Clark’s Botanicals Invisible Hero SPF 30

Feels-like-nothing, pore-perfecting, hydrating sunscreen  / 1.7 oz 

Clark’s Botanicals Invisible Hero SPF 30 is one of those sunscreens that’s so good, it restores your faith in the entire sunscreen category. At first, it may make you wonder if there’s some kind of catch, because a mineral sunscreen that blends in so beautifully – no white cast, for real — and neither feels greasy nor drying just seems impossible to find, doesn’t it?

But there’s no catch. Invisible Hero took five years to formulate (and, as creator Francesco Clark noted, “two near nervous breakdowns”) and won a slew of awards even beyond the sunscreen category (New Beauty “Best Natural Sunscreen,” Town & Country “Best New Classic Sunscreen,” and Harper’s Bazaar “Best Anti-Aging Primer”). As far as sunscreens go, this is about as good as it gets.

In case you’re still thinking, “There must be some catch,” we asked Francesco to reveal part of his secret. He explained that different particulate sizes of zinc oxide interact with active ingredients, and his product works with a small (but not nano-sized), uncoated particulate size that imparts a porcelain, nearly poreless finish to the skin. At the same time, time-released niacinamide helps decrease pore size after three weeks of use, and hyaluronic acid “preemptively hydrates before your skin becomes dehydrated after going outside,” which explains why this particular zinc-based sunscreen doesn’t leave us feeling as though all the hydration has been sucked out of our skin, an experience we’ve had with many others. 

It has a very subtle fragrance from a touch of essential oil, part of the Clark’s Botanicals Jasmine Catalyst Complex — a proprietary formula, featuring jasmine extract, that the brand developed specifically for sensitive skin.

We love the travel-friendly airless pump, which dispenses the same amount no matter what. Use Invisible Hero over the Clark’s Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask (yes, we know, it says “Mask,” but it’s an excellent daily/nightly moisturizer) for a deeply soothing experience.

And for extra credit, start with our Sea Serum as your first layer for incredibly well-protected skin.