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Beeple’s NFT ‘Everydays’ Sells For $69,346,250 at Christie’s

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Beeple’s NFT ‘Everydays’ Sells For ,346,250 at Christie’s

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Art Installation N°1 by Carlos Marcial. Rhett Dashwood / YouTube

The art world, for obvious reasons, tends to annoy a lot of people. The dizzying network of baffling sticker prices and fairs is notorious for its ever-escalating investments into high-priced digital commodities, and recently, the auction circuit has recaptured the attention of the general public with the meteoric rise of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens. 

What are they? One-of-a-kind or limited-edition digital items connected to the Ethereum blockchain which, by containing an artist’s signature, connote authenticity and subsequent proof of ownership for a potential buyer.

If you’re listening to rabidly enthusiastic tech moguls or entrepreneurial celebrities, NFTs are the wave of the future; ingenious artistic delivery systems akin to tradeable baseball cards that may soon be as ubiquitous as the MP3. 

However, just because a select few people are getting rich off of this exploding trend doesn’t mean every artist or individual has the chance to, or that this form of digital artwork is guaranteed to capture the imagination of the mainstream. For the moment, NFTs are in their incubation stage, but that incubation stage has been undeniably triumphant.  

Last December, the artist Mike Winkelmann, who goes by the better-known name Beeple, broke a record for the most valuable artwork auctioned off on the blockchain-based platform Nifty Gateway when 20 of his NFT works were sold for over $3.5 million. Beeple’s aesthetic is broadly crowd-pleasing; his imagery references Star Wars, cartoons and abstract futurism, and in the months that followed, Winkelmann has only continued to rake in ever-escalating profits. 

Christie’s, recognizing the potential, quickly put together an auction for Beeple’s “Everydays – The First 5000 Days.” The piece sold today at a resounding $69,346,250. 

“NFTs I’m quite new to, actually,” Winkelmann told Observer on Tuesday. “I really only came to the NFT space four and a half months ago in mid-October, but I’ve been creating digital art for a very long time. The NFTs are really just a way to sell the artwork that I’d already been making, and I’d also built up a following in the digital art space well before that.” 

Beeple is certainly the biggest name in NFTs so far, but he’s far from the only headline-maker: in February, a “remastered” NFT version of the infamous Nyan cat GIF sold for $551,541 on the platform Foundation, and the musician Grimes recently sent tongues wagging when 10 of her NFT pieces sold for around $6 million. 

“I do think there is somewhat of a bubble, to be quite honest,” Winkelmann continued. “It’s something that I was actually fairly worried about for a while, and now I’m not worried about it at all. I really compare this to the early days of the Internet, because I think this technology is such a blank slate, I look at it kind of like a webpage. You could use a webpage for a billion different things, and we’re still figuring out new uses for them. And NFTs are so simple; it’s literally just proving ownership of something on the Internet. I think that has a huge amount of uses that we have barely scratched the surface of.” 

Justin Ouellette, a Portland, Oregon-based designer interested in innovative forms of 3D and digital art, launched an NFT collection in February. On Twitter, Ouellette has spoken transparently about his belief in the potential of NFTs while clarifying that artists should be reasonably skeptical about the risks involved. 

“I think that any artist who is curious about it should learn more,” Ouellette told Observer. “Just being curious about it is really all that it takes, but it’s still a very unproven technology, it’s an unproven landscape.” Transforming digital artwork into NFTs, Ouellette said, is “definitely a complex process and there’s a few different steps and it requires being a little bit technically inclined or having the help of someone who is.” 

It may also be the case that artists without massive, pre-established follower counts in the millions like the one Beeple has should tread carefully before investing too much into the idea that NFTs could be the ticket to instant profitability. Singer-songwriter Zola Jesus first found out about NFTs in 2020. 

“Initially, I was excited to discover a new means for independent artists to find support for their work,” she told Observer on Tuesday. “Musicians are out of work during the pandemic, small venues are closing at an exponential rate, and streaming has disintegrated the rest of the income we used to depend on in order to survive.” 

In comparison, NFTs seemed like a miracle fix; a means of production that cuts out the middleman and allows struggling artists to generate sustainable income. However, Zola Jesus found that her disillusionment came thick and fast. 

“Buyers are treating these NFTs as investments, which means they’re incentivized to buy art at a low price and sell it high, maximizing the buyer’s profits at the cost of minimizing the artist’s,” she continued. “The NFT market is mirroring all the worst tendencies of the art-world market: focusing on hype, financializing the relationship between artist and fan, and prioritizing speculation over support.” 

And then there’s the environmental issue. Critics of NFTs have wasted no time pointing out that the practice of minting artwork on the blockchain requires an enormous amount of energy, and allegations have emerged that increased use of the Ethereum network due to NFT exchanges increases carbon emissions

“The way that NFTs are being done now is changing very fast, and I think that the environmental critique is driving some of that, which is important,” Ouellette countered. “But one of the cool things about crypto is that we actually do have some insight into where that energy is going, versus some of these other things like big data centers for Facebook, Netflix, et cetera. We don’t know how much energy they use, but it’s certainly a lot.” 

Plus, despite rapturous claims from industry leaders regarding the ironclad integrity of NFTs, it’s certainly not the case that all the bugs have been ironed out; the technology is too new. “I’ve seen people minting some cool stuff, but I’ve also already seen problems with having no actual proof of authenticity, people minting other people’s work or even people’s tweets,” Sophie Helf, a front end web developer and writer, told Observer. “There seems to be little to no legal recourse for when intellectual property things go awry, which could obviously make things really difficult for people.” 

Eloisa Marchesoni, an ICO, IEO, and STO advisor and co-founder of Blackchain International, added that the possibility of NFTs being readily adopted by the masses had likely been overstated. “There’s just a lot of misinformation,” Marchesoni told Observer. “If you’re someone that’s not already known to the audience, it’s also hard to get yourself up there with an NFT crypto artwork because there’s going to be a very, very restricted amount of people that understand.” 

To Marchesoni, in fact, NFTs at present have an almost underground quality. “The real game is on the really weird stuff that so-called crypto punks are making up right now,” she said. “They’re using the de-fi, the decentralized finance and NFT trends to get themselves out there with these new stories, but now they’re just ending up being very similar to what’s happening with Wall Street Bets and the traditional market. We’re seeing some really weird speculation going on.” 

Ultimately, Marchesoni said, NFTs could be partially characterized as just another means for the rich to get richer during a time when many traditional avenues have been cut off. “I’m living in Trump Tower and I’m surrounded by these people; they’re actually glad that the coronavirus is around,” Marchesoni informed Observer.  “We have to open our eyes up to this reality where the coronavirus is just the excuse for a lot of people to keep everyone under control, and freeze the markets so they can have a playground for their pump and dump actions. In the end, everyone likes accumulating a lot of money and that’s what they’re doing.”  

Despite the bleakness of the capitalist implications of NFTs, one of the most objectively ingenious ideas to come out of the NFT explosion thus far has been NBA Top Shot, an officially-licensed NBA application that allows buyers to purchase NFT versions of iconic game moments: in January, a LeBron James play sold for $71,455, and a Zion Williamson moment went for $100,000 just two days after that. 

Beeple, ‘Everydays – The First 5000 Days,’ NFT. Christie’s

What this indicates is that passionate enthusiasts are willing to shell out huge sums for the right to claim ownership of intangible assets that, to them, are hugely emotionally significant. 

Once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and live events of all kinds are once again able to be attended safely, some experts believe that the multitudinous uses for NFTs will reveal themselves more or less organically. 

“For me, I see them as a new merch category,” Rick Heffernan, the Head of Business Development at Utopia Genesis, a blockchain-powered music data platform, told Observer. “In the past you would have bought t-shirts or the book or the poster, but now you’re buying the NFT. DSPs and streaming services, they’re not worth a shit, that’s not news to anybody. But if you can create your art, your music, and release it as a NFT package or a bundle, then this is a brand new revenue stream.” 

If there’s any certainty to be found, it’s the fact that there’s no predicting which phenomenon will permeate the membrane of general consciousness until it does. “Prior to this, I’ve actually never really given that much thought to the art world,” Winkelmann said. “It was something that was not part of being a digital artist; you know, auctions and collections and sales like this. You made your money doing freelance things with clients, and there was no technology to make money otherwise. That’s changed quite rapidly.” 

NFTs are Taking the Art World by Storm, but are They Forever? Beeple Thinks So



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The Universe of Squeeze90: The First Deadstock Bazaar in Indonesia

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The Universe of Squeeze90: The First Deadstock Bazaar in Indonesia

TELEGRAF – Squeeze 90 introduces a new era for sustainable consumption in Indonesia, initiated by 4 entrepreneurs and trademark owners. As brand owners, each originator of Squeeze 90 realizes that ‘deadstock’ or overstocked products is a constant problem in the fashion, beauty and consumer goods industries.

A brand of consumable goods must produce tens of thousands of products to meet the minimum manufacturing needs, but what often happens is that a company cannot sell all of its goods, so that many stocks of goods become expired and fashion products are quickly deemed not to follow fashion trends anymore.

Through a series of conceptual pop-up bazaars, Squeeze 90 wants to give a fresh breath to the world of lifestyle and sustainable art through clearance bazaars and big sales.

Conversation Topic

In May 2023, 30,000 people will gather at Pondok Indah Mall 3, City Hall, Jakarta to attend the Squeeze 90 event for the second time. With more than 160 brands participating in the beauty and fashion categories, live music entertainment and well-known influencers will also be attending, this marks the second win for Squeeze 90 Group. Several brands, such as Monomolly, Avgal, Spring Summer Style, Barekurve, and Byeol, also participated in this lively event.

Squeeze90’s first bazaar was held at Pantai Indah Kapuk in October 2022 which was attended by 10,000 people, making Squeeze 90 one of the most successful bazaars ever held at a mall.

Inspired by Lemonade

The name is inspired by the phrase ‘when life gives you lemon, make lemonade’. Squeeze 90 is an opportunity for fashion brands to turn their deadstock into revenue in an entertaining way, rather than destroying, throwing away, or leaving products in storage. The term deadstock is not the same as ‘B Stock’ or ‘Outlet Stock’, because there is no damage in the product itself.

Inspired by the universe

The aim of this sale concept is to bring customers and shoppers where shopping for branded items with up to 90% off on select items from Squeeze 90 will be a truly luxurious experience.

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Fivelements Retreat Bali Launches Special Retreat Program with a Focus on Women’s Health

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Fivelements Retreat Bali Launches Special Retreat Program with a Focus on Women’s Health

Telegraf, Fivelements Retreat Bali, a leading, award-winning eco-conscious wellness retreat located 20-minutes south of Ubud, is set to host a bespoke lifestyle retreat program entitled “Pause for the Week – A Woman’s Retreat”. Aimed at women in their advancing years looking to remain balanced while adapting to changes in their lives and bodies, the program will take place from May 26 to May 31, 2023.

“We specifically designed this program to assist women in coping with the physical and emotional changes that come with age,” explains General Manager Hotels & Hospitality John T G Nielsen. “For the duration of the program, we will offer an array of tools and activities to help participants better navigate this often-overlooked challenge and embrace aging and longevity, such as mindful walking, meditation, Monovrata, and informal yoga. In addition, there will also be group workshops, coaching, and private reflection.”

Healing _ Wellness Weekend

During their time at the retreat, participants are also invited to bask in the splendor of The Organic Garden at Fivelements Retreat Bali, a new, serene, and rejuvenating oasis that embodies the retreat’s philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, which translates to “three causes of well-being” and harbors the spirit of balancing the relationships between humans and the environment, humans and God as well as humans and other humans.

The organic garden stands on a 3,800 square meters plot of land and embodies the retreat’s commitment to sustainability, wellness, and community development by providing food and jobs to the local community. Not only a visual feast for the eyes, the garden’s unique collection of flowers, herbs, and vegetables also offers beauty and diversity that support the garden-to-table concept at the Sakti Dining Room™, where a delectable range of plant-based cuisines will be served and composted afterward.

“Via the garden tours and harvesting program, guests have the opportunity to learn about the culinary arts and explore the garden’s abundant variety of herbs, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and trees,” adds Senior Sous Chef Made Tantra. “Rest assured, our chefs use the freshest ingredients from the garden to create nutritious and delicious meals for guests in the spirit of showcasing the true essence of farm-to-table dining.”

The New Garden - 3 (27 Dec 2022)

In addition, Fivelements Retreat Bali also incorporates the garden-to-beauty concept into its healing and wellness sanctuary by using the freshest ingredients from the garden to create rejuvenating spa treatments. Aside from their rarity, beauty, and nutritional benefits, the ingredients are also carefully selected, harvested, and processed in the retreat’s healing and wellness laboratory to provide guests with the ultimate healing and wellness experience.

Prior to the women-only retreat, the retreat will also organize a healing and wellness weekend on March 12, a full-day experience that caters to the mind and the body. The holistic journey, entitled “The Art of a Balanced Lifestyle,” will host a series of wellness and rejuvenation activities, including power yoga, yin yoga, a mindfulness & sound healing session, and tarot reading, culminating in the Agni Hotra Fire Blessing Ritual, a traditional Balinese practice that offers a transformative and enlightening experience via purification in the fire. Additional activities such as crafting Canang sari (daily offerