Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist

So California is really having a drought summer. San Francisco has also been experiencing summer weather way earlier than usual. I grew up expecting hot weather in late September so I've just been melting in the heat. All this sun has been making me really aware of the need for sun protection and so I've been looking for a way to have it while I wear make up.

I've been hearing about setting sprays with SPF that allows for reapplication on top of make up, but I have been really wary since I have sensitive eyes and you can't avoid the area with a spray. So far, I haven't heard about any affordable options yet and I only know of Supergoop! and Coola. Of course the price tag kept me from giving both brands a go, until I saw a travel sized version of the Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist. For the convenience of the size I figured I could part with $12.

There's a lot I want to say, so the most efficient way to go about it is to list the essentials.

Key features:

• Broad spectrum SPF 50
• Chemical blocker, so no flashback
• Herbal scented on first sprays (then it smells like traditional sunscreen)
• Must shake well before use
• Suggested reapplication every 2 hours
• Matte finish and controls oil
• Noncomedogenic, non-irritating, allergen-free

Pros

• The sun protection really works 
• No irritations or reactions on my part
• Gave initial matte finish
• I don't mind the herbal scent

Cons

• Did not leave the skin feeling smooth but more tacky while looking matte
• Does not feel weightless to the skin
• Did not control oil in my T-zone
• Made my eyelid primer ineffective, resulting in creased eye shadow as the day wore on
• Product makes the hair tacky and oily looking if you don't cover your hair before use

I hope the list is helpful. I definitely enjoyed all the sun protection I got from this product and I think I prefer using it when I don't have make up on because I can also protect my eyelids without having irritation. I usually avoid my eyes because eventually my facial SPF moisturizer will irritate my eyes as I sweat and become more oily with time, but I have no such problem with Supergoop! and I appreciate being able to use SPF 50 without irritation.

Now for the cons. The biggest downer for me is the texture and the effect it has on my eye shadow. First of all, I prefer to have more velvety skin when I wear make up so I always set my foundation with powder. Most setting sprays I use don't disrupt the texture, however with Supergoop! I have a tacky feel to the skin that's bordering on greasy. I look matte in appearance though, however that only lasts for a few hours. Then I become quite shiny in the T-zone and blotting becomes a necessity before reapplying anymore of the setting mist. Eventually, I just ended up powdering on top of the setting mist to mitigate the tacky feeling, but that doesn't seem like the best solution.

As for the situation with the eye shadow, I could not understand at first, why my eye make up kept creasing when I had no trouble with my primer before. I had thought it was because it's been so much hotter than what I'm used to but then I tried using just my primer and skipping the setting spray all together (I used a moisturizing SPF under the make up) and what do you know, my eye shadow fared much better even in the heat. I haven't quite figured out what to do with this result yet, I don't usually powder my eyelids, but I wonder...

Lastly, when I use this setting mist, I have my spa headband handy to cover my hair. The mist, though very fine, leaves a residue on the hair that frames my face which makes my hair look greasy and unclean. Since this is a spray, you need to hold it 8-10 inches away from you face as per the directions and as a result it does get everywhere. The only way to deal with this for me was prevention.

You probably already guessed it, but I would most definitely not recommend this product if you're looking to use it to set your make up. I love the concept of sun protection that I can put over my make up and I like spray formats because they're faster but this one was not a winner. I do want to try Coola also because I'm wondering if the high SPF 50 is the problem in Supergoop! and since Coola is only SPF 30, I wonder if I would have more success? However, until there's a travel friendly version I won't be shelling out for it.