especially exciting when I find one I like because, while there might be hundreds to choose from, there are only a handful that don't smell bad, leave a weird residue, change your skin color or make you break out.
So without further ado, I introduce to you Radical Skincare Skin Perfecting Screen ($55). It's a mineral sunscreen (as in it's natural and doesn't contain any chemicals) with SPF 30 that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Plus, it has a light liquid texture that absorbs quickly and it feels matte on your skin (don't be alarmed by the light pink tone, it disappears as you apply it). It also boasts luminizing qualities because the formula contains light-reflecting pigments. In fact, the word "diamonds" is used on the packaging, but I always find that to be a gimmick. I mean, yes, the formula does reflect light, but since I almost never wear it without makeup on top, it's not the selling point for me. Instead, I love it because I forget it's on my skin after I apply it, and it contains anti-aging ingredients in a technology that Radical Skincare calls Trylacel.
Highlights from the list of Skin Perfecting Screen ingredients includes:
- Maris Sal: Otherwise known as salts from the dead sea that contain tons of much-needed minerals and act as a humectant to draw moisture to the skin.
- Niacinamide: A combo of vitamin B3 and nicotinic acid that is said to improve skin elasticity, make skin cells stronger and improve skin tone.
- Adenosine: Said to penetrate deep into skin to prevent wrinkles.
- Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate: Otherwise known as vitamin C and one of my favorite skincare ingredients of all time because it's an antioxidant that improves skin tone, hydrates and protects against sun damage for all skin types, even sensitive skin. This form specifically is fat-soluble, which is important because it means it's more stable and potent, as opposed to water-soluble versions of vitamin C that basically do nothing for you.
There's also zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that work as the SPF, along with some moisturizing agents and cosmetic-grade silicones that almost ALL of your mattifying skincare and makeup products contain (watch my video to see how silicone can make pores look smaller).
That means this sunscreen does a whole lot more than just shield you from the sun. It does everything I need it to do to combat each impending year of aging, so I know that I get the most bang for my buck every time I apply it. Because really, the only reason I wear SPF is to prevent wrinkles, so why not use one that works overtime?
You can shop for Radical Skincare Skin Perfecting Screen and other Radical Skincare products by clicking the images below, or read about moisturizers that contain SPF if you prefer one less step. And feel free to ask me any questions you want to know about this product or sunscreen in general. There's a comment section below!
