My Best Thrift Shopping Tips

circa '20s/'30s silverplate rolltop chafing dish with lovely deco engraved design

thrift price: $35

market price: $150-$325

Thrifting helped put me through graduate school. 

I used to really make a business out of it, getting my route down to a science, consistently shopping it, and reselling either on eBay or to dealers at The Garage (RIP, what a great market). I no longer buy for resale, or even thrift more than once in a blue moon.

But on a beautiful day last week, I had a meeting end two hours early in a neighborhood I used to frequent (but haven't visited in a long time). I grabbed a latté and thought, why not? I found some really great stuff and couldn't help but take home a couple things. Too bad I only have one body and one apartment! I had such a soothing, nostalgic, solo afternoon, which inspired me to share my best thrifting advice with you. All these photos are of what I found just that day!

entirely hand-stitched quilt circa '30s/'40s with one old patch repair

thrift price: $13

market price: $60-$70

A FORMER VINTAGE DEALER'S

ESSENTIAL THRIFTING TIPS:

1. EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFOREHAND

This is undeniably the toughest tip to execute, but it's the most important. To find great stuff, you have to know what you're looking at. The best way to learn which antiques, works of art, and vintage clothes are valuable is to go to places that have the stuff, and learn from people who know a lot about it. I have honestly had innumerable incredible thrift finds, but after reflecting for 10 minutes or so I think my favorite finds over the past 10 years have been: a '50s Dior couture New Look coat ($50), a 19th c. Japanese watercolor ($8), an 1820s/30s French 20k gold and enamel brooch ($2 or $3 in the costume pin basket), a chicken blood jade bangle ($6), two! pre-1950 San Leucio silk bed coverlets ($32 and $18 respectively), a pre-1930 heavily hand embroidered Chinese silk jacket, definitely worn by an official or other elite ($8) . . .

and I wouldn't have bought any of these if I hadn't known the difference between:

-a cheap '90s Dior licensed coat and its label, as compared to a '50s era coat exhibiting couture level workmanship and tailoring, with its set of Dior and numbered couture labels

-a cheap 80s/90s art print with a faux finish antiqued frame, as opposed to a genuine antique watercolor with gallery framing and label verso

-modern goldtoned metal, versus antique tarnished high karat gold

-plastic, glass, or dyed marble, as opposed to jade/jadeite/nephrite

-polyester/rayon/nylon compared to real silk damask

-cheap modern machine embroidery versus priceless antique hand embroidery with rare stitch types

Museums are fantastic for recognizing quality and workmanship, though the odds of finding something of true museum quality in a thrift store are infinitesimally small. 

The absolute best settings for learning are auction previews, high-end retail shops, and trade fairs. While it may be intimidating at times, and you really might get snubbed by the help, many people showing the merchandise are kind (or bored), and would be happy to educate you at length on anything that catches your eye. This in-person experience of seeing up close and touching is priceless. Auction houses post their calendars on their websites; the seasonal Vintage Fashion Guild newsletter lists exhibits, shows, fairs and sales, as does The Magazine Antiques Calendar.

Second best are the same auction houses, dealers and retailers, but in print and online. Anyone can look at the online catalogues and results for Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonham's, Doyle, Skinner, Drouot, Tajan, Phillips, Freeman's, etc. You can usually subscribe to catalogues on certain types of sales, and they have good resale value. If you have no idea where to begin, 1stDibs is a great place to start. Check to see if the dealers there, or those exhibiting at trade fairs, have websites or Instagram accounts. And of course, watch Antiques Roadshow!

I'm sure you've seen lots of blog posts and Youtube videos where people haul the most POINTLESS things at thrift stores, or noticed that Etsy shops with subpar stuff never seem to sell anything. Education is as much about knowing what NOT to buy as about knowing a good buy when you see it.

Mid '60s Jim Thompson Thai Silk Hostess Gowns

thrift price: $55 each

market price: $500-$700 each

2. Shop in wealthy, elderly neighborhoods

Obviously, wealthy people donate better things more frequently. Also keep in mind the average age in a neighborhood; thrift stores in places where grandparents and parents pass away have better finds than areas where young people live, and the merchandise typically moves more slowly as well.

Antique costume design gouache

thrift price: $65

market price: $200-$500 (depending on the company/performance)

3. Go as early as you can

Most merchandise is put out in the morning before opening, and then little by little continuously throughout the day. End-of-day pickings are relatively slim.

4. go on slow days

Thrift stores receive and process most of their donations on weekends, when the people donating are off of work and school. That makes Monday and Tuesday the best days to go.

Antique Chocolate Easter bunny mold

thrift price: $15

market price: $100-$200

5. wear an excessive amount of perfume

Thrift stores do not clean their merchandise, and even high-end ones tend to smell. I wear a solid 8 prophylactic spritzes.

