Supergoop's Play Everyday Lotion Is the Ultimate Daily SPF

We put the Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

It goes without saying that one product we should all be using day in and day out is SPF. Excessive sun exposure is the top cause of aging, skin damage, and dangerous conditions like skin cancer, so it's important to slather on the sunscreen whether you're spending the day outside or simply working by a sunny window.

Having heard the hype around Supergoop, which is fully dedicated to innovative skincare products with SPF, I was eager to try the brand's Play Everyday Lotion, made for daily use on the face and body. After reading the claims, it really did feel like this SPF could just be a revolutionary addition to the sun care market, so I was excited to see if it would live up to the test. Keep reading for my full review.

About My Skin: Balanced, but can break out from sunscreen

I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m very lucky with my skin. Sure, I’ll get the odd breakout after too many nights of takeout, but they’re always minimal and rarely ever crop up. I stick to a pretty stringent skincare routine: double cleansing, exfoliation, serum, and retinol—all the good stuff. Everything runs smoothly, that is until I wear sunscreen. I care about protecting my complexion, so I always use SPF 50, but I can break out following vacations and in the summer, when I apply more than usual. When this happened to me, nothing else in my routine had changed, so it had to be the sunscreen. Lo and behold, it was. After switching to a special formula for acne-prone skin, the problem stopped, but I’ve been wary ever since—but still curious to see whether Supergoop!'s formula was as great as the reviews say.

The Feel: Fast-absorbing and almost like primer

Usually, It takes at least a full minute of frantic rubbing before the thick, white cream of sunscreen starts to dissipate. By some sort of miracle, Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion’s gel-like consistency absorbs in seconds. Incredibly lightweight, it feels more like a primer than sunscreen and works amazingly well under makeup, partly because of the non-greasy, invisible finish but also thanks to the blend of nourishing ingredients, including antioxidant-rich rosemary leaf extract. I find that a lot of sunscreens also leave that horrible sticky feel, as if you’ve just swiped half-melted glue across your skin—you’ll be pleased to know there is none of that with this. On the bottle, it states that it's "very water-resistant," a claim I luckily got to test as I went on holiday for a few days. While I feel like it stayed put, it’s hard to tell how water-resistant it is because it's invisible on the skin, in both how it feels and how it looks. 

The Ingredients: Sun protectors and added benefits

Sunflower extract: Rich in antioxidants including vitamin E and beta carotene, sunflower seed oil boosts the skin-protection benefits in SPF thanks to its ability to shield the skin against free radicals and prevent premature ageing.

Rice extract: A K-beauty favorite, rice possesses a magnitude of beneficial ingredients, including amino acids, ferric acid, free radical protection, and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains oryzanol, a powerful antioxidant that slows down the skin’s pigmentation process.

Rosemary extract: As well as being an avid anti-ager, rosemary extract is a potent antioxidant that possesses amazing anti-inflammatory properties. It soothes and calms burnt skin to reduce swelling and speed up the healing process, making it a necessity in sun protection formulas.

Avobenzone 3%: An organic filter offering broad spectrum protection, you’ll find avobenzone in the ingredient list of many organic SPF formulas. The formula also includes homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene—but there's notably no oxybenzone, which is good news for those worried about the product's impact on reefs.

The Results: Invisible, gentle protection

From the moment Supergoop's Play Everyday Lotion touched my face, I was in love. I’m all about getting glowing, dewy skin and love a primer that promises to do just that. When applying this product before foundation, I found that I didn’t need to reach for my usual primer because my skin was already prepped for the event. It gives a subtle, healthy sheen without looking like you’ve smeared butter across your face. In fact, I found it worked better than my regular primer at ensuring makeup doesn’t slide off my face past noon. My skin wasn’t greasy, and despite wearing this every day for a month I was met with not a single irritated spot—unheard of for my SPF-hating skin. There’s no overpowering chemical odor; it smells fresh and slightly minty.

Arguably the best bit, though, is the lack of white cast. As someone who is mixed-race and olive-skinned, I find that some formulas leave me with a ghostly white face—never a great look. To summarize, none of the things that make you hate wearing sunscreen exist here, so Supergoop has succeeded in creating something you'll actually want to wear.

The Value: Pretty great

In my opinion, Supergoop's Play Everyday Lotion is an absolute steal. Most premium formulas I’ve used have come with a premium price tag. Because this ticks all of my boxes, I would have happily parted with more of my hard-earned cash to acquire it. I also love the fact that you can choose the size that works for you—the standard size is 5.5 oz. for $32, but you can get anything from 1 oz. for $10 to 18 oz. for $58—the latter still being incredibly affordable considering how much you’re getting. So while your basic drugstore sunscreens will always be cheaper than this, the price is pretty good for more premium options, including compared to some of Supergoop's other products.

Similar Products: You've got options

Ultra Violette Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Skinscreen SPF 50+: Tripling as a moisturizer, primer, and high-level SPF, Ultra Violette's sunscreen ($49) takes a similar approach to Supergoop. The Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Skinscreen is an invisible formula providing high protection and moisture for all skin types. You get less for your buck, but there’s added blue light protection, which could be helpful for all those who spend long hours in front of a screen.

Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30: Drunk Elephant’s foray into the world of SPF is impressive. Containing a cocktail of clean, nourishing ingredients including marula and raspberry seed oils, Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense ($34) leaves no trace of its existence. It's richer than Supergoop, though, so better suited to skin that isn't as breakout-prone.