Dermalogica Sunscreen Review: Your 3-in-1 SPF Hero

EARLIER THIS YEAR, I started incorporating sunscreen into my everyday skincare routine, and all I can say is I wish I’d started using it earlier. As a 20-something, I want to build solid anti-aging habits to help keep my skin healthy and looking good for as long as possible. Not only does sunscreen prevent skin cancer and stave off wrinkles over the long term, but in the short term I’ve noticed it’s made my skin significantly brighter and smoother.

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So many of the sunscreen brands I’ve tried, however, dry out my sensitive skin. Sticky formulas just sit on my face, doing nothing to hydrate it. The zinc oxide in mineral formulas reduces oiliness, which is great for some skin types, but it leaves my skin parched.

I’ve resigned myself to wearing both moisturizer and sunscreen, which tends to clog my pores and cause breakouts—not to mention it adds another step to my routine. Doubling or even tripling up on products, however, isn’t necessary with Dermologica’s Dynamic Skin Recovery Moisturizer Sunscreen SPF 50 (hence the words “recovery” and “moisturizer” in the name.)

Dermologica’s Dynamic Skin Recovery Moisturizer Sunscreen covers the basics—sun protection—with an SPF 50 (reminder: docs recommend at least SPF 30) that guards against both UVA and UVB rays. A squad of hero ingredients, however, means this one formula can do the job of three different products, including a moisturizer and an anti-aging serum.

Here’s the rundown: Squalene mimics a component of the oil in your skin, which makes it super moisturizing (music to my sun-baked ears). Its anti-inflammatory properties may even calm acne and eczema flares, which can be triggered by time spent in the rays. As for the recovery promise, antioxidant-packed white tea extract combats sun damage by neutralizing free radicals, which are molecules that injure cells and can prematurely turn you into a California Raisin.

Finally, a polypeptide blend supports collagen production, a key factor in firmer, younger-looking skin. (PSA: Peptides are among the few ingredients in over-the-counter skincare products that dermatologists swear by.)

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A lot of these things sound like “wants” rather than “needs” for sunscreen. But after spending a blazing summer day walking from the Upper East Side to the West Village, I can confidently tell you the Dermologica Dynamic Skin Recovery Moisturizer Sunscreen kept my skin dewy, bouncy and burn-free.

I applied the sunscreen in the morning after washing my face and let it absorb for 15 minutes before heading out. The sunscreen had the consistency of a lightweight moisturizer and left my skin feeling soft and smooth rather than tacky. It also absorbed quickly, so I didn’t look greasy, even in the scorching heat. At first, I noticed a bit of the telltale white cast inherent to most sunscreen, but it faded with the tiniest bit of blending.

Per the instructions on the bottle, I reapplied it every two hours throughout the day. That night I expected at least a mild sunburn, given the clear blue skies, and was impressed to find not a hint of pink on my cheeks and nose.

The biggest con of this sunscreen is the cost. At $80 for less than 2 ounces of sunscreen, it’s a whole lot pricier than the coconut-scented goop your mom used to slather on you at the pool. You also have to be very—I cannot stress this enough—careful about how closely you apply it to your eyes. Flirt with danger, and you’ll wind up with massively burning peepers. I found this out the hard way and ended up having to wash my face and start (more cautiously) over.

The promise of simplifying my skincare routine with an SPF that won’t turn my skin into sandpaper is very alluring. If you’re looking for a high SPF sunscreen that’s ultra-hydrating, the Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery Moisturizer Sunscreen does the trick. The fact that you don’t have to wear three different products—a sunscreen, a moisturizer, and an anti-aging serum—is convenient and means you’re using fewer ingredients overall. That’s a major plus if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin. The sunscreen isn’t cheap, but an easy, one-product skincare routine is kind of priceless.

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