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If there’s one thing I should know about myself, it’s that once it’s warm outside, I avoid wearing anything remotely heavy, full-coverage foundation. Not only is spring inspiring me to go full no-makeup makeup, but as skincare-focused foundations continue to trend, I’ve also grown fond of tinted moisturizers and sunscreens. I love a multi-purpose product, especially an SPF that doubles as a foundation.
For the past few years, Supergoop’s Glow Screen has been my go-to sunscreen, but an unavoidable, color-changing SPF kept popping up on my For You page that left me wondering whether or not I should make the switch. Enter: Sunforgettable Face Shield Flex by Colorescience.
Colorescience’s Sunforgettable Face Shield has been appearing on TikTok for some time and is touted as a groundbreaking, color-matching sunscreen that perfectly matches your skin tone. Not only does it contain SPF 50 (just slightly higher than Supergoop’s Glow Screen with SPF 40), but it also provides medium, buildable coverage, similar to that of a foundation. The mineral sunscreen is white, but when you apply the product to your skin, encapsulated pigments are activated and released to match your skin tone.
SPF is the last step in my morning skincare routine. I apply the product by putting it on my fingers and rubbing it on my face with my hands. I avoid placing the pump directly on my face so that I don’t transfer any bacteria that is on my face to the tube. The product definitely comes out white, but with a little gentle blending it instantly creates a light to medium shade that matches my skin tone perfectly.
I would describe this product as medium buildable coverage. It’s far from full coverage, but a single layer manages to even out my skin tone and conceal imperfections, which goes beyond what I’d expect from a tinted sunscreen. I prefer a single, thin coat of product, but since the product is buildable, you can let the first coat dry and then apply another coat for additional coverage if needed.
As long as I stick to my preferred single layer, this SPF feels like I’m not wearing anything at all and gives me all-day coverage without feeling like I’m wearing foundation. Still, I feel like this product sits on my skin like an SPF and doesn’t really sink in like a moisturizer. If you’re using it as a sunscreen, like all SPF products, you technically need to reapply it every two hours.
Colorescience offers four shades: light, medium, brown and deep. While this encompasses many skin tones and undertones, the deepest shade is definitely not deep enough – something that’s talked about a lot on TikTok. The active mineral SPF ingredients the brand uses are very white and opaque, and according to the FAQs on their website, they’re working on expanding the color range.
At $54, the cost of this SPF is a bit high for me personally. It’s the most expensive sunscreen I’ve ever used, especially when you compare the price to competitors like Supergoop’s Glow Screen or Summer Friday’s Shade Drops ($38 and $36, respectively). However, the sun protection factor is higher than all the others and there is also a little more product. (A bottle of Face Shield Flex has 55 milliliters, while the competition only has 50 milliliters.) Regardless, this is certainly a treat. Because of the price (and since I still have to apply other sunscreen), I wear Face Shield Flex about once or twice a week and reach for my regular sunscreen the rest of the week.
It’s important to wear SPF every day and I make it a point to apply it every morning. For days when I’m traveling or having Zoom meetings, this product is fantastic. I could wear it alone to look a little more vibrant, but most of the time I add a little liquid bronzer and concealer for a subtle glow and perfect everyday makeup. I love it as a foundation swap for everyday looks and can’t wait to use it throughout spring and summer; However, I personally don’t reach for it every day. For me, it’s a foundation swap, and as a WFH girl, I just don’t feel the need to wear makeup every day. I want my bottle to last a long time!
TL;DR: If it’s in your budget, I would absolutely say this SPF lives up to the hype. It’s viral for a reason—it covers my imperfections, gives me a healthy-looking glow, and feels great once it’s applied. A mineral sunscreen that doesn’t leave a hint of white cast is also a winner in my opinion. However, the limited color palette is disappointing and I look forward to them expanding it.
If you’re looking for a lightweight, medium coverage foundation for spring and summer, I recommend this SPF instead. Your skin will thank you.