6. don't touch everything; instead, really really look

If something doesn't leap out at you as fabulous, it won't leap out to a friend, guest to your home or buyer either. Lots of people get into the terribly time wasting (and kinda gross!) habit of flicking every hanger or picking up every thing and giving it a cursory inspection. There is no need to touch every hanger on the rack; take a step back and carefully scan the rack twice. Are any textiles notably beautiful? Start there. A cheap ugly dress doesn't get less cheap or ugly when you pull it out and examine its label, even if that label ends up having a designer name. Likewise, you will very quickly learn to see the difference between sterling silver, Sheffield plate and cheap EPNS without flipping over every single tray looking for a hallmark, believe me.

circa 1920-1950 sterling silver screwback earrings

thrift price: $8

market price: $40-$60

7. bring your fully charged phone

Once you've picked out your potentials, you want to make sure you're not overpaying. Don't assume thrift prices are always low. On this most recent trip I came across a really lovely 50s etching by a well known Italian artist of the era, selling for $125, which seemed like a bargain! But when I checked the price, I learned there are actually a LOT of them around and they sell, framed, for $40-$75.

Picclick.com is my favorite site for figuring out market prices on the spot. It's a site that indexes eBay listings with a proprietary algortihm. When you type in any given search term (for example "blue and white tray"), it displays large photos of comps with their prices. Click on the ones that look most like your item, and it not only pulls up more photos and the description, but displays the popularity of the specific listing (in terms of views per day),  and value proposition of the item (based on the range of prices of the 50 closest comps currently listed), as 0-5 "star" ratings (flame symbols for popularity and dollar signs for value), with 0 being the worst and 5 the best. Finally, it shows a second endless scroll of listings that match the clicked-on item the best, constituting a refinement of your initial search. 

Here is a visual: (my original search term in picclick.com was 'blue and white tray'; this is the item I clicked on that looked most like my find)

The stats of comps helps me see quickly what my profit margin might be and how quickly I can turn the item over.

If you don't know what search terms to use in picclick:

FOR CLOTHES: Vintage fashion guild's vintage label resource helps quickly identify the era and designer of a piece; their 'fabric looks like' section helps you find the correct name for a fabric type, and their fur resource helps you discern the different types of fur. All of these have very helpful photos that you can compare to your thrifty find in the store before you buy.

An example of their label resource, search term 'Dior, Christian'

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FOR ANTIQUES: Rubylane is full of vetted, knowledgeable dealers who thoroughly describe and tag their items, and call each other out on mistakes and misrepresentations. Just typing a simple term like 'gold sconce' into the search box will bring up enough well photographed, highly detailed comps to figure out if you're looking at mid-century/Dorothy Draper style/gold leafed plaster or circa 1910/ French art nouveau/gilded bronze.

Visual results for search term 'gold sconce' show different types of related items with very different values, from different eras

FOR ART: I love Artnet! If there's a signature or gallery label anywhere on what you have, type it into the searchbox. They will show you photos of artworks, artist bios, exhibitions, plus the galleries and auctioneers that have handled the item or artist in the past. Once you see the piece or artist, click through to see current auction estimates or gallery prices, and google "(piece or artist) results" to find auction price results. Invaluable.com won't show you realized prices if you're not a paying member, but they will show pre-auction estimates from past auctions, which is fine when you're still just standing in a shop trying to decide to buy or not. Sotheby's, Christies and Bonhams results from the past 20 years are listed on their sites and show up in google searches.

Here's an example: Once, I encountered a small sculpture signed "Frink," which didn't ring a bell, and searched on artnet. Look at all the info about the artist and the current market for her work! Clicking on the specific sculpture, I immediately knew it was worth buying at any (thrift) price:

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Even if you can't figure out the artist or read the signature, if there's a gallery label from a place listed on artnet, you're onto something good: they only list legit high-end places. If it's signed and labeled clearly and not showing up there, it's probably not good, but check PicClick just in case.

Circa 1910s-1920s French gilt bronze wall lights

thrift price: $125

market price $300-$1000

8. Be Picky

I could have purchased and resold every find I've photographed here (plus the 5 others that didn't make it into this post) at a profit, eventually. Key word being, eventually. I learned the hard way years ago that the thrill of taking home a find is not worth turning my tiny apartment into a bubble wrap accented warehouse. Margins are high but turnover is very slow in the vintage/antique world, so unless you've got a lot of extra space (physically and emotionally), it's best to only take home what works for you, your family, and your home, right now. Or really small things!

