Although it’s not intended to be a foundation, this tinted sunscreen delivers enough coverage that it completely replaces it. Available in six flexible shades, it comes out white but once you blend it out on your skin, the iron oxide capsules burst and blend into your skin tone for a buildable, medium coverage with a demi-matte finish. The all-mineral SPF protects against UVA, UVB, blue (HEV) light, infrared radiation, pollution, and free radicals—AKA, it goes above and beyond. Plus, it’s water- and sweat-resistant for up to 40 minutes.
Glowing Cosmo review: “Colorscience’s Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF has easily become one of my holy grails (I have to travel with it). As someone with dark spots and hyperpigmentation, it delivers the perfect amount of coverage to completely replace my foundation and its blurring demi-matte finish helps mitigate a streaky application. I apply two fingers worth all over my face and blend it out with my hand, providing both adequate SPF protection and coverage. I use a little bit of concealer to spot correct.
My skin is normal but when it feels dry, I like to wear a hydrating sunscreen underneath as my moisturizer, and then layer this on top for even more protection. It’s one of the few mineral sunscreens that doesn’t break me out or clog my pores. I’ve been using it nearly every morning for the past year, and it’s streamlined my routine to a point where I only need five products to get ready. I really did not want to rely on this as much as I do because nearly $60 is A LOT, but I truly cannot find anything comparable for a lower price point.”—Anvita Reddy, commerce editor