Latest news with #Merit
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Merit 'five minute' routine includes 'holy grail' glow serum
The Merit Prep Set is a four-piece bundle to prep skin for foundation and the routine includes a new tinted moisturiser just in time for summer Clean beauty brand Merit has offered fans a 15% off discount on the Prep Set, which includes a serum that has been hailed a "holy grail" for glowing skin. The sleek minimalistic packaging and hydrating skincare formulas have quickly turned Merit into a cult beauty brand and it has won over the likes of Demi Moore and Nichole Richie. Sharing on Instagram, Merit posted a "routine that takes only five minutes" and that's the Prep Set and the Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen. For a limited time, the Prep Set is reduced from £130 to £111 and it includes the viral Great Skin Instant Glow Serum, Great Skin Moisturiser, The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick and a Blending Brush. Formulated to plump and hydrate for an instant glow, the bi-phase serum, worth £34 alone, includes a blend of four types of hyaluronic acid to target multiple layers of skin to lock in moisture. It also has cacao seed extract to stimulate blood flow for an "immediate plumping effect". One fan reacted and shared: That serum is my holy grail! Compliments on my skin evey time I wear and the glow is amazing." Another added: "Need it all, the serum is my holy grail." The second step of the routine is to lock in hydration and prep skin for makeup using the Great Skin Priming Moisturiser. The pH-balanced face cream has added biomimetic emulsifier for a blurred, cashmere-like finish, while the peptides and oat extract deliver what fans said "wore so well throughout the day" and it "can be worn solo for a dewy look or use it as a primer for makeup". Then add in a shade of the Uniform, a tinted mineral sunscreen that comes with 15 shades. Our beauty writers have tested the skincare makeup-hybrid and Eve Rowlands described it as a "silky velvety texture and an airbrush finish", while Lauren Codling loved the "seamless blend" that saw her swapping out her M.A.C foundation in summer. But Bethan Shufflebotham found the Uniform "clinging" on particular dry areas and Eve suggested there could be a better design for the lid. Use along with the No.1 Blending Brush to create a well-protected smooth canvas before adding blush, contour and highlighter. There are other Tinted SPF Moisturisers on the market, including the Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturiser, £31, and the Beauty of Joseon Daily Tinted Fluid Sunscreen SPF30, which is on 20% off on LookFantastic and available at £13.60. The final step will be the Minimalist, a complexion stick that does not categorise as a foundation nor a concealer. It provides added coverage or can double as a contour to sculpt and define. One shopper said: "I am obsessed with The Uniform for all over and then use the Minimalist Stick as a concealer. Such a good duo." One fan raved about the Merit set: "Hands down best makeup I have ever used as a minimal five-minute makeup girl. Top notch and worth every single penny." Another used the Minimalist to cover her under eyes dark circles and loved how it "make my eyes look awake". But a shopper took away a star and shared: "Only negative is that I can go through this fast so a lower price would be more enticing. Merit is not the only brand that launch stick-like makeup , Charlotte Tilbury's Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint, £35, gives a "ring-like effect" that can double as highlighter or foundation. Pixi Beauty's On-the-Glow Base is a more affordable option and is available on Amazon for £22. The Merit Prep Set is now on 15% off and shoppers can complete the "five-minute routine" along with The Uniform.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Charlotte Tilbury launches ‘glow in a stick' called ‘amazing for mature skin'
Make-up and skincare mega-brand Charlotte Tilbury has just dropped a gorgeous new addition to its Unreal line of products, and shoppers are already bowled over by it Whenever Charlotte Tilbury drops something new, we sit up and take notice – especially when it's an extension of one of the brand's most talked about products of last year. The much-loved make-up brand has just launched its Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Sticks, beautifully packaged, creamy, dewy blushes available in six shades. This follows on from Charlotte Tilbury's super-glowy Unreal Skin Foundation Stick, which launches last year and now has over a thousand reviews on the website (when I reviewed it I found that it made me look 10 years younger). Like most of Charlotte's make-up products, these sticks – which cost £30 – are packed full of effective skincare ingredients, with 90% of testers agreeing that it minimises the look of fine lines, and 95% saying that skin looked plumper. The Charlotte Tilbury website also makes it super easy to find your right shade, with each one shown on models with different skin tones, and a handy try-on camera function. Despite only launching today, testers that were given a sneak peek at Unreal Blush in advance are clearly wowed by it; almost all of its 160+ reviews are five-star ones, with people calling it 'perfection' and 'a great everyday blush'. "This is amazing for dry or mature skin," one person wrote. "You can instantly feel the hyaluronic acid when you swipe it on. It is very sheer, so if you are like me and very love blush, build it on. It blends easily and lasted 12 hours!" Another called it "effortless glow in a stick" and "a game-changer", continuing: "Rosy Glow gives the perfect natural flush with a dewy finish that makes your skin look fresh and radiant. The creamy formula blends easily and is super buildable – great for everyday of full glam. The stick format is convenient, though it may run out quickly with regular use. Still, totally worth it for the glow it delivers." Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick £30 Charlotte Tilbury Find your shade here Product Description "I'm absolutely blown away by this product," a third person agreed. "I wore this for an entire 12 hours – was not cautious or careful while wearing it, nor did I wear setting spray and it seriously last all day with little to no fading. My skin felt so hydrated, it wasn't even like I was wearing a blush, it felt like skincare." While pretty much everyone praised the actual product, a couple of customers had issues with the packaging, however, reporting that it broke upon first use. Cream blush sticks are certainly having a make-up moment. Another of my all-time favourites is Rhode Pocket Blush, £24 (the shade Piggy is my top choice), while Merit's cute little Flush Balm, £26, is super popular with celebrities and beauty editors alike. Join our Shopping & Deals WhatsApp for the best bargains and fashion news WHATSAPP: Get the best deals and exclusive discount codes straight to your phone via our WhatsApp group. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. Some of these articles will contain affiliate links where we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from them. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Refinery29
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
We Wore e.l.f.'s New SPF Skin Tint In A Heatwave — & It Seriously Impressed Us
All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. There has never been a better time to shop for a skin tint. A slew of new options have hit the shelves recently, each promising to impart a natural, 'your skin, but better' finish without any streakiness. Some feature buzzy ingredients with skincare benefits (MILK Makeup Hydro Grip Gel Tint, which contains brightening niacinamide, comes to mind). Others, like Merit's The Uniform, pull double duty by offering SPF protection, guarding the skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. The latest to join this ever-expanding product category? e.l.f. Cosmetics' Halo Glow Skin Tint SPF 50, £18. If you're familiar with e.l.f. Cosmetics, you've probably already heard of the brand's Halo Glow Liquid Filter Foundation, £15. This bestseller has cultivated a dedicated following as a more affordable alternative to Charlotte Tilbury's Hollywood Flawless Filter Foundation, £39. Now, the brand promises to bring the same glow-boosting benefits in a featherlight format which also includes SPF 50 protection. After wearing this new skin tint over several hot summer days, our editors share their honest thoughts on whether it lives up to its glowy promises. Jacqueline Kilikita, beauty director 'Sound the klaxon! I think I've found the best skin tint for girlies with light olive skin. Most shades lean too yellow or too pink for me, but 6 Light Cool is just right. It makes me look fresh and alive. Texture-wise, it applies more like a light-coverage foundation than a typical tint, which in my experience tends to be a bit more watery. This one's got more substance; it easily covers breakouts and acne scars, yet still feels like minimal makeup. I blend it in with a fluffy brush in seconds, and my skin just drinks it up. So much so, I actually look forward to using it every morning. I love the finish too: matte and glowy in all the right places. I'm always pleasantly surprised when I check my makeup in the lift mirror at the end of the day — it's still perfectly intact, with hardly any movement or creasing. I already know I'm going to use this down to the last drop. In fact, I've shelved or given away every other tint in my makeup bag. This is the one.' L'Oréal Blackett, Unbothered UK Editor 'I now have a lovely collection of skin tints, after years of not quite trusting the shade match of many tints on the market. They've now replaced my foundations as the makeup I wear daily, so e.l.f. Cosmetics' new skin tint had a lot to live up to. This is a very light formula but with buildable coverage. It's sheer enough to feel lightweight on the skin but helps to even out the skin tone. My skin tone is gradually shifting to its summer shade, so if you're my 'shade twin', I would pick a few shades darker. The result isn't my perfect match — but close — and I feel good that there were plenty of other options for me in the shade range, from 'tan' to 'deep' with options of cool, neutral and warm undertones (this amount of choice is always a win for an affordable brand). The formula is sheer enough to blend into my skin and look undetectable. It feels just like skin. All in all, this is a great skin tint at an accessible price point — and a handy one to pack in your hand luggage for your next holiday.' Venus Wong, senior writer 'Let's start with the positives: I'm very impressed by the formula, which melts right into the skin and casts a healthy, glowy filter. I wore shade 8 Medium Neutral to