'10s or '20s Venetian amethyst glass decanter with sterling silver painted overlay and original stopper

thrift price: $18

market price: $40-$60

Bauhaus bar cart with minor condition issues

thrift price: $75

market price $700-$900

circa 1920 metal plant stand

thrift price: $150

market price: $400

'40s or '50s gilt metal cuff bracelet

thrift price: $4

market price: $50

100% cotton knit blanket and matelassé heavily embroidered scallop edged coverlet, both twin size with no damage

thrift price: 2 for $20

market price: $20-$30 for the blanket; $250 the coverlet

vintage Czech kitchen canister sets

thrift price:$30 each

market price: $75- $100 each

watersnake and python purses

thrift price: $7 each

market price: $40 and $100 respectively

circa 1830-1860 North Staffordshire dinner plate

thrift price: $8

market price: $30-$40

'80s coffee cannisters and GIGANTIC Dunkin' Donuts thermos

PRICELESS

Do you have any great thrifting tips?

Should I start selling my finds on Depop?

 

The BCBG of Inès de la Fressange

Model, Aristo, Entrepreneur . .  

Inès de la Fressange is the definition of bon chic, bon genre. She's also one of those rare women who somehow get better looking with age. The daughter of a marquis, an icon of beauty at 18, Karl Lagerfeld's exclusive muse for 6 years (that's a long time for that petty man!), her bio makes you expect her to look a certain way . . . that she doesn't. 

Her style is preppy, androgynous, quintessentially French: casual jeans-and-tee looks rescued by a killer pair of Viviers, mussed up bob, and slick of red lipstick. I'm a huge fan of elevated lazy (as an aesthetic, not a personal attitude!) and Mlle de la Fressange is the Queen.

In a 1991 interview she said a navy cashmere sweater was her favorite item of clothing. 1991! That was the year Gianni Versace did neon Warhol print spandex. Can we take a quiet moment to reflect on the refinement of this woman?

Inès has been a French style Icon for 40 years. If you are looking for an authority on Parisian chic, she literally wrote the book.

So how did I almost miss her Uniqlo Collab Collection?!? No matter, almost all is still available and about half is now on sale. AND IT IS GOOD.

All the pieces are demure, timeless, and very casual. The collection works in a very limited, classic palette (white, ivory, navy, baby blue and pink, with the very occasional touch of faded red or grass green); its variety is in the silhouettes: there are classic cuts appropriate for every body type here. The fabrics are also good quality; most everything is 100% cotton or cotton/linen blend, with just a few rayon or rayon blend pieces. 

Inès de la Fressange did not pull any of the oft-seen tricks used by fashion designers collaborating with low-end retailers, such as endless poly chiffon scarves and cheap tote bags, or outlandish prints that burn into memory as 'from the cheap line' (rather than allow for a future in which they are mistaken for something boutique). I really appreciate her kind consideration and pragmatism.

So let's break it down:

1. Collared shirts for every body type

If you want to cover up your arms, or belly, or cleavage, you've got options. There is just enough detail to feel special (a cuff in a contrasting print; a red embroidered buttonhole). 

2. classic layering sweaters

They're great alone, they're great over any of these shirts or dresses.

3. Easygoing skirts and dresses

Wear them with sexy heels for a striking contrast, wear them with boat shoes to just get on with your day, ride a bike in them whatever your footwear.

4. navy and white slacks in midcentury cuts

These are mercifully acceptable on any body type, at any age.

5.  finish up with a simple blazer and bag

To get the signature IdlF look, wear any of these ensembles with the hems rolled up in layers, a crossbody bag and a flashy pair of flats or single outstanding jewel. To dress up, keep the pieces and proportions the same, but up the ante on the textiles piece by piece- a silk blouse, velvet jacket, brocade flats, satin slacks, or jeweled purse.

If (when!) you fall in love with the IdlF mode of dressing, you can shop her namesake boutique online. They ship worldwide.

Here are my current favorite picks:

“You are never too old and you should never lose interest in what’s new now.”

— Inès de la Fressange

Are you as obsessed with her as I am?

Escape to Target for an exotic dream

OpalHouse, Target's newest housewares line

As we all know, I keep tabs on what's new at Target. It's the only place in New York City I can buy Pixi by Petra makeup AND it's SUCH a good option for a guilt-free impulse buy. 

Today Target debuted their new housewares line, OpalHouse. GEMS I TELL YOU, GEMS. 

As per usual, I have scouted OpalHouse online to learn the inventory, then scouted it in person to check for quality, and finally saved only my favorites in a dedicated Pinterest board. So, if you'd like to save yourself the trouble of scrolling through 30 PAGES of items and shop from my picks, CLICK HERE.

Collection Highlights:

1. picnic & patio

THIS COLLECTION IS GIVING ME MERCHANT-IVORY MOVIE PICNIC FANTASIES.

Imagine we're setting up a picnic worthy of a Victorian Grand Tour party. 

