Leighton Meester Is ‘Glad’ She Jumped on the ‘SPF Train Pretty Early’ — These Are the 2 Sunscreens She Mixes

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Emma McIntyre / WireImageWhether you’ve got a big trip planned toMonte Carlo oryou’re just spendingThe Weekend Away,don’t forget topack your sunscreen. As a matter of fact, you should be using SPF every day, and not just on vacation.Still not convinced? Listen toLeighton Meester, who always looks radiant and fresh-faced: “I did get on the SPF train pretty early, which I’m glad about,” she said in a recentVoguevideo. The actress, 38, then explained that she uses not one, but twoElta MD sunscreensfor the ultimate skin protection. Turns out, she mixes the brand’s tinted anduntinted formulastogether to create a lighter shade, which she then slathers all over her face and neck.Elta MD UV Restore Untinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40Amazon$46 at AmazonBecause one sunscreen is tinted and the other isn’t, naturally, the formulas vary (though there’s only a $2 difference between the two). According to thebrand’s website, the untinted SPF has zinc oxide to protect against UVA and UVB rays, while hyaluronic acid helps hydrate the skin. Our testers also confirmed the quality of this brand — one of its sister products topped out the “best for dry skin” category, with our team noting that it had a non-greasy moisturizing finish, and this one does, too.Elta MD UV Restore Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40Amazon$48 at AmazonOn the flip side, the tinted formula uses the zinc oxide, too, but squalane is its main moisturizing property. This one also incorporates ginger root to even blur spots and wrinkles, as well as conceal any redness,per the brand. There’s also adeep-tinted versionfor those with darker complexions, but it has an SPF of 45 and it’s from the brand’s UV Clear line.And speaking of the UV Clear line, theuntinted versionwas also used while filmingThe White Lotus,wrote makeup artist Rebecca Hickeyin an email. It was the “#1 choice for SPF on set,” she noted.Plus, the dermatologist-recommended sunscreen is also a shopper favorite: “This is the only non-medical grade sunscreen I can wear that doesn’t cause a horrible breakout, burn my eyes, or even [have] a sunscreen smell,”wrote one reviewer.“I have not been able to find a foundation that didn’t set in my wrinkles,”wrote one 72-year-old user. “This is very moisturizing, not greasy, and has just enough tint to camouflage some of the light age spots that I have.”As for the untinted one, there’s a little debate on whether it leaves a white cast, butmany sayit’s “worth the money.”Head to Amazon to get Leighton Meester’s Elta MD sunscreens now. Then keep scrolling to shop more from the brand.EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 46Amazon$46 at AmazonElta MD UV Physical Tinted Sunscreen for Face SPF 41Amazon$46$32 at AmazonEltaMD UV Lip Balm SunscreenAmazon$34 at Amazon

Photo:Emma McIntyre / WireImage

Emma McIntyre / WireImage

Whether you’ve got a big trip planned toMonte Carlo oryou’re just spendingThe Weekend Away,don’t forget topack your sunscreen. As a matter of fact, you should be using SPF every day, and not just on vacation.Still not convinced? Listen toLeighton Meester, who always looks radiant and fresh-faced: “I did get on the SPF train pretty early, which I’m glad about,” she said in a recentVoguevideo. The actress, 38, then explained that she uses not one, but twoElta MD sunscreensfor the ultimate skin protection. Turns out, she mixes the brand’s tinted anduntinted formulastogether to create a lighter shade, which she then slathers all over her face and neck.Elta MD UV Restore Untinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40Amazon$46 at AmazonBecause one sunscreen is tinted and the other isn’t, naturally, the formulas vary (though there’s only a $2 difference between the two). According to thebrand’s website, the untinted SPF has zinc oxide to protect against UVA and UVB rays, while hyaluronic acid helps hydrate the skin. Our testers also confirmed the quality of this brand — one of its sister products topped out the “best for dry skin” category, with our team noting that it had a non-greasy moisturizing finish, and this one does, too.Elta MD UV Restore Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40Amazon$48 at AmazonOn the flip side, the tinted formula uses the zinc oxide, too, but squalane is its main moisturizing property. This one also incorporates ginger root to even blur spots and wrinkles, as well as conceal any redness,per the brand. There’s also adeep-tinted versionfor those with darker complexions, but it has an SPF of 45 and it’s from the brand’s UV Clear line.And speaking of the UV Clear line, theuntinted versionwas also used while filmingThe White Lotus,wrote makeup artist Rebecca Hickeyin an email. It was the “#1 choice for SPF on set,” she noted.Plus, the dermatologist-recommended sunscreen is also a shopper favorite: “This is the only non-medical grade sunscreen I can wear that doesn’t cause a horrible breakout, burn my eyes, or even [have] a sunscreen smell,”wrote one reviewer.“I have not been able to find a foundation that didn’t set in my wrinkles,”wrote one 72-year-old user. “This is very moisturizing, not greasy, and has just enough tint to camouflage some of the light age spots that I have.”As for the untinted one, there’s a little debate on whether it leaves a white cast, butmany sayit’s “worth the money.”Head to Amazon to get Leighton Meester’s Elta MD sunscreens now. Then keep scrolling to shop more from the brand.EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 46Amazon$46 at AmazonElta MD UV Physical Tinted Sunscreen for Face SPF 41Amazon$46$32 at AmazonEltaMD UV Lip Balm SunscreenAmazon$34 at Amazon

