The products featured in How To Pick A SPF Setting Powder were provided for editorial consideration. All opinions are 100% my own. Affiliate links that benefit this site are included.
When it comes to the issue of sun protection, I’ve learned several important lessons through the years, namely don’t shirk it! Protecting our skin from the sun is so important, because sun burns and sun damage can happen at any time – just ask my son who came home with a sun burn after an overcast day at the beach!
Today I have three SPF setting powders to share with you, which begs the question: how do you ever go about choosing a SPF setting Powder? I currently own three of such powders and really wanted to take a closer look at each one to see if there are any major differences. The powders included in this post are Colorescience Sunforgettable Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($64), Supergoop! Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45 ($30) and Derma E Sun Protection Mineral Powder SPF 30 ($21.95).
Before we get started, it’s time for a basic rundown on the meaning of SPF, or sun protection factor against UVB rays from the sun that lead to sun burn. Sunscreens that protect against UVA or UVB rays are considered broad spectrum. SPF 30 means you have 30 times the protection of having no sunscreen, and so on. You do have to reapply sunscreen every one to two hours when you’re outdoors, which makes products like these so useful. The way the powders work is simple: You shake the powder down towards the brush and apply as a setting powder after applying your makeup, and throughout the day to touch up your powder and SPF as needed. They can also be used on their own. I like that the beauty industry has given us the option to use SPF sprays as well as these powder products to keep our face and sun protection factors on point!
Each powder is designed to work for all skin types and feature two basic and common sun protection ingredients, which are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Other ingredients vary per product. The Derma E powder is only available in one translucent shade, while Supergoop! and Colorescience offer Light, Medium and Deep in addition to Translucent.
Derma E’s version was designed in collaboration with beauty influencer Instagram Influencer Ash Deleon, also known as @iheartmakeupart. It’s translucent, protects skin from UVA and UVB rays, designed for all skin types and contains antioxidants Green Tea, Chamomile, and Vitamin E.
Colorescience is water resistant up to 80 minutes, is a broad spectrum sunscreen and formulated with EnviroScreen™ Technology to protect your skin from blue rays coming from electronic devices. I’ve been using this one for a few years now on both me and my son and it’s a winner.
Supergoop! is also broad spectrum and designed to mattify and not dry out skin. It’s specifically noted that this powder doesn’t lead to photo flashback, which is a great feature! Skin nourishing ingredients include Ceramides and Olive Glycerides to seal in moisture and coated silica to minimize pores. What I really like about the Supergoop! powder is that the brush head is magnetized so you can wash it and give it a thorough cleansing when needed. That’s a very handy feature that’s not included in the other two powders.
My Final Thoughts: SPF in a powder is a brilliant idea. Choosing the right one comes down to personal preferences and desired SPF coverage. My vote for best and most economical is Supergoop! which is a great product with a handy removable brush head.
You can find Colorescience Sunforgettable Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($64) and Derma E Sun Protection Mineral Powder SPF 30 ($21.95) at Amazon and Supergoop! Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45 ($30) at Sephora.