What will we sit on? Stunning outdoor rugs,

Layered beneath complementing picnic blankets,

Reclining on coordinating outdoor floor pillows,

Shaded from the sun by stylish umbrellas,

And what will we dine and drink from? Charming, lightweight, and unbreakable plastic dishes and flatware,

and cups and serveware,

organized with the occasional rattan tray,

with paper napkins, on paper placemats, on overturned (lightweight yet sturdy) baskets as tables!

inspiration: Royal Ascot, Marie Antoinette, A Room with a View.

OK, I have to peace out from this engrossing daydream.

---

2. Bargain Priced Velvet Bedding

TARGET'S RENDITION OF THIS LUXE TREND IS SHOCKINGLY GOOD QUALITY.

$600 at Neiman Marcus gets you a velvet quilt. $600 at Target gets you a velvet quilt, two shams, three accent pillows, a headboard and an ottoman for the foot of the bed.

inspiration: Neiman Marcus, Elle Decor UK

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• 3. removable wallpaper

• IT'S NOT JUST FOR RENTERS! I mean yes, these are among the few patterns in good taste available to renters, bravo Target. But removable wallpaper is also good for wallpaper virgins, people who prefer updating seasonally/annually, and those on a super strict budget who will DIY anyway.

inspiration: Helen Dealtry's photos of Secondhand Rose, before it closed

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Dorothy Draper reigning over the Greenbrier

4. high-end "inspired" prints

Prints are a consistent weak point at the low end of interiors retailing, and Target is typically no exception; there are lots of bad prints in this line too. But these particular OpalHouse prints have me doing double takes like~ Dorothy Draper, is that you? Edward Zajac?!?! Clarence House, is this a licensing deal? Diane von Furstenberg, ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS?  That's a good thing.

DESIGN LEGENDS ON THE LEFT, TARGET ON THE RIGHT:

inspiration: design legends

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5. this rattan bar cart

It's a goddamn classic. Spend $150 now, have it for the rest of your life and your children will inherit. Do I have my my grandfather's 1940s rattan drinks trolley and brass lunch carrier he brought from Hong Kong? No, my awful uncle does, but I sure as hell remember them! And I've always intended to purchase equivalents on the antiques market, at my convenience. This bar cart will do!

inspiration: as close to my memory as I could muster on a 20 minute google journey . . . they lived in a gazebo year round, btw, of course

Will you be picking anything up from OpalHouse at Target?

Sunscreen Review: Giorgio Armani Beauty Maestro UV Skin Defense Primer SPF 50

Claims: Absorbs oil, softens the complexion and blurs imperfections, serves as a light weight make-up primer.

Ingredients (Good): Glycerine and Vitamin E.

Ingredients (Bad): Synthetic fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene and Linalool.

Ratings: Broad Spectrum SPF 50

Cost /Value: $64 (1 fl oz) / Incredibly expensive sunscreen.

It is Chemical Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are 3% Avobenzone, 5% Octisalate and 7.5% Octinoxate. 

It DOES smell. It has a bit of a classic sunscreen smell.

It DOES sting in my eyes. It took between 40-50 minutes to migrate to my eyes. At which point, it did start stinging mildly. It was only at around 2 hrs post application that I felt really uncomfortable due to the stinging. After that, the stinging sensation would ebb and flow over the next 5 hours or so, but wasn't incredibly problematic. After the 5 hours or so of wear, the stinging sensation did not come back. In my opinion, that's too much irritation to repurchase the sunscreen. If you have never reacted poorly to chemical sunscreens, this might work for you. 

It did NOT gather in my under eye wrinkles.

It did NOT leave a white cast on my skin. It is completely sheer. 

It did NOT dry down in 20 minutes or less. This has a thick oily finish that transfers off extremely easily and doesn't set or dry down at all. The first day I tested this, I wore it all by itself; it was not absorbed into the skin at all over the course of the day. It stayed thick and oily all day.

If you like priming with a layer of  facial oil before spreading out your foundation as thinly as possible, to achieve asuper dewy wet look finish, this could be a match for you. Even with the most matte drying foundations I own, this made everything look not just oily but wet-look.

Another reason why I don't like it with make-up, is because it absolutely mixes with the make-up. Even with the lightest touch and a flat brush, as you're spreading the foundation on your face, you can see the sunscreen finish mixing with the foundation. If you really over apply this initially, enough of it to may remain on your face to achieve the labelled SPF despite having mixed completely with your foundation. That said, I can’t see how you would end up with an even sunscreen film with this under liquid foundation.

One alternative I tried was mineral or powder foundation. I found this to be so oily, that it will give you a dewy finish even with a super dry mineral foundation. Over the course of the day, it will get more and more oily. Even with a mineral or powder foundation, you still end up with an oily finish that needs to be powdered. Honestly, this stuff is just too oily. 

It best suited for extremely dry skin. This is the only skin type I could see this working for. 

