Mineral Sunscreen Review

I am a Real Housewives addict--specifically, Orange County and Beverly Hills. On the last season of OC, I remember Tamra whipped out this crazy stuff she said was sunscreen to cover Eddie's face. I had never seen anything like it before, but I was intrigued, because I hate the feel and smell of sunscreen. I would just assume not to wear sunscreen than deal with all that. Surrrus.. (that's ghetto for serious)

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I did a little research and found out that yes, this stuff really does exist. Last week I ventured over to the mall to drop in to my Sephora to see if they had a similar version of this mineral powder sunscreen. They had the Peter Thomas Roth line of instant mineral powder in an spf 45 and another option for sensitive skin, even though the price of $30 was a little steep compared to traditional sunscreens, I figured it was worth a shot. 

I cracked it open for the first time this weekend while on my beach trip..

The packaging is much like a bronzer, so it is very easy to apply--just turn it upside down and more will disperse into the applicator. It's compact and attractive, I just wish the top fit just a bit more snug. The other downside, that a lot of others seem to agree on is that the bristles are very coarse.. then again, if you are going to be applying this while sweating, you can't have a brush too soft that will absorb all of the sweat and oils. I honestly can live with it, it's not a deal breaker.

 The powder is extremely translucent, which is a pro and a con. I can't see it on my face and it blends surprisingly well with my make up. On the other hand, the downside is.. that I can't see it. Oh the irony. It is a bit hard to tell how much you are putting on or what areas you are missing coverage. I tested it on my arm and noticed that it does come out evenly and thoroughly without a lot of vigorous brushing. That being said, I wonder how long the product will last before it runs out of juice?

I cannot iterate enough how EASY this stuff was to apply! There are no smells, it didn't leave my skin or hands feeling sticky, it's small and compact. I didn't notice any burning after my two days of laying out on the beach in the sun, just a little redness and who doesn't like a little of that when you've been laying out all day. Of course, like makeup and other sunscreens, I reapplied it throughout the day as I sweated or came into contact with water. It was also great for soaking up all the oils that had collected on my face.

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My verdict is that this is a great product if you burn easily or if you are constantly applying sunscreen. It's also just a fun party trick to have in your bag. However, considering I usually don't wear sunscreen on my face and since my makeup has an spf in it, I think the $30 is a bit steep to use it solely on my face. The good news is, I'm sure I can use it on my shoulders and stuff as well at the ball field because it is easy to apply to those hard to rub in places myself! and less awkward than having a stranger help you.