Whether you’ve got a big trip planned toMonte Carlo oryou’re just spendingThe Weekend Away,don’t forget topack your sunscreen. As a matter of fact, you should be using SPF every day, and not just on vacation.

Still not convinced? Listen toLeighton Meester, who always looks radiant and fresh-faced: “I did get on the SPF train pretty early, which I’m glad about,” she said in a recentVoguevideo. The actress, 38, then explained that she uses not one, but twoElta MD sunscreensfor the ultimate skin protection. Turns out, she mixes the brand’s tinted anduntinted formulastogether to create a lighter shade, which she then slathers all over her face and neck.

Elta MD UV Restore Untinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40

Amazon

$46 at Amazon

Because one sunscreen is tinted and the other isn’t, naturally, the formulas vary (though there’s only a $2 difference between the two). According to thebrand’s website, the untinted SPF has zinc oxide to protect against UVA and UVB rays, while hyaluronic acid helps hydrate the skin. Our testers also confirmed the quality of this brand — one of its sister products topped out the “best for dry skin” category, with our team noting that it had a non-greasy moisturizing finish, and this one does, too.

Elta MD UV Restore Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 40

$48 at Amazon

On the flip side, the tinted formula uses the zinc oxide, too, but squalane is its main moisturizing property. This one also incorporates ginger root to even blur spots and wrinkles, as well as conceal any redness,per the brand. There’s also adeep-tinted versionfor those with darker complexions, but it has an SPF of 45 and it’s from the brand’s UV Clear line.

And speaking of the UV Clear line, theuntinted versionwas also used while filmingThe White Lotus,wrote makeup artist Rebecca Hickeyin an email. It was the “#1 choice for SPF on set,” she noted.

Plus, the dermatologist-recommended sunscreen is also a shopper favorite: “This is the only non-medical grade sunscreen I can wear that doesn’t cause a horrible breakout, burn my eyes, or even [have] a sunscreen smell,”wrote one reviewer.

“I have not been able to find a foundation that didn’t set in my wrinkles,”wrote one 72-year-old user. “This is very moisturizing, not greasy, and has just enough tint to camouflage some of the light age spots that I have.”

As for the untinted one, there’s a little debate on whether it leaves a white cast, butmany sayit’s “worth the money.”

Head to Amazon to get Leighton Meester’s Elta MD sunscreens now. Then keep scrolling to shop more from the brand.

EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 46

Elta MD UV Physical Tinted Sunscreen for Face SPF 41

$46$32 at Amazon

EltaMD UV Lip Balm Sunscreen

$34 at Amazon

See More from PEOPLE ShoppingThe 50 Best Amazon Deals Happening This St. Patrick’s Day Weekend — Starting at $7Katie Holmes Can’t Stop Wearing Wide-Leg Jeans — Copy Her Latest Look from $30Amazon’s Fashion Outlet Is Packed with Pretty Celeb-Inspired Dresses Ideal for a Spring Wedding

See More from PEOPLE Shopping

The 50 Best Amazon Deals Happening This St. Patrick’s Day Weekend — Starting at $7Katie Holmes Can’t Stop Wearing Wide-Leg Jeans — Copy Her Latest Look from $30Amazon’s Fashion Outlet Is Packed with Pretty Celeb-Inspired Dresses Ideal for a Spring Wedding

The 50 Best Amazon Deals Happening This St. Patrick’s Day Weekend — Starting at $7

Katie Holmes Can’t Stop Wearing Wide-Leg Jeans — Copy Her Latest Look from $30

Amazon’s Fashion Outlet Is Packed with Pretty Celeb-Inspired Dresses Ideal for a Spring Wedding

source: people.com