While sayings like “any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen” and “the best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually wear” are absolutely true, I exclusively stick to mineral-based sunscreen on my face. It’s a personal preference, of course, but I’ve found that my sensitive, acne-prone skin simply does better with mineral formulas. I also notice they’re more effective at keeping the melasma on my cheeks and jawline under control.

That said, loving mineral sunscreen and loving how it looks on skin are often two very different things. Zinc oxide is notoriously difficult to formulate with—it’s naturally thick and white, which is why so many mineral sunscreens leave behind a chalky cast or feel heavy on the skin.…