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“I feel like I’ve been trying to birth this baby for a year,” Bobbi Brown muses over Zoom. The baby in question being a new Jones Road sunscreen; the first SPF of her cult-favorite label, and arguably one the the most challenging products she’s worked on. Even someone with as much experience as Brown cannot escape the difficulties of formulating a cosmetically elegant mineral sunscreen. But with her latest launch, she proves that anything is possible with effort—and above all, vision.
Determined to make a clean SPF, Brown says a chemical formula was out of the question (chemical sunscreens are often thought to be unsafe for the coral reef and irritable to sensitive skin types). Mineral, on the other hand, is generally considered the most-safe SPF option—creating a physical barrier between the skin and UV rays. The issue then, is that the mineral UV filters zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that create that shield are naturally white powders known to deliver the white cast many of us so dread. The leading question for Brown was: “How do you make one that doesn’t look like you have something on your face?” She adds, “That to me was the bottom line.” No chalkiness. No white cast, just beautiful, protected skin.
Whether Brown is formulating skin-care or makeup, she considers the face her canvas—and her goal is to look at the wearer and think “wow, your skin looks great.” She didn’t necessarily want a tinted sunscreen (she tells me that she’s not fond of them, ironically enough), but rather something that could simply counteract the whitish, bluish veil. A host of color-correcting pigments was her sweet spot, to make the mineral base suitable for anyone.
Jones Road Everyday Sunscreen
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- Why We Love It: Born out of the desire for a clean, mineral sunscreen that paired well with makeup, the Jones Road Everyday Sunscreen is here. The formula leans on zinc oxide for broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, alongside color-correcting pigments to counteract any white cast. With five tints and a composition featuring argan oil and vtiamin E, this resonates with a range of skin tones and types.
- Key Ingredients: Argan oil, vitamin E, bisabolol, propanediol
- Type: Mineral (zinc oxide 15.9%)
- SPF Level: 30
- Size:50 mL / 1.69 fl. oz.
This is where Brown’s artistry shines. “I like the skin to look un-made-up, but perfect,” she says, focusing on evening out the complexion by neutralizing unwanted tones. In the range, there are four tinted shades to choose from. Shade Peachy, Brown’s favorite inspired by her peach color corrector, offsets the white cast on light-medium to medium skin tones; as does Sandy which skews a bit more yellow, great for someone with more red undertones. The Golden (my favorite) shade is true to its name, working best on medium to dark tones, while Apricot is great for people on the deep end of the spectrum. And for those with fair and ivory skin tones, or those who simply do not want a color-correcting sunscreen, there is an Untinted version, too. (Though, since this goes on pretty sheer, it can leave a hint of a cast on some complexions.)
While trying to understand how to make a mineral sunscreen look as best as possible on skin, Brown considered texture too to ensure it had well-rounded appeal. As someone with dry skin, she thought she’d have to pair it with a moisturizer, but on hot, humid days she’s been able to apply the Everyday Sunscreen straight to skin—delivering what she tells me was an “surprising glow.” I normally avoid layering too many products when I’m wearing mineral sunscreen, but the formula blends so well, I feel comfortable knowing that it won’t make my skin feel greasy or weighed down. “I wanted something middle of the road that works,” she says. “We’re not a brand that says ‘blurring’ but when I put it on, I’m freaking blurred. It’s summer, it’s hot, I don’t need to put a foundation on top of it.” Apply it with your fingers, or level-up by pairing the SPF with its complementary Daily Brush.
The cream itself is on the thicker side, designed to massage imperceptibly into a natural finish. She describes this result as the “ideal base”—where skin appears more even via the pigments, and smoother from the silky, almost velvet-like finish of the sunscreen. You can’t ask for much more from an SPF; and while Brown emphasizes that it’s not perfect, we’d say its pretty dang close.
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