MDSolarSciences Mineral Screen Gel SPF 30+

The Issue: You know daily sunscreen is important, but you're tired of it making you resemble the pasty undead from Twilight or turning your face into an oil slick worse than the Gulf Coast.

The Fix: MDSolarSciences Mineral Screen Gel SPF 30+ is a dream sunscreen for people of all skin types, including people with acne or rosacea-prone skin.

It's the way that MDSolarSciences Mineral Screen Gel looks and feels on your skin that distinguishes it from the rest. Our expert, Miami dermatologist Dr. Debra Price says that it "stands out because the texture and feel is superior to other physical sunblocks. It spreads very easily and smoothly and disappears into the skin without leaving a white film." After applying it, your skin has "a smooth matte finish. It's also fragrance free, water resistant and moisturizing--but not greasy." Also fabulous is that it absorbs super fast and acts as a primer to help your makeup stay on longer.

While it's cosmetically an A+, the sunscreen also safely delivers "broad UVA and UVB protection," Dr. Price explains. While there are several products available that provide such broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, there's another factor that we should account for: the sunscreen's EWG (Environmental Working Group) safety rating. MDSolarSciences Mineral Screen Gel received an EWG maximal safety rating of 2. Many of the most popular sunblock products that offer broad-spectrum protection contain chemicals, such as oxybenzone, whose safety the EWG calls into question (thus they often receive a higher--i.e., less safe--EWG rating).

MDSolarSciences makes their Mineral Screen Gel in SPF 30+ and SPF 50+, and while both provide exceptional protection, Dr. Price likes the SPF 30+ for daily use. When it comes to SPF ratings, Dr. Price explains, "Higher is not always better. Going from an SPF 30 to and SPF 50 sunscreen adds minimal additional UVB protection, so in choosing a sunscreen for daily use aesthetics and feel take precedence. While MDSolarSciences SPF 50+ formula is an excellent, cosmetically elegant sunblock that I often recommend as well, the look and feel of the SPF 30+ formulation is superior for everyday use."

And when it comes to sunscreen, Dr. Price reminds us, "It's not only what you apply, but how you apply it that counts. It is important to apply an adequate amount (a shot glass full to cover an average adult body) of sunscreen daily, 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure."

Armed with that info and a bottle of MDSolarSciences Mineral Screen Gel, you're ready to take on the sun. A 1.76 oz bottle costs $29.50--it may be more than we are used to paying for sun protection, but this little guy is worth it.

In Chicks' Picks, we present health-related, non-prescription products that address a common problem and that relevant professionals like. This is not a product endorsement or recommendation on behalf of ChickRx. Please use your own judgment and consult your physician before using any new product.