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Erin Mayer/Insider
- Sunscreen is the most essential part of your skincare routine — it protects from UV damage and prevents skin cancer.
- Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF 40 is an illuminating sunscreen lotion packed with hyaluronic acid, cocoa peptides, and sea lavender.
- It’s a beautiful, hydrating formula that might have you skipping foundation altogether (although oily skin types may want to avoid the extremely glowy finish).
- This article was medically reviewed by Sharleen St. Surin-Lord, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Visage Dermatology and assistant professor of dermatology at Howard University.
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My healthy habit of wearing SPF daily began in high school (thanks Mom!), so I’ve tried a lot of different brands and formulas over the past 14 years. My favorite ones have a high SPF of 30 or above, a glowy finish that makes skipping foundation a no-brainer, and can also double as a moisturizer.
When popular sunscreen brand Supergoop launched Glowscreen, a primer-style sunscreen with SPF 40, I was so excited to get my hands on it. The product is a chemical-based sunscreen that boasts “a pearlescent finish” according to Sephora and claims to provide blue light protection from cell phone and laptop devices as well as the obvious sun protection. I was immediately sold.
What Glowscreen is like to use
I apply this like any other sunscreen — as the final step in my morning skincare routine. Glowscreen contains hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, a humectant that absorbs 1,000 times its weight in water, but it’s not technically a moisturizer. That said, I find it hydrating enough to use on its own, especially on hot days. In the winter, I might add a lightweight cream underneath for extra moisture.
I've been pleasantly surprised to find that I don't experience pilling with this sunscreen, even when I apply makeup on top. It bills itself as a primer and has a slightly grippy texture that helps things like concealer, foundation, and cream blush glide on smoothly.
The finish is extremely glowy, with a bit of a bronze finish. It leaves behind a very sunkissed, summery look, which is perfect for someone like me who is ghost-pale and refuses to be in direct sunlight for more than a few minutes. But, this might be a downside for someone with oily skin who gets shiny on their own. The dewy effect lasts all day and doesn't fade after a few hours.
Ingredients
Glowscreen's hero ingredients include hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 for moisture, antioxidant-packed sea lavender, and cocoa peptides for blue light protection. It's a chemical sunscreen as opposed to a mineral, which means the formula sinks into the skin in order to protect from UV rays rather than acting as a physical blocker.
"I like that it does have iron oxides for blue light protection and vitamin C and ferulic acid for antioxidant effects," says Dr. Marie Hayag, a board-certified dermatologist. "The niacinamide is a plus as it is a superstar ingredient that is anti-inflammatory, improves brown spots, anti-aging and more."
As far as sun protection goes, this product gets its SPF properties from avobenzone, octisalate, and octocrylene. These ingredients are not considered reef safe, so it's best to avoid wearing this sunscreen if you're swimming in the ocean.
Cons worth mentioning
"This contains octocrylene which can cause photo-contact allergic reactions," Hayag tells Insider. "It is not suited for sensitive skin and it is better to use an octocrylene-free sunscreen in small kids." I am redness-prone and have not experienced any issues using this, but if you're more reactive you may want to avoid.
I do wish that Glowscreen was a bit more hydrating overall. Most of my favorite sunscreens are moisturizers and SPFs in one so that you don't need to apply them as two separate steps. That said, this formula is thin enough that it doesn't feel too heavy on my face when I do use a separate moisturizer underneath, and for the summer it's certainly hydrating enough on its own.
If you have oily skin, you might want to skip this as the glow is fairly intense and may make you look like a bit of a greaseball (which is my preferred mode, if I'm being honest). That's not really a con, per se, since the product marketing is very transparent about what it's trying to be, but it is worth keeping in mind.
The bottom line
This is a fairly priced chemical SPF lotion that gives skin a beautiful, healthy glow. It provides a primer-like effect that pairs beautifully with makeup. While oily or sensitive skin types may want to look elsewhere, for others it's basically a trip to the beach in a bottle.
Glowscreen is priced at $36 for 1.7 ounces of product. It isn't cheap, but it's similar in cost to other mid-range SPFs that I enjoy using, such as the Paula's Choice Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30, which is $29, and the SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50, which is $34.
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