I’m a Busy Mom Who’s Finally Wearing Daily Sun Protection Thanks to This Viral Sunscreen Stick

It protects your skin from the sun without sacrificing convenience.

Published on August 7, 2023

shisheido sunscreen stick review tout — Parents / Daisy Rodriguez

I have a confession: for most of my childhood, I never wore sunscreen. Growing up, I fell victim to many myths that those of us in the melanated community hear—that we don’t need sunscreen because we have darker skin. The most sun health warnings I heard from my family centered on staying out of the sun so I wouldn’t get too dark. But that’s a conversation to unpack another time.

I wised up as I got older (and severely sunburned) after realizing that my skin is, in fact, very sensitive to the sun. Since then, I use a very high SPF sunscreen when I’m at the beach. Still, outside of a trip to the beach or pool, I wasn’t wearing sunscreen every day, even though I’m super consistent with applying sunscreen to my daughter.

Fortunately, this all changed when I discovered the viral Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick.

Ulta Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+ — Ulta

Buy on Nordstrom $32 $27 Buy on Macy's $32 $25

The discovery came during the pandemic. With all the gyms shut down, I started running and got a serious tan, which got me thinking about how I really should be wearing daily sunscreen. But regular sunscreen on my face feels heavy, is often stinky, and usually doesn’t work well with makeup.

Then I saw a buzzworthy ad for the Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick and was immediately sold. The popular product was always sold out, but eventually, I lucked out—and now, it's even on limited-time sale at Macy's with code VIP and at Nordstrom.

The first thing you need to know is that it’s legitimately clear. Whether you're under natural, sun, or flash light, your skin will look normal. In terms of sun protection, you’ll get broad spectrum SPF 50+—so it protects against UVA and UVB rays—and water resistance for up to 80 minutes.

It also doesn’t smell. I bring this up because I occasionally get migraines with auras, and sometimes they’re triggered by strong smells. I’m hyper-vigilant about this so except for a handful of perfumes and lotions, I prefer unscented products. While the Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick does have a scent, it’s not cloying and I find that it wears well.

Sephora Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+ — Sephora

Buy on Nordstrom $32 $27 Buy on Macy's $32 $27

The stick format also means I do a better job of ensuring that I applied it fully to my face. This is important since the Skin Cancer Foundation notes that adults should be applying a roughly nickel-sized dollop of sunscreen to their face, and the American Academy of Dermatology advises adults to use a one-ounce amount (about the size of a shot glass) for the entire body.

While effective, this is actually a lot of product and probably also contributes to the ashen cast some of us are trying to avoid. But with this clear stick, I can liberally apply sunscreen to both my face and my entire body. And if I want to slather on a second layer for good measure after the first absorbs into my skin, I’m still not worried about the dreaded ghost face.

Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 — Sephora

Buy on Nordstrom $32 $27 Buy on Macy's $32 $27

I also love this sunscreen stick for how well it plays with my makeup. As a beauty influencer, this is an important factor for me. I can use it as a base that works as a primer, and it’s not greasy so it doesn’t cause liquid or cream products to slide or break down. Likewise, it doesn’t encourage pilling or settling into fine lines with powder products either. The stick format is also incredibly convenient and compact—I can literally just toss it in my purse and go and never have to deal with messy caps.

Basically, I no longer have an excuse to not wear sunscreen anymore. As busy parents, it’s easy to forget to do the same thing for yourself that you do for your kids, but it's high time to change that. Our skin health is just as important as theirs, and the Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick makes it a breeze.

It’s pretty clear here that I’m a fan, but I also understand that at $30 for a 0.7-ounce stick, this might fall into the splurge category for many. So, here are a few melanin-friendly sunscreen stick alternatives that won’t make your wallet cry.