It’s inevitable that equestrians will spend a lot of time in the sun, so good sun protection products are a must. I prefer mineral-based sunscreens if possible, as some chemical sunscreen ingredients are known to be unsafe (read more about safe sunscreen ingredients here). Last month I went to Sephora to search for a new face sunscreen and got multiple samples including:
- Tarteguard Vegan Sunscreen Lotion (SPF 30)
- Farmacy Green Screen Daily Environmental Protector Sunscreen (SPF 30)
- Umbra Tinte™ Physical Daily Defense Sunscreen (SPF 30)
- Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen (SPF 35)
- Supergoop Everyday Sunscreen (SPF 50)
- Algenist Sublime Defense Ultra Lightweight Fluid (SPF 50)
They were all good, high-quality sunscreens, but some were better than others. My favorite by far was Tatcha’s sunscreen. Not only does it protect skin from the sun, but it smooths out the skin’s texture, tightens the look of pores, and soothes skin with protective anti-aging ingredients. My skin looked noticeably smoother, more even, and less red. This stuff wears great by itself or under makeup, and although it’s pricy, its texture and results blow the other products out of the water and make it completely worth it – I will definitely be buying the full size of this product.
My other favorite sun protection products include:
BareMinerals BarePRO™ Performance Wear Liquid Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20. I got a sample of this, and I immediately fell in love and went and bought it. It is super lightweight on the skin, and has the perfect amount of coverage for me – enough to cover the redness in my cheeks, but not so much that it covers all my freckles. It wears all day long, and has a really nice, natural finish.
Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral Powder SPF 45. I became a fan of this product in 2010 when I brought it to Coachella – aka 3 days in the blazing sun (first and last time there lol). I used this powder all over my face, neck, and even my arms, and I didn’t get sunburned AT ALL. I was so impressed and have had a tube of this powder since. I’ve also tried the Supergoop version as it’s translucent (vs the PTR one that is tinted) but easily got sunburned using that product, so I prefer the PTR one.
Supergoop Mint Fusion Lip Balm SPF 30. I picked this up when showing at HITS Thermal. My lips were sunburned, chapped, and so painful, and this balm saved my lips. I love the smooth texture and minty flavor. If I’m spending any time in the sun, I always use this lip balm!
Brazilliance™ PLUS+ Self-Tanner + Mitt. While this isn’t a product with SPF, I feel like it falls under the sun protection category as it keeps my rider tan (dark arms, ghostly white legs) under control without having to spend time in the sun. It’s super easy to apply with the included mitt, isn’t orange or streaky, and best of all doesn’t smell horrible. It’s also the first self-tanner that hasn’t stained my sheets, and bonus, it made my legs silky-smooth.
Sun protection is a vital part of equestrian life – what are your sunscreen faves?