Imagine that you’re outside in the middle of August. Everything is sticky, and the air so humid that you feel like the whole world took a hot shower and forgot to open the bathroom door to let the steam out. You’ve been outside for about two hours, which means that you need to reapply your sunscreen. Yessss! You’ve been waiting for this moment…because applying sunscreen feels like stepping into store that has A/C on full blast. Wait, what?

Isn’t it funny how you can go through life not knowing what’s right under your nose? Even if you put it there yourself? I recently came to realize that aluminum oxide and iron oxides are everywhere! If you use or have ever used any sort of BB cream, tinted moisturizer, or tinted sunscreen, you’ve probably rubbed one or more of these ingredients on your face every day.

I thought my lifelong search for the perfect facial sunscreen was over when I discovered Australian Gold Botanical Tinted Face Sunscreen (SPF 50). I really do love this sunscreen, but I’m a bit concerned about its low concentration of active ingredients: 4% zinc oxide and 4% titanium dioxide. When I emailed the company to ask, Australian Gold said that it hasn’t applied for the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, and has no plans to do so. So, as summer approaches,…