a party and got non-stop compliments about how lovely my skin looked. I attribute this to niacinamide, an ingredient that helps brighten the skin and reduce oil production. The coverage is sufficient enough to blur some of the spots around my temples and even out patches of discolouration without feeling like an oil slick, which is always a bonus when I barely feel like wearing makeup in the summer. It has a slightly thick texture, so the application looked far more natural when I stippled the product with a foundation brush, compared to just using my fingers (this is worth keeping in mind if you prefer using your hands). The one letdown for me has to do with the shade: For some reason, Light Cool was far too fair on my skin, while Medium Neutral appeared almost orange. I've seen creators like Golloria and The Lipstick Lesbians discuss their struggles with the shade range, saying that the product can oxidise and appear more orange on the skin. Medium Neutral looked great after I mixed it with my go-to highlighter drops (Glow Recipe's Watermelon Hue Drops in Rosy Glow), but I definitely think the brand can benefit from a shade expansion.' 'Many skin tints and foundations claim to have a skin-like finish, but e.l.f.'s Halo Glow Skin Tint has exceeded my expectations with flying colours. It's truly undetectable on skin, even when I build up coverage. While anything with 'glow' in the product name tends to read as greasy on my oily skin, this stuff miraculously looks incredible. It has a filter-like finish that blurs imperfections but looks like I don't have any makeup on. I mix shades 5 and 7 to get a perfect match, but I could definitely use either one alone based on the time of year and how tanned I am. The fact that it has SPF 50 protection (it's mineral, but doesn't appear ashy on my skin) easily makes this my new go-to complexion product for summer. If it came in a Costco-sized jug, I'd be the first in line to buy.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
4 beauty writers try new £34 SPF that had a 20,000 person waitlist
The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 by Merit launched at the end of May and our beauty writers were eager to test outs coverage and protection Summer is the best month, in our humble opinion: the sunshine beating down, the natural sun-kissed glow, the ice cold Aperols, the light mornings and evenings, visits to the beach, floaty dresses, sandals - the list could go on and on. But one thing many of us do not appreciate during the height of June, July and August, when the temperatures creep up to a stifling number, is the disappointing rate at which our make-up melts off due to the heat - not to mention the slight rouge glow of sunburn due to said (rather heavy) make-up not having ample protection. It's why when summer comes around, most of us tend to switch out our normal, potentially heavier foundations (for me, it's Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter Foundation) for a tinted moisturiser that ticks both the coverage and protection boxes. And one new launch from skincare brand Merit has had our beauty writers in awe over its silky smooth, blurring and protective formula that gives skin that air-brushed finish, whilst nourishing it and protecting from the sun with factor 50 SPF. Four of our beauty writers tested out this new and highly anticipated product (whose waitlist had over 20,000 people) to see if it was worth the hype. Eve's thoughts While my go to during the warmer days (since its launch last year) is Charlotte's Unreal Skin Tint foundation stick as a pretty lush, lightweight formula that gives that lovely hydration, my new discovery of Merit's new SPF 50 tinted moisturiser has me momentarily questioning my loyalty to the cult British MUA. The launch of this tinted moisturiser is a significant milestone for the brand as its second-ever complexion product and one that had a pretty monumental waitlist before it even launched - showcasing its quality before even landing on shelves. I have since discovered that Merit's The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 is a bit of a summer makeup icon thanks to its broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Unlike many chemical-heavy sunscreens, 'which absorb UV rays and convert them into heat', The Uniform is a mineral sunscreen that 'reflects UV rays, forming a protective barrier against potential skin damage'. This formula omits the need for sunscreen underneath foundation (avoiding the dreaded potential pill) which is great for my holiday travel bag - although for those who want to be extra careful, additional suncream will never harm. The formula contains ultra-fine zinc oxide, which is a 100% naturally sourced active ingredient that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. It also includes a plant-derived emollient - instead of the usual silicones - which provides the product's silky, velvety texture that is far from sticky (a dream, especially during summer) and an airbrush finish. This is most likely down to The Uniform moisturiser 's plant-based mineral SPF booster, which works to enhance the skin's softness, as well as its pigment dispersion technology, which we can confirm delivers a lovely 'blurred, seamless look'. A great option for trips abroad, as it's unbelievably lightweight, it stays put and offers solid, buildable coverage. A recent trip to France in 25+ degree heat, where I wore it every