Texture and consistency: This comes with a dropper, it is a very liquidy texture. 

I would recommend this sunscreen to people with extremely dry skin. For anybody else, I don’t think it is worth of money, and even for people with super super dry skin, you can always buy a cheap moisturiser and cheap chemical sunscreen instead of buying this. 

Unfortunately, I do feel that this falls in the category of really careless subpar skin care sold under designer names for extravagant prices. Relying on our trust as customers that a name like Armani would only bring us the best and that is so unfortunate. I  would never repurchase this, but I get why people do.

Sunscreen Review: No Ad Baby Sunscreen Stick SPF 50

So I am shocked at how much I like this sunscreen! It's totally chemical, completely wax based, unwearable with makeup . . . yet it has its benefits. I think No Ad Baby Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 is a great choice for outdoor exercise if you just can't stand any white cast, and it's very water resistant.

Claims: Paraben free, water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, appropriate for children.

Ingredients (Good): Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Coco Seed Butter and Organic Beeswax.

Ratings: Broad Spectrum SPF 50

Cost/Value: $2-9 (18 grams) / if you get it between $2-6 it is a cheap sunscreen.

It is a Chemical Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are 3% Avobenzone, 10% Homosalate, 7.5% Octinoxate, 5% Octisalate and 5% Octocrylene.

It did NOT gather in my under eye wrinkles.

It did NOT leave a white cast in my skin. It is completely sheer even upon initial application. 

It did NOT dry down in 20 minutes or less. It stays thick, sticky and slightly shiny from the moment you apply to the moment you take it off. It doesn't change at all during the day.

It did NOT sting my eyes. Normally my eyes can get pretty sensitive with Avobenzone and Homosalate; with this sunscreen stick it did not happen. I suspect that's because the sunscreen filters are suspended in this thick solid beeswax stick base, it doesn’t migrate to the eyes, unlike other lotion or gel chemical sunscreen.

It DOES smell. It has a slight chemical odour but it doesn’t linger.

It really looks lousy under make-up. I tried it with every single brush type. Flat paddle foundation brush, synthetic airbrush foundation, natural goat hair blending brush, I tried it with every type of foundation from tinted moisturiser to super dry matte to powder and mineral foundations. It is completely unwearable with anything other than a powder or mineral foundation. It's too thick, too sticky it will make whatever you trying to put on top of it; it's incredibly shiny, oily, wet look, streaky, impossible to correct.

This is not intended to be worn with make-up. If you are desperate, you can put a powder or mineral foundation over it, as long as you really stamp it on with a flat type brush and don’t blend it too much. That will both maintain the sunscreen film and give you the coverage that you're looking for. When I say the coverage you are looking for, I mean 20 times the coverage. We are talking about wax combined with mineral powders, that's like full coverage is understatement  for the finish you end up with. 

It DOES stay throughout the day. It is really water-resistant. I wore this on a rainy day, it did not affect the sunscreen film. Water pretty much beaded off of my face. 

It is fine for anybody who doesn't intend to wear make-up and doesn't mind a super shiny and oily looking finish. It is best for people with super dry and super dehydrated skin, because it doesn’t highlight any sort of texture on the skin and it is completely sheer. In fact, you can sort of moisturise any dry scaly or patches that you might have. It serves as an incredible occlusive. This is beeswax, if you are spending lots of time every morning trying to moisturise your skin and seal that moisture, this sunscreen will do all the sealing in for you. Anything you put under this, will be completely occluded from the environment. So it will either be absorbed into your skin or sit on top of it. But it won’t evaporate or degrade in any way.

Texture and consistency: After its application, it is completely sheer. It is shiny but it is not as shiny as most chemical liquid sunscreen I've encountered which tend to have a very oily, shiny finish. Beeswax based has a relatively more natural finish to it. Although on the face, it does look super dewy.

I highly recommend this sunscreen, because this is one of the few chemical sunscreens I've encountered that doesn't bother my eyes. Stays in place throughout the day amazingly. It's perfect for outdoor activities, it reapplies on top of itself very sheerly. You can layer this on 2 or 3 times during the day without looking the worse for wear. It is very reasonably priced.

Sunscreen Review: Naris Up Parasola Illumi Skin UV Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ (Cream)

Claims: To correct sallow olive or yellow skin to a neutral bright tone, "blue + pink equals to lavender", "make-up to slim times clear equals beautiful skin".

Ingredients (Good): 3 forms of Vitamin C (Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, VCIP-known as Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate and Trisodium Ascorbyl Palmitate Phosphate), Arbutin (reduces melanin production), Hyaluronic Acid, Jobs Tears extract (soothes inflammation), Raffinose (a great skin barrier strengthening ingredient that increases lipid synthesis and regulates keratin production, helping to prevent symptoms of psoriasis, dermatitis and rosacea), Licorice Root extract (helps lighten pigmentation and soothe inflammation), Chamomile (anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory), Hydrolysed Collagen, Placental Protein and Vitamin E.

