This Sunscreen Serum Is Actually Enjoyable to Wear—And Makes My Skin Glow

Given that I’ve spent most of my adult life writing and reviewing beauty products, I must shamefully confess I didn’t start wearing sunscreen every day until I was 26. The benefits of wearing sunscreen daily are virtually endless—fewer dark spots and wrinkles, less discoloration, and most important at all: a diminished risk of getting skin cancer. If you're in the market, here are some of Byrdie's favorite face sunscreens. Still, there’s a reason people avoid putting sunscreen on their face every day (I know I’m not alone here) and often, that’s because of the product itself. It smells. It’s sticky. It doesn’t sit well under makeup. There’s a white cast. The list goes on and on. I’ve tried various daily sunscreens in the last two years and have found a few I like, but I didn’t find any I loved wearing until I tried Everyday Humans’ Resting Beach Face SPF30 Sunscreen Serum. 

The name is admittedly a bit of a mouthful, but don’t let that distract you— this stuff is the real deal. First and foremost: It feels like a serum. Not a sunscreen trying to be a serum, but a hydrating, fast-absorbing serum. Plus, it adds a subtle glow to my complexion that almost looks like a built-in highlighter when the light hits just right. Oh, and it’s not sticky at all. I enjoy wearing it everyday as much as I’ve enjoyed any other serum, so I’m actually excited to wear it every day.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• No white cast
• Lightweight feel
• Hydrating

Cons

• Could be too shiny for some people
• Could possibly sting eyes
• Some users complain about the scent

The Bottom Line

The Everyday Humans Resting Beach Face SPF 30 Sunscreen Serum is a great chemical sunscreen option for people who have normal to dry skin. It has a super lightweight texture and has great hydration properties, thanks to hyaluronic acid.

Everyday Humans Resting Beach Face SPF30 Sunscreen Serum $17.00

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The Feel: Lightweight and non-sticky

When you first put a few pumps of the product into your hand, it looks (and smells) like sunscreen. It’s opaque, whereas most serums tend to be a little more clear. But as soon as you rub it into your skin, it feels exactly like a serum. Lightweight, non-sticky, quick-absorbing. 

The Ingredients: Hydrating and rich in antioxidants

• Hyaluronic acid: It helps hydrate your skin without the heavy feel — bonus points for extra plumping and firming power, too.
• Spinach leaf extract: Spinach isn't only good for your salads. It's rich in vitamins A, E, and C that nourish and protect your skin from free radical damage.
• Green tea extract: Studies have shown that green tea is one of those skincare ingredients that actually works. It can help balance oily skin, reduce acne, and protects your skin from free radicals as well.

Chemical Sunscreen: Sheer coverage

This is a chemical sunscreen, so it's formulated with the following ingredients — Homosalate 8%, Octisalate 4%, Avobenzone 3%, Octocrylene 2% — to be exact. The difference between mineral (aka physical) sunscreen and chemical sunscreen is that chemical sunscreen uses the above ingredients to absorb the harmful rays from the sun, while mineral sunscreens use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These ingredients form a layer over the skin to protect it from the sun. Some benefits of chemical sunscreens: they're typically more lightweight and don't have that white cast that mineral sunscreens can have.

The Scent: Like sunscreen and nostalgia

This serum certainly doesn’t smell bad (it’s actually quite fresh), but it does very obviously smell like sunscreen. It’s not overwhelming, and you don’t notice it after a second or two of it being on your skin, but it’s certainly there. This is maybe the only downfall of the product, but hey... it’s sunscreen. I’ll take a lightweight feel and quick absorption over scent every day. 

The Results: Glowy, hydrated, happy

My favorite part of this product is that it doesn’t look or feel like wearing sunscreen, but instead looks and feels like wearing a super hydrating serum. It leaves the skin with a nice, subtle glow that looks great without makeup and also sits well under makeup, too. The best way to use it? Apply as the last step of your skincare routine, after your moisturizer, and before your makeup if you're planning on wearing it.

The Value: Worth it

A sunscreen that you actually enjoy using every day on your face, neck, and chest that makes your skin look amazing, too? That’s worth every bit of $17 and then some in my book.

Similar products: You have options

Glossier Invisible Shield: This one is a bit higher of an SPF (35) and $1 more expensive, but seems to have a similar consistency (Invisible Shield is described as a “water gel that feels like a serum”).

Coola Full Spectrum Sun Silk Drops: Coming in at $46, this product is more expensive than Resting Beach Face and Invisible Shield. It’s also SPF 30, though, and has over 1,000 glowing reviews.

Our Verdict: Buy it

If you hate the feel and look of almost every face sunscreen or simply want to forget you’re wearing sunscreen, this one's for you. No questions asked.