Maybe it’s the incessant heat that can grind you down or just the tyranny of having to take care of yourself like a grown-up, but there are some mornings when even after two large coffees, the thought of applying skincare and then sunscreen is just all together too much. For those times, hybrid skincare-slash-sunscreen gets it done in one step: not only protecting skin against the sun’s damaging rays, but helping it heal pre-existing damage. It’s multi-tasking for the lazily inclined.
The trio above protect skin from UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays, absorb quickly and contain premium skin-building ingredients. And with added skincare ingredients, you might feel more inclined to reapply your sunscreen during the day knowing you’re getting a vitamin or antioxidant boost along with sun protection.
Clockwise from upper left: Vichy LiftActiv Collagen Specialist Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer spf 30, $61.95, Shoppers Drug Mart, protects with broad spectrum SPF 30 while providing serious skincare with vitamin C to boost radiance and peptide to build collagen and elastin, all in a light, ‘cosmetically elegant’ (I love that expression) lotion formula.
Garnier Green Labs Pinea C Brightening Serum Cream spf 30, $23.99, Shoppers Drug Mart, ticks all the good-for-you boxes. It provides the skin brightening of a vitamin C serum (get a start on reversing any summer sun damage) and a broad spectrum 30 spf sunscreen all in a soothing cream. Oh, and it comes in a 100% recycled plastic bottle.
Prevage City Smart Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50 $88, Shoppers Drug Mart, is perfect when you really need a bit of skin-tone evening and a light tint. This gold medal winner (well, in my mind it should have won some award) contains antioxidants to prevent free radical damage and perk up dull skin, and anti-inflammatories to sooth and repair. And its soft tint counteracts whiteness from the mineral formula while subtly evening out skin tone.