This Bigger Than Beauty 3-in-1 Sunscreen Simplified My Routine

We put the Bigger Than Beauty Sunproof 3-in-1 Invisible Priming Sunscreen to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

Despite my job, I like to keep my skincare routine limited to the essentials. Call me a minimalist, call me lazy—but the less I can do to my skin while keeping it smooth and radiant, the better. So when Bigger Than Beauty released the Sunproof 3-in-1 Invisible Priming Sunscreen, I thought, “Amazing!” It was a product that the brand claimed would combine three of the five-ish steps from my routine: moisturizer, SPF, and primer. I couldn’t wait to put it to the test and see if it worked well enough to truly make my routine that much shorter. Ahead, read my thoughts on the multitasking sunscreen product.

About My Skin: Dry, sensitive, and low-maintenance

My skin is low-maintenance, overall. While it's dry—with rough patches during the winter—and sensitive to the touch, I find that keeping an emollient moisturizer on deck when it’s feeling irritated or tender does the trick. 

Lately, my AM routine is just five steps: Cleanse (with the Shiseido Shikulime Gel-to-Oil Cleanser) while in the shower, brighten (with the Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum), moisturize (with Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream or the Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream), apply SPF (which I have a slew of favorites for), and prime specific areas (with MAC's Studio Radiance Moisturizing and Illuminating Silky Primer) on days I decide to put on a BB cream. I aimed to swap the final three steps out with the Bigger Than Beauty Sunproof 3-in-1 Sunscreen.

The Ingredients: A comfortable formula with chemical SPF filters

This chemical sunscreen blends together ingredients to do everything its label claims and more. According to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, the dimethicone in its formula is responsible for its silky, comfortable-wearing texture, while sodium hyaluronate helps moisturize. “This product should have a powdery feel upon finish, as it contains rice starch,” she says. “You want to put [it] on a clean, dried face, so do not moisturize beforehand.”

What stands out is this three-in-one product's use of spirulina and banana extract. “Spirulina has an anti-inflammatory effect,” King explains. “The brand claims its use of banana extract is for moisturizing, but it also has the added benefit of having antimicrobial properties.”

The one thing that King cautions against is using this SPF when swimming: “It contains avobenzone, which can react with chlorine and break down to some toxic substances, so avoid going to a pool that has been treated with chlorine [when using this product].”

The Results: Moisturized, silky-smooth skin without greasiness

On the days I decided to skip my BB cream and contour products, I felt confident that the primer aspect of the Bigger Than Beauty Sunproof 3-in-1 Sunscreen was enough. It gave my complexion a silky texture and made it softer to the touch, and on days I layered makeup on top of it, I found that it lasted for hours without getting patchy. I can confidently say this product could replace three products in my morning skincare routine, just as its name implied.

The Value: An investment, but with quality to match

Bigger Than Beauty's Sunproof 3-in-1 Sunscreen is $38 for a 1-oz. tube. When compared to products with a similar texture and SPF, this sunscreen proves to be ever-so-slightly pricier. If I’m going to encourage you to apply and reapply sunscreen every day, no matter the weather, I have to practice what I preach, and after using this product generously on my face and neck each day, I found that I went through a bottle fairly quickly. At $38, it may prove to be be a hefty investment in the long run.

Still, in addition to the fact that this product was able to perform triple duty in my skincare routine, Bigger Than Beauty invests heavily in its philanthropic efforts. The brand regularly makes donations to various charities—while remaining transparent about exactly where their money goes—and for every product purchased, a product is donated to a person in need. I’d gladly invest in a brand that's aiming to make this world a better place.

Similar Products: You've got options

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen: Supergoop’s Unseen formula ($36) is an editor favorite for its velvety, primer-like texture. It soothes, smooths, and moisturizes while remaining transparent on all skin tones.

Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen: This sunscreen by Tatcha ($68) contains two ounces of a soft, blurring formula. It creates the perfect canvas for makeup and leaves dry skin feeling soothed and moisturized.

Maybelline FaceStudio Master Prime Blur + Defend Primer: This Maybelline pick ($11) is a steal at well under $20 for one ounce. It’s formulated to prime skin for makeup—temporarily smoothing lines and pores—with protection from SPF 30.