Everyone raves about this stuff. But ‘clean’ is a marketing term — not a regulation.
The real question: does Supergoop!’s invisible formula actually avoid the sketchy stuff, or is it just greenwashed goop?
Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. $38 for 1.7 oz. They claim it’s a “100% invisible, scentless, weightless” primer and sunscreen.
The Feel
Truly vanishes in 10 seconds — no white cast, ever.
The Finish
Blurs pores like a silicone-based primer (because it is one).
The Claim
“Clean, reef-friendly” formula with no oxybenzone or octinoxate.
Photo: Derek Owens / Unsplash
It’s a chemical sunscreen. The active filters are avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene. The ‘reef-friendly’ claim is legal — it avoids the two banned in Hawaii.
But ‘clean’? The first ingredient after water is dimethicone. This is a silicone gel.
- Dimethicone Crosspolymer: The blurring, velvety film-former
- Red Algae: Their antioxidant ‘hero’ — but it’s way down the list
- Meadowfoam Seed Oil: For slip, not major hydration
- Frankincense: For ~vibes~, not proven skincare benefits
Photo: Jana Ohajdova / Unsplash
Weird texture — like a slick, putty-like gel. It feels cool, then totally disappears. Makes skin feel like silicone-coated marble.
After two weeks, I noticed more blackheads on my nose. That silicone film traps everything. Great for blurring, bad for clog-prone pores.
Photo: National Cancer Institute / Unsplash
Didn’t get burned. Pores looked smoothed under makeup. But it’s not a skincare treatment — it’s a cosmetic sunscreen hybrid.
A brilliant cosmetic product, not a ‘clean’ skincare miracle. The greenwashing is in the marketing — not the (perfectly effective) formula.