day, showed me that and left me pretty impressed. I will say that when spots are present (and staring us down in the mirror), the product isn't the best product on its own to cover them up. Concealer is definitely needed. Costing £34, it's a little more expensive than your usual tinted moisturiser - such as e.l.f's Halo Glow Skin Tint SPF 50 at £18 and Nivea's £4.99 NIVEA 24H Moisture Tinted Day Cream with Vitamin E Light Skin Tone SPF15 - and comes in 15 different shades. It feels silky smooth on application and is easy to rub in with your fingertips if a brush is not to hand. The pump applicator offers a generous amount of product and requires only one or two squeezes to dispense the right amount, hiding smaller blemishes, pores and smoothing out texture and pigmentation. After a few hours in the sun, I found that my complexion needed no touch-up (except a little on my nose), and my skin still had a nice glow without being too shiny, too matte, or too cakey. The brand also has a good shade-matching process, as it showcases the 15 shades on real women to help shoppers find their perfect hue for their skin tone. I personally went for number 22' light neutral-cool' - in anticipation of gaining a little bit of a sunkissed glow - and it was my perfect colour. My only gripe with the product is that the pump applicator has a risk of making the lid messy, especially if too much is pumped out, so I'll need to be cautious not to spill or pump out too much. However as a product, it's a pretty dreamy addition to the industry. It's not just me who has found this tinted moisturiser to be pretty hot for summer. Lauren's Whenever I hear about a product with a waitlist before it's even launched, you can bet I'm already signed up. This time, the buzz was around Merit's The Uniform Tinted Mineral SPF, with 20,000 people in line ahead of its launch in mid-May. When it finally landed on my doorstep, I was seriously impressed. I opted for shade 28, a fair-neutral warm tone, which blended seamlessly into my skin. Plus, it felt lightweight and didn't have a cakey finish. It's buildable, too, so can be dialled up if you prefer extra coverage. I tend to suffer from inflammation around my nose, so it's helpful to have the option to ensure my skin looks even. But it's the built-in SPF that's the real winner here. It means I don't need to think about smearing sunscreen on before I head out for the day, knowing I already have strong protection to see me through. The Uniform has now become part of my makeup routine, meaning I've finally swapped out my beloved MAC foundation after years of use. In fact, I love The Uniform so much that I've already purchased a second. Saying that, another SPF I rate highly is Trinny London's BFF. I raved about it non-stop last year for its hydrating feel and glow-boosting finish. Bethan's I was introduced to Merit's The Minimalist complexion stick earlier this year and have absolutely loved using it as a quick, easy, lightweight daily base over my usual SPF. But when Merit announced that they were releasing a tinted SPF formula, I have to say I was intrigued. I've tried a handful of tinted SPFs over the past few years and never really found one I enjoyed using - but I have never met a Merit product I didn't immediately love and add to my routine. There's a reason for that 25,000 people waitlist - Merit's fuss-free, beginner-friendly formulas deliver, and The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 is no exception. The formula has been in development for over two years, undergoing more than 50 rounds of formulation. It's a mineral sunscreen, with UVA and UVB protection, working by reflecting UV rays and helping to prevent skin damage, something I'm into as I approach my 30s. I knew what shade I would be because Merit had handily matched their SPF to their The Minimalist shades. For those that wear Silk in the complexion stick are likely to be shade 28 in The Uniform, and the colour match was spot on. Designed for effortless, everyday wear, it offers light to medium, sheer, buildable coverage with a natural, skin-like finish - no need for foundation, making my morning routine so much faster. Available in 15 shades, it's a really silky consistency that blends effortlessly without any sticky residue. I have found that on particularly dry areas, the formula can cling, but with the right prep and hydration, it's easily resolved. If you're looking for a reliable, multitasking product to see you through the summer, this is it. Zoe's I may be a little late to the 'I love SPF party', but I have picked a good year to become a devotee. I've seen more and more launches from SPF brands promising tinted coverage to rival foundations, water-light textures to rival your usual day serum, and pore-diffusing formulas that mimic a good primer. I love Merit's The Uniform, and I never thought I'd say that about an SPF. I went a shade darker in the tint than I normally would in a foundation, and it gave me both the look of instant bronzing drops and a lightweight foundation. I felt like my skin looked healthier and smoother, and even my patches of pigmentation were covered. It's definitely lighter than a foundation, but it also meant I could skip a base layer. In fact, I tested layering it under my regular foundation, and I have to say it looks much better on its own. It's very quickly become my holiday, weekend and working from home go-to– and it's definitely worth the price.
