This Sunscreen From Target Is the Only SPF I’m Excited to Use

The importance of wearing SPF is undeniable—as is getting eight hours of sleep, eating your veggies every day, and making sure to carve out space to prioritize your mental health. I do none of these things consistently.

I know, I know, as a beauty editor, at the very least I should be wearing sunscreen every day. You don’t have to tell me twice (I’ll leave that to my dermatologist). Despite the knowledge that sunscreen not only protects me from cancer, but helps fight signs of aging, environmental stress, and hyperpigmentation, I’ve never been able to find a sunscreen that checks all my boxes. So I went without, unless I was expecting myself to be in the sun for a long period of time—I’m not a total monster.

That is, until I discovered Versed’s Guards Up Mineral Sunscreen last spring. I’m really into the brand in general, and I was intrigued by the cheerful yellow packaging. I was also committed to getting in the SPF groove during quarantine, so I made a promise to myself to wear it daily.

I didn’t have to force myself for much longer, as it quickly turned into a product I was actually excited to use. I’m not alone—it won a Glamour Beauty Award in the Reader’s Choice category this year. Cute packaging aside (which is made of 79% post-consumer plastic), it has the most perfect texture for an SPF I’ve ever found.

It’s oil-free and therefore great for my acne-prone skin, but it still feels creamy and luxurious. Depending on the season, I layer it on top of a moisturizer or use it in place of one, since it has moisturizing moringa seed extract. Despite the yummy texture, it doesn’t leave any greasy residue or tackiness, just an almost-dewy finish that’s a perfect base for makeup.

It’s a mineral sunscreen, which I usually can’t stand since they’re more likely to leave a white cast, but the formula is so sophisticated that it looks and feels like nothing. The lack of a white cast could be attributed to the slight peach tint, which blends out to nothing on my pale skin but leaves a pretty, blurred finish, even with no makeup on top.

I’ve also never had a problem with it breaking me out, which has been one of the main reasons I’ve historically avoided SPF. It layers under makeup beautifully with no pilling, and it has never stung my sensitive eyes. And most importantly, it feels so good on my skin, that I’m actually excited to use it every day. Consider me converted.