Ingredients (Bad): Lavender Oil (which can be irritating to some people) and contains Alcohol.

Ratings: SPF 50+ PA++++

Cost/Value: $25-30 (2.8 oz) on Ebay / Good Deal.

It is a Combination Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are Octinoxate, Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus and Titanium Dioxide.

It did NOT sting my eyes.

It DOES smell. It has a light fruity or floral fragrance.

It did NOT gather in my under eye wrinkles.

It DOES leave a white cast in your skin, depending on how you use it. This is a light grayish purple colour sunscreen. Depending on how much you use, it will stay opaquely that shade. If you wear quite a bit of it all by itself, you will have a slight grayish purple cast to your skin. If you don’t apply it evenly, you could get a streaky grayish purple cast to your skin.

It DOES dry down in 20 minutes or less. It sets into a transfer resistant finish. It sheers out somewhat but not much. If there are purple streaks when you initially apply this to your face, there will be purple streaks on your face when it dries. You really have to get this even and thick upon initial application, which can be time consuming and has a learning curve.

This is one of those textures that for some reason sucks up foundation. Wearing this as a base, required the use of perhaps double the amount of application I would otherwise ordinary use. This sunscreen didn’t seem to affect the longevity of my makeup and it's thick enough and stiff enough that it really holds its own during make up application. I felt very comfortable applying liquid foundation on top of this. I felt very confident that an even sunscreen film had been maintained. 

In terms of its lavender shade making you lighter and brighter, it definitely works. I personally don’t have yellow or olive skin, I have very red skin. I tried this under both a serum foundation and tinted moisturizer that are  both too dark and too yellow for me to see if it would lighten up the shade and neutralize that golden undertone. It definitely did lighten them by a shade or so and also neutralized yellow undertones. And that effect was further emphasized once the foundations were powdered. Although I only used translucent powder, the combination of sunscreen and foundation looked even lighter, even rosier and slightly blurred once powdered. I really did get a porcelain finish wearing this sunscreen underneath foundation and powder.

For testing purposes, I wanted to try it under a sheer serum foundation and tinted moisturiser to see if the purple would show through at all. And yes, it will work under tinted moisturiser but only if the initial application is absolutely even. Otherwise, an inconsistent application of this sunscreen, will show through the tinted moisturiser or super light coverage foundation. 

For that reason, I wouldn't try to colour correct with this. It's already a lavender sunscreen; it's not a great idea to try throw peach, green and other colours on top of this, plus foundation and concealer on top of that, and expect it to look even and good. 

It works best under light to medium coverage foundation. A totally full coverage foundation will negate any effect this might have on your skin tone. With light to medium foundation, you get all the neutralizing and brightening benefits without having to worry about perfect initial application, as you must if you wear it under a sheer foundation or tinted moisturiser.

This is a solid sunscreen that stays put all day long. 

This is NOT good for dry skin. It looks fine at first but alcohol is too high on the ingredients list. The finish is too dry and matte for me to recommend it to somebody with dry skin. 

Texture and consistency: After the initial application, I spread it out as even as I can. It shows, it has lavender cast to it. After 20 minutes, it is completely matte. It is transfer resistant proof. It still has soft lavender cast. I think, it really depends on what is your complexion is like to start with. I am pale enough, for me wearing this alone would really truly make me look like a zombie ghost. But perhaps, if you are sharing out with the complexion that's a little bit darker, a little bit more olive; you could wear this all by itself as long as you applied this evenly. 

I would recommend this sunscreen. It's a reasonable price, it has lots of skin care ingredients and it will lighten your complexion, not permanently but cosmetically in the same way that any white casts sunscreen featuring titanium dioxide would. Except, I think the lavender tint of this makes it more appealing and easy to work with under make up. 

Sunscreen Review: Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Sunscreen SPF 30

I reviewed this by request because I was curious, knowing it is an extremely popular sunscreen. I think it is a very common misconception that sunscreens with lower SPF will have better cosmetic elegance than sunscreens with higher SPFs. 

Claims: Anti-oxidant, Anti-microbial and soothing properties

Ingredients: Algae extract, Sunflower Sprout extract, Grape Juice extract, Glycerine, Morula Oil, Aloe Leaf extract, Irish Moss, Astaxanthin-rich Algae extract, Sunflower Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Raspberry Seed Oil, Wheat Protein, Vitamin E, Glucosamine, Vitamin C and Mica.

Ratings: Broad Spectrum SPF 30 

Cost/Value: $34 (fl. oz) / relatively cheap/ reasonably sunscreen. 