Refinery29
13-06-2025
- Health
- Refinery29
Why Can't Sunscreen Brands Be Honest About White Casts?
Welcome to Sun Blocked, Refinery29's global call to action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there's no such thing as safe sun. When cosmetic scientist Dr. Julian Sass first tested Tower 28's new SOS FaceGuard SPF 30 Sunscreen on camera, his disappointment was obvious. Despite the 'no white cast' claim prominently displayed on the PR packaging, the sunscreen left a visible gray tinge on his skin. 'Marketing this as a no white cast sunscreen in 2025? It just makes me feel so undervalued as a consumer,' Dr. Sass said in the clip. 'What frustrates me is that some Black girl is gonna see the advertising about this product and think, Oh my god, they said it had no white cast. And then they're going to end up looking like this.' Dr. Sass's video, now at 54.3K views and climbing, sparked further debate after he highlighted that the marketing materials showed people applying too little sunscreen — a misleading move that compromises both transparency and safety. Tower 28 founder Amy Liu responded on Instagram, acknowledging they 'missed the mark' despite extensive testing. As a result, Liu promised to remove the 'no white cast' and 'universal tint' claims, standardize their testing process, and develop a new version of the sunscreen for deeper skin tones. This was welcome news to Tower 28 fans, but the brand isn't alone in making contested 'no white cast' statements. In addition to Dr. Sass, other skincare experts and beauty content creators have increasingly called out claims of invisibility that don't match reality. ' Entire groups of people are excluded from sun protection options because brands don't think it's profitable to include us. Cosmetic chemist Milan Scott ' Dija Ayodele, an esthetician and founder of the Black Skin Directory, recently tried Merit's The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen, which left her looking 'dull and gray' despite the brand's ' zero white cast ' promise. 'When I first received the press release, I asked to see evidence of the product on Black skin,' Ayodele tells Refinery29. She says the PR company sent her a video of a Black employee using the product, along with information about the brand's formulation process and challenges. Ayodele accepted the PR package based on this response. 'But if I'd bought that sunscreen, I would be quite cross,' she continues. Adding, 'While it's not the worst I've seen, it didn't meet my expectation of not having a white cast.' 'It's misleading to use those exact three words: zero white cast.' Beyond Tower 28 and Merit, brands like CeraVe and SkinCeuticals have also been called out for using terms like 'no white cast' and 'transparent' — claims that some content creators are now challenging. For consumers of color, these misleading claims are not just disappointing, they're exclusionary. So why, when the beauty industry operates under such strict regulations, do countless sunscreens still fail to deliver on their promises? Why do some sunscreens have a white cast? AJ Addae, chief executive officer and chemist of SULA Labs — which tests skincare for brands developing products for melanin-rich consumers — explains that when it comes to mineral sunscreens, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only allows cosmetic chemists to use two UV filters: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Both are white pigments. Addae notes that at the concentrations needed to achieve a broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher, it's difficult — if not impossible — to create a mineral sunscreen that doesn't reflect visible, white light. As such, Dr. Sass explains that currently, a truly invisible mineral sunscreen doesn't exist on skincare shelves. So why are brands that use these filters so sure of their invisibility claims? Cosmetic Chemist Milan Scott says, 'What they really mean is that it's invisible on lighter skin tones.' She adds, 'When I see 'invisible' claims on a mineral sunscreen that is very clearly not invisible on people that look like me, it makes me wonder who [the brand] tested it on — and who approved these claims.' ' I think that brands need to do diversity and inclusivity authentically and be brave enough to say, 'This product isn't right for everybody because it creates a white cast. However, we do have other products within our offering that are suitable.' Dija Ayodele, esthetician and founder of the Black Skin Directory ' Dr. Sass explains that when brands make this claim, they typically conduct internal tests on individuals with lighter skin tones and often apply much less than the recommended amount needed to achieve the advertised level of protection. 