Sun Protection Isn’t Boring

There’s nothing boring about sunscreen.

Extra application means extra hours in the sun, extra time outside, and extra-long days. More sunscreen=more fun in the sun. Sometimes, though, it’s monotonous to routinely reapply and easy to forget to throw SPF in your bag.

On a mission to make sunscreen more exciting (and easy to remember), we’ve added a slew of experiential, fun-to-use products to our rotation. Because if your summer plans are anything but boring, your SPF should be, too.

When it comes to SPF, some of our fave sunscreen brands are Supergoop!, Vacation®, Coola, and Utu. While there are a wide range of sunscreen options out there, we love these brands for how unique their products are–think fun applicators, dreamy formulas, and packaging that makes you actually want to carry products around all day.

While daily SPF is a non-negotiable, it can be tough to know how to best apply SPF and incorporate it into your daily routine. Generally, it’s best to limit direct exposure to the sun when the UV is at its highest (typically 10am to 2pm) and to wear protective clothing (read our editorial on UPF clothing).

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) applies to lotion, sprays, and makeup products, and measures how well a product shields your skin from sunburn. For example, SPF 30 products are estimated to allow 1/30 of the sun’s burning rays to get through to the skin, while SPF 50 products allow 1/50 of these rays. Depending on your skin type, the time of day, and the length of time you’re spending outside, you’ll want to pick an SPF that matches your needs.

We recommend applying sunscreen approximately 15 minutes before sun exposure, covering your entire body and face. Pack your sunscreen with you and plan to reapply at least every two hours (more is better), or to reapply after swimming or sweating. Don’t forget to apply to easy-to-forget places like your ears, feet, scalp, and lips (more on this below!).

While standard SPF can get the job done, we love suncare products that feel more experiential and luxurious, making them fun to apply and easy to incorporate into your routine.

The Most Fun + Unique SPF Applicators
We’re obsessed with the Vacation® Shake Shake SPF 50, which features clever shaker ball packaging, mixing a non-nano ZincWater™ mineral formula into a watery-milk texture. Throw it in your beach bag, shake it up, and use the precision flip spout for a controlled pour of silky-smooth UVA/UVB protection.

For even more fun in the sun, the Vacation® Sun Belt Sampler SPF Bundle is crafted for long summer days, featuring five iconic Vacation® SPF staples in a perfectly-sized zip pouch. The pack features a sunscreen oil, face mist, lotion, and lip balm. We especially love the Classic Whip SPF 30 for its lighter-than-air feel and its tilt valve applicator, which creates a whipped-cream texture that is extra fun to rub in.


The Makeup Routine Heroes
One of the toughest parts of building a comprehensive sunscreen routine can be figuring out the best way to apply and reapply SPF under and over makeup. Sometimes you want the best of both worlds–sun protection and a lasting glam.

I’m no magician, but the COOLA SunBlur Primer Sunscreen SPF 50 works some serious magic when it comes to mixing sunscreen and makeup. It protects and primes the skin, featuring a water-resistant, mattifying finish and an all-day hold. Apply the mist after completing your skincare routine but before applying your makeup. Then, because this setting mist is weightless and invisible, simply spray over makeup every two hours to set, protect, and refresh your skin throughout the day. We’ve found this to be one of the best ways to reapply sunscreen over makeup without leaving a white cast or disrupting the look.


If you’d prefer a stick to a mist formula, the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 is mess-free and non-comedogenic, featuring a velvety-invisible finish with no white cast. Super portable and designed to reduce the appearance of oil and shine, this stick glides over makeup seamlessly, with little to no transfer and no need to rub in.


The Best SPF Lip Products
It’s easy to forget about SPF in lip products…until you experience the struggle of sunburned lips. Lately, we’ve been loving the Supergoop! Glow Gloss Lip Balm SPF 40. The perfect 2-in-1 gloss and balm, this lip product comes in fun flavors without the dreaded sunscreen smell or taste. The texture is always smooth, never grainy, and the sheer color is perfect for a no-makeup-makeup routine. This is my current go-to for long days in the city (actively reapplying as I type!).

The Vacation® Classic Whip SPF 30 Lip Balm is another SPF lip fave, inspired by Vacation®'s iconic Classic Whip Sunscreen. The fun, star-tipped applicator dispenses star-shaped ribbons of the formula, which is packed with shea butter, peptides, and hyaluronic acid for ultimate hydration and conditioning. Plus, the perfect face and lip SPF, the Utu Hydrating Sun Balm Face & Lip Protector is an SPF 50 balm that comes in an easy-to-transport tin. Formulated with innovative ingredients like ceramides, snow mushroom, and sea buckthorn, this mineral balm is invisible and blends in easily, softening the skin and sealing in moisture.


As the days get longer and spring fades into summer, sunscreen season is officially upon us. Higher UVs, PTO, and booked trips mean that SPF is on all of our minds (for good reason!). Take your sunscreen game up a level–your skin will thank you.

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