It is 100% Physical Sunscreen. Its active ingredient is 20% Zinc Oxide.

It did NOT smell.

It did NOT sting my eyes.

It DOES leave a white cast on my skin. This sunscreen is so grainy, super white, patchy and weirdest of all is stringy. This is second ugliest sunscreen I have ever put in my face!

It DOES gather in my wrinkles.

It did NOT dry down in 20 minutes or less. It doesn't dry down to a dry touch finish, but it sets in about 25-30 minutes. It stays pretty sticky, heavy and easily transfers off throughout the day.

It did NOT look good under make-up. It looks horrible under make-up, because of that stringy, peeling, balling up weird texture this is so impossible to wear make-up over.

It DOES stick around throughout the day. Because it is a 20% Zinc Oxide sunscreen, its protecting you as long as it's on your face. 

It is NOT suitable to anyone. It is going to look thick, stringy and confusing on every single person that applies enough of it to actually get the SPF reading on the tube out of it.

Texture and Consistency: It has strangely grainy, super thick, super white texture. I tried to blend it out evenly. After 20 minutes, it is still thick, white, uneven, very opaque, and quite shiny thanks to that mica. It also doesn't correct easily.

I do not recommend this sunscreen. 

Sunscreen Review: Bioré UV Aqua Rich Whitening Essence SPF 50+ PA++++

Claims: Actively treats hyper-pigmentation and protects from the sun

Ingredients (Good): German Chamomile extract (anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, inhibit melanin synthesis), Squalene (moisturiser), Vitamin E (anti-oxidant), Glycerine (classic humectant), Oleate Acid (Humectant), Fatty Alcohols (moisturising) and Hyaluronic Acid.

Explaining the efficacy of German Chamomile: The substance in the extract that inhibits melanin synthesis is called bisabolol. There are lots of sunscreen that contains bisabolol without making whitening claims. The German Chamomile extract in this sunscreen is not fermented, distilled, or otherwise concentrated in any way. It is definitely not the most effective way to lighten skin. Using a sunscreen like this in will no way compare to laser or bleaching treatments overseen by a dermatologist. On the other hand, if you are already using a hydroquinone or niacinamide in your skincare, this product won't interact with them or impede them in any way. That is a benefit in and itself.

Ratings: SPF 50+ PA++++

Cost/Value: $9-14 (33 grams) on Yes Style and Ebay / Fair/reasonable/average price and a good deal.

It is a Combination Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are Zinc Oxide, Octinoxate, Uvinul A Plus and Titanium Dioxide.

It DOES sting my eyes very slightly. 

It DOES smell. It is advertised as having a fresh fruit fragrance, and it does have fragrance to it , but it is not particularly strong and it doesn't linger on skin.

It did NOT gather in my undereye wrinkles.

It DOES leave a soft white cast on my skin. If you blend it out perfectly evenly, it is wearable but not necessarily flattering by itself. It will make you a shade or so whiter without being really obvious the way some sunscreens are. 

It DOES dry down in 20 minutes or less. It dries really quick to a transfer resistant finish. Working from the top of my face downwards, by the time I was applying this sunscreen to my cheeks, my forehead had already dried. 

It DOES look good under make up. I did not see that it made any substantive difference in the colour, texture or wear time of my foundation.

 It stuck around as long as my foundation did. 

This will work for any skin type. Despite its ingredients, it's not particularly moisturising nor is it mattifying. If you have normal or combination skin, this will absolutely work for you. If you have dry skin, it shouldn't pose a problem. I can’t speak to very oily skin, but I think it is worth a shot. It didn't break up on my T-zone which gets oily for me over the course of the day.

In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this sunscreen. It is reasonably price, completely unobtrusive, a high SPF and PA ratings and it gives the freckles and hyper pigmented people like me a little bit of hope.

Sunscreen Review: Supergoop Play Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50 PA +++

Claims: Cellular Response Technology (This technology helps protect skin not only from UVA and UVB rays, but also infrared radiation), very anti-oxidant rich formula and water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.

Ingredients (Good): Syringylidenemalonate (serves to stabilize the UV filters in the formula not scavenge free radicals on skin), lots of fatty acids, Allantoin (soothing), Thermus Thermophillus Ferment extract (enzyme with anti-oxidant properties activated by heat), Candle Brush extract (also known as Ringworm Bush-a strong antifungal), Beta-Glucan (a soothing sugar than can decrease irritation and redness) and Vitamin E.

Ingredients (Bad): Phenoxyethanol, Rosewood Oil, Orange Peel Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Leaf Oil, Basil Leaf Extract, geranium Extract, Patchouli Oil and Synthetic Fragrance (Geraniol and citralool).

Ratings: SPF 50 PA +++ 

Cost/Value: $19 (2.4 oz), $32 (7.5 oz), $48 (18 oz) / Pretty Cheap Sunscreen

It is a completely Chemical Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are 10% Homosalate, 7.5% Octinoxate, 5% Octisalate and 3% Avobenzone.

It DOES sting my eyes. It migrated into my eyes between 40-50 minutes after application. It became absolutely unbearable over the course of the next hour. It is one of the few sunscreens that I actually had to remove from around my eyes just in order to keep my eyes open and see straight.

It DOES smell. It has a semi-strong herbal fragrance.

It did NOT gather in my undereye wrinkles.

It did NOT leave a white cast on my skin. It is completely sheer.

It DOES dry in 20 minutes or less. It set in a thin completely sheer somewhat shiny finish. It actually resembles the look of a dry oil on the skin, but unfortunately transfers off quite easily.

For being so thin, this stays put very well under makeup. It doesn’t change the texture of your make up or its finish.

Applying an appropriate amount of sunscreen, this stays for an average amount of time, approximately 5-6 hours. That said, it is completely chemical, and so should be reapplied more frequently than that.

This is not suitable for sensitive skin and sensitive eyes. Otherwise it could work for any skin type because it has such a thin consistency and a totally sheer finish. 

Texture and consistency: Initially it is not watery or runny at all, it is a true lotion. Spreading it out, it has a very slight white cast. After 20 minutes, it's completely sheer and it has rather more sheen than shine to it. It's a rather subtle finish as far as chemical sunscreen go.

In conclusion, I don’t think it is a great idea to put this sunscreen on your face. 

Sunscreen Review: Privacy UV Face Mist SPF 50+ PA++++

Claims: Good touch-up sunscreen for the middle of the day, appropriate for body, hair and face.

Ingredients (Good): Castor Oil, Glycerine, Hydrolised Collagen, Hyaluronc Acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. 

Ingredients (Bad): Synthetic Fragrance, Ylang-Ylang Extract, Rosemary Leaf Oil, Lavender Oil and Orange Peel Oil.

Ratings: PF 50+ PA++++

Cost/Value: $6-18 (1.35 fl oz) in Ebay and Amazon / Great Deal.

It is a 100% Chemical Sunscreen. Its active ingredients are Octinoxate, Avobenzone, Ensulizole and Tinosorb S.

It DOES sting my eyes, when spread in your eyes or accidentally rub it. It did not migrate into my eyes.

It DOES smell. It has a very fake fruit smell and features a lot of synthetic and natural fragrance.

It did NOT gather in my wrinkles. 

It did NOT leave a white cast on my skin. It is a completely sheer sunscreen.

It DOES dry down in 20 minutes or less. It dries very quickly, in just 5 minutes or less, to a sticky rather shiny finish.

Wearing it under make up, requires the use of more liquid foundation that I would otherwise typically use. I also found that it very slightly emphasized skin texture in an unflattering way, though nothing that couldn’t be corrected with powder and concealer. It didn’t have a flattering or priming effect as some sunscreens do. I think this is a good choice for wearing under sheer dewy foundations and tinted moisturizers, because it is completely sheer, and shiny. It also sets firmly and is very sticky. It stays in place, and doesn’t whiten or mattify a sheer foundation or render it streaky and unworkable. 

This sunscreen will add a pretty dewy sheen even over a matte foundation. However, it doesn’t serve any purpose to set or preserve make up. In fact, it does the opposite, encouraging make-up to crease and separate faster than it otherwise would. Over powdered make up, it would also give a dewy or shiny look, with a serious caveat. The droplets of this sunscreen mist, even once dry, shine visibly against the powdered face in a light application. If you spread this pretty heavily, of course your entire face will be shiny. But if you spread it rather lightly, you'll see the individual droplets contrasting against your finish. 

It DOES wear well throughout the day. I found this to be a very tenacious sunscreen.

This is NOT good for sensitive skin or to anybody who hates fragrance. There is SO much fragrance in it, natural and synthetic. I also don't think it's appropriate for congested skin. This is so sticky and quite difficult to remove from the face. I wouldn’t suggest this for anybody who has issues with clogged pores, blackheads and whiteheads.

Texture and consistency: To create a fully protective sunscreen film with this requires between 20-30 spritzes. Touching up over make-up requires between 10-15 spritzes. 

I honestly like this sunscreen a lot more than I expected to. If you aren’t planning on wearing make-up, exercising outdoors, or just running around in the sun, yet require a completely sheer sunscreen, this is really a good choice. I am not convinced of its utility over make up. On the plus side, even a huge amount of this can be applied without a mirror. On the downside, this is an entirely chemical formula and entirely chemical sunscreen filters work best when applied directly to the skin, not over a bunch of other stuff. 

In conclusion, I would recommend this, just because it's so tough to find cosmetically appealing touch-up sunscreens. And it is very reasonably priced.