'Sunscreen is tested at 2 mg per square centimeter of skin, which comes out to about 1/4 teaspoon for just the face and about 1/2 teaspoon if you include the ears and neck,' he says — the optimum amount to protect your skin. Esthetician and skincare expert Alicia Lartey — whose Instagram series Sunscreen or SunSCREAM puts the invisibility claims of SPFs to the test — agrees that clinical trials and SPF testing often lack the diversity they should. Frustratingly, Scott notes that there's no requirement for brands to test on a wide range of skin tones before making such claims. How do brands get away with claiming their sunscreens leave no white cast? Surprisingly, Addae notes that, unlike the term 'water resistance,' which requires standardized testing, there are no regulations around the term 'white cast.' The same applies to the word 'invisible,' says Scott. If a brand deems its sunscreen traceless based on its testing, it can label it as such, even if that's not true for darker skin tones. You're right to be outraged — and so are the experts: 'It's a marketing loophole that a lot of us in the industry side-eye hard,' says Scott. Ayodele has a hunch as to why: 'Brands are doing this because they want to be seen as inclusive at all costs,' she believes. 'They don't want the backlash of [people] saying that they're not inclusive. But if these brands tested their mineral sunscreens [on a more diverse range of people], they'd know whether they were invisible or not.' That said, it's important to acknowledge the limits of science, says Ayodele. 'Yes, of course, we want diversity and for brands to be inclusive, but by nature, the mineral filters titanium dioxide and zinc oxide aren't inclusive,' she says. 'That's not a problem because not everything is going to be,' she adds. 'Unless further scientific techniques are brought in to make these white mineral ingredients invisible, that's just where we're at.' Still, Scott emphasizes the need for more transparency and testing across shade ranges. Ayodele's advice to brands is simple: honesty is the best policy: 'I think that brands need to do diversity and inclusivity authentically and be brave enough to say, 'This product isn't right for everybody because it creates a white cast. However, we do have other products within our offering that are suitable',' she says. ' Frustratingly, Scott notes that there's no requirement for brands to test on a wide range of skin tones before making such claims ' TikTok would have you believe that mineral sunscreens are the gold standard. Ayodele acknowledges they have benefits — especially for sensitive skin and conditions like rosacea, melasma, or pigmentation — but stresses that more inclusive options exist. Chemical sunscreens, which use UV filters like avobenzone or oxybenzone, are suitable for everyone. Still, they've come under scrutiny, with some convinced that chemical filters are toxic while mineral ones are safe. This simply isn't true, says Scott: 'This fear drives people toward mineral sunscreens, even though many of them leave a visible cast on deeper skin tones and make sunscreens less accessible for folks who already deal with health disparities,' she says. Scott doesn't mince her words: 'This is what medical racism looks like in real time,' she continues. 'It's when fear-based marketing pushes mineral sunscreens as the safer option, even though those same formulas leave people with darker skin out of the conversation entirely.' So who's to blame? The experts point to the 'clean beauty' movement. 'Clean beauty has been an axe to scientific innovation,' says Lartey. 'Newsflash — everything is a chemical,' she adds, even water. In reality, chemical sunscreens are often more cosmetically elegant than mineral ones, making them a better option for people with darker skin tones seeking to avoid a white cast. R29 favorites include Glossier Invisible Shield SPF50, $32, The Ordinary UV Filters SPF45, $19, and Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day™ Invisible Korean Sunscreen Stick SPF 40, $30, to name just a few. Does a truly invisible mineral sunscreen actually exist? For those who prefer mineral sunscreens, is a truly invisible option even possible? Scott believes it is. 'For a mineral sunscreen to be invisible on all skin tones, it takes advanced formulation with nano-sized mineral filters,' she explains — a process that's both expensive and time-consuming for brands. She adds that tinted mineral sunscreens offer another solution, but only a few brands, like Wyn Beauty, are getting it right. 'That's because too many companies still don't see the financial value in creating that many [products] to be truly inclusive for darker skin tones,' she says. And that's a real problem: 'Entire groups of people are excluded from sun protection options because brands don't think it's profitable to include us,' says Scott, who sees it as a public health issue. Ultimately, Lartey believes that brands can easily avoid messy situations like Tower 28's simply by testing products on a wide variety of skin tones — and actually using the correct amount. 'Beyond that, hire a diverse staff, listen to your diverse staff, and make sure there are diverse staff in senior roles,' urges Lartey. 'It's not that hard.'
