I’m in the process of transitioning my winter skincare routine to one that’s more suitable for spring and summer. A post on that process will be up soon, but in the meantime, I thought I’d write up a roundup of the sunscreens that I’m using and that I’m going to be using in the next few months. Spring is a great time to beef up your sun protection as the higher UV index means that you’ll be getting sun damage more easily. We also tend to be outside a lot more so a more tenacious sunscreen is a must.

I currently have 4 sunscreens in rotation, some of which I’ve opened up just recently for the warmer weather. Clockwise from left: Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF 50, Loveisderma UV Shield SPF 50, Dr. Jart+ UV Sun Fluid SPF 30, Secret Key Snail Repairing Sun Cream SPF50.

I’ll go through my thoughts on each one and show a swatch so you can see the texture.

Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream

I’ve been using the Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++ sporadically throughout the winter (it was a PR sample from 0.8Liter). It feels really lovely, creamy, and moisturizing going on. However, what I don’t like about this sunscreen it is that on my combination skin, the oils on my skin somehow don’t react well and it pills throughout the day. I’ve tried layering fewer skincare products before using this and it helps somewhat, but it doesn’t change the fact that this sunscreen just doesn’t seem to play too well with others. If you have dry skin and want a creamy, moisturizing sunscreen that will replace your moisturizer, this might work well for you.

You can purchase this from Oh Lolly Beauty for $36 (you can get 10% off your first purchase with code OHLOLLYLOVE, not affiliated). This is the official US distributor for Kicho products and also a wonderful company that gives back to the community.

Loveisderma UV Shield

Loveisderma is a Taiwanese brand that produces high-quality skincare products with a dermatology-science bent. They sent me their UV Shield SPF50 to review and I recently pulled it out to give it a try, as it has high sun protection. I like that it’s both a chemical + physical sunscreen combo (or organic and inorganic if you want to be more accurate).

You can see that it is slightly tinted and that’s because this sunscreen does have a white cast from the titanium dioxide in it. Although I normally avoid sunscreens that have a white cast, this one has grown on me. It has a really slick formula that allows you to really massage it into your skin, and once it is fully blended, it has a bit of a brightening effect kind of like a CC cream or primer, and doesn’t look ashy. On my medium NC25 skin with yellow undertones, it helps to neutralize some of the sallowness of my skin, making me look healthier. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone with skin a deeper shade than a medium. And this sunscreen does require some time to blend, so if you’re a slap-on-and-go person, it might not be for you.

You can purchase the Loveisderma UV Shield from Yesstyle for about $17, which is a pretty good price for a nice quality sunscreen.

Dr. Jart+ UV Sun Fluid

I used the Dr. Jart+ UV Sun Fluid SPF 30 all winter and I LOVED it. Deluxe samples of this are plentiful on Ebay and are the most economical way to purchase this sunscreen (plus the 25ml size is perfect for your purse). Although this sunscreen looks creamy at first, it feels like a watery gel as you spread it out on the skin. It’s lightly hydrating but not oily, and it doesn’t contain alcohol which can dry out my skin. It also plays well with my other skincare.

So all in all, I liked EVERYTHING about this sunscreen except that it is only SPF30, and thus will not be useful this summer except for indoor sun exposure situations. I keep one of these in the car at all times because I get a lot of sun exposure through the window which has led to more sunspots on my left cheek. The Dr. Jart+ sunscreen also feels so light on the skin, it’s not very tenacious and rubs off easily, so I wouldn’t recommend it for outdoor use.

You can purchase the full size from Sephora for $34.

Secret Key Snail Repairing Sun Cream

And…that brings me to what may be my sunscreen unicorn of Spring 2017. The Secret Key Snail Repairing Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++. I purchased this in a Mishibox almost a year ago and just opened it. This sunscreen gets tons of great reviews and I can definitely see why.

It’s a combination chemical/physical sunscreen, which I like. It feels very fresh and gel-like as you rub it on. The titanium dioxide component does look white on the skin at first, but once rubbed in, it disappears and there is no white cast. You can feel the titanium dioxide on top of the skin a bit, but otherwise it doesn’t feel greasy or thick, and is very comfortable on the skin. It’s also among the most affordable of the sunscreens I’ve tried lately and has a high sun protection factor. I’ve heard that this sunscreen is being reformulated, so it’s a bit hard to find right now, but I see there are still a few available on Amazon and Ebay. I hope the next version is just as good!

You can purchase this on Amazon for $14.99 (affiliate link).

Or from Roseroseshop’s Ebay page for $8.30.

I think that moving forward into spring, I’ll be relying more on the Loveisderma and the Secret Key sunscreens, both of which feel quite light and non-greasy on the skin. They’re both also quite affordable, which is nice =).

What’s your favorite sunscreen? Let me know in the comments!