ELLE Loves: Supergoop’s New Protec(tint) Is SPF Sorcery

Sun care is skin care and your favorite sunscreen is the ultimate armor to protect you against aging. But in your quest for the anti-aging benefits of SPF, a very real life experience happens: the reapplication process. Personally, I have no problem applying my sunscreen in the morning before I put on my makeup, but once my makeup is on, my SPF 50 is working hard because…>>whispers<< I’m not reapplying. Honestly, I’m not alone. Many of my girlfriends say they do not reapply sunscreen once their makeup is on. But the secret to youthful skin is sunscreen. A 2013 study revealed that 80 percent of skin aging is caused by the sun. So yes, darling, in addition to your hyaluronic acid serums and hydrating moisturizers, you need to wear sunscreen… every day, multiple times a day.

Protec Protec(tint) Daily Skin Tint SPF 50

Protec Protec(tint) Daily Skin Tint SPF 50

An effortless, lightweight skin tint meets powerful sun protection with light, buildable coverage & a natural finish for immediately smooth, even-looking skin.*

If you read that and thought: That’s never going to happen. I understand. It will, once you try the new Supergoop Protec(tint). Skin tint meets SPF, creating a lightweight, protective, and buildable formula. The skin tint has SPF 50 coverage and provides up to 4 hours of coverage if you aren’t sweating. If you are, reapply every 2 hours. It comes in 14 flexible shades and has a natural finish.

When I first applied the formula, I loved how easily it blended into my skin and, of course, no white cast. It seems more like makeup than it does sunscreen. I love that flexibility and have used it as both. Regardless of how I work with the formula for my beauty loo, I always apply two finger lengths to ensure I’m getting enough protection. The first time I used the Protec(tint), I used it like sunscreen. I was happy with the natural finish. I applied it about three times that day. At first, I was worried it would feel heavy on my skin, especially when I got to the third application, but it didn’t! It felt just like reapplying sunscreen.

Digital beauty director Danielle James wears Supergoop’s Protec(tint) in shade 46N.

The next time I applied the formula, I used it as my foundation base. I didn’t apply a primer; I underpainted with my concealer and applied this on top. I baked under my eyes with Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder and added Merit’s Day Glow Highlighting Balm to my cheekbones. It created the perfect off-duty look: effortless and clean. My face never got oily and felt hydrated. The formula has ecotin, a moisture magnet and protectant against blue light, radiation, and pollution.

Beauty commerce editor Nerisha Penrose wears Supergoop Protec(tint) in 46N.

This formula works well for all skin types. Nerisha Penrose, ELLE’s beauty commerce editor, recommended the formula to me. “If I had a dollar for every time I’ve recommended this tinted SPF, I’d have enough money to buy myself a few days on a resort, bathing under the sun. And I’d be 10,000 percent okay with that because I’d have the Supergoop Protec(tint) in tow,” she says. Formulated with hyaluronic-acid-infused clay, it simultaneously balances hydration and sebum levels. Penrose, who is acne-prone, says, “This is the tint that made me forgo my typical full-coverage, matte routine for one that allows my skin to BREATHE. Not only does it impart a subtle glow, but it’s also weightless and comfortable, to the point where I sometimes forget I’m wearing anything.”

Associate beauty commerce writer Carol Lee wears Supergoop Protec(tint) in 10N.

While both Nerisha and I loved the skin tint, associate beauty commerce writer, Carol Lee, was a little harder to convince. “I was not a fan of the tint at first, but I admit it wasn’t the formula’s fault—it was mine,” she says. While I applied it with my fingers and blended that way, Lee shares her preference: “Once I started layering it over a non-pilling moisturizer and applying it with a dense foundation brush instead of a sponge, I too witnessed the magic my colleagues had been raving about,” she says. The formula is buildable; try stippling with a foundation brush for more coverage. Lee shares that her redness disappeared and her skin looked glowy but not shiny: “My freckles still managed to shine through,” she adds. “Nobody can tell that I’m wearing any sort of complexion product either, so I can now fake perfect skin whenever I want.”

If you want a lightweight foundation that looks like your skin but better, try Supergoop’s ELLE-approved skin tint. Penrose says, “Add a touch of concealer and blush, and people will think you spent hours on your look when all it took was five minutes.” This is a must-have for summer for flawless and, most importantly, SPF-protected skin.