Other than sunglasses, of course.

---

Erica Smith is a New York City-based writer and editor who has worked previously at Huffington Post, Birchbox, Vogue, and Man Repeller; and currently covers beauty for The Cut.

My eyes could use a vacation. They spent the better part of spring glued to my phone and laptop screens. Then, face masks — the dry, cloth kind, not the dewy, K-beauty kind — became the utilitarian face accessory du jour. Before they could blink, my eyes suddenly had to serve as the sole representative of my entire face on top of their regular workload. It’s a stressful job with hefty responsibilities, like somehow conveying a smile to strangers without the aid of my mouth. Plus, there’s the pressure of constantly being in the spotlight — like, a literal one made up of the damaging blue light from devices and UV rays from the sun.

To help lighten the load, I recently added Supergoop!’s Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream to my buffet of sunscreens for specific body parts (powder SPF for my scalp, spray SPF for my feet, tube SPF for my lips…) I’m happy to report that it’s turning out to be the perfect, rejuvenating staycation for my overworked eyes.

This formula is nice and gentle, even on the notoriously sensitive eye area. Since it’s a mineral sunscreen, the zinc oxide formula sits on top of skin to physically block rays rather than seeping into (and possibly irritating) it like chemical sunscreens do. (Learn more about sunscreens here.) Just a few taps with your least-coordinated finger and the buttery formula forms a comfortable, protective layer of SPF 40. There’s no rubbing, stinging, or itching interrupting my sunny sanity walks and extended Instagram couch scrolls.

Did I mention this just makes the upper quadrant of your face look good? Mineral sunscreens usually leave me coated in a white cast that makes it look like I’m going to haunt someone later. Bright-Eyed goes on pink, but leaves my skin looking its usual, living self, with a bonus glow — the kind I assume owners of actualized bedtimes and acceptable screen time reports probably emit naturally. I just get a serving of smooth and creamy peace of mind.

Surprisingly, my under-eyes aren’t the only thing getting smoothed out. Transitioning back to seeing actual people in person has felt decidedly less bumpy since I opened the yellow cap. I haven’t done my makeup since March, so my hands’ brushing, lining, and swiping muscles are a little out of shape -- finding a 3-in-1 that instantly brightens, protects, and primes has made reconstructing a routine less daunting. Honestly, nothing makes me feel more productive and ready for a day of awkward social interactions than checking “skincare,” “SPF,” and “no-makeup makeup” off my to-do list after simply lifting my ring finger a few times.

And about those social interactions. Even if you can’t see which direction my lips are curving under my mask, my eyes look happier. Maybe they’ll finally put up that OOO responder and go sip some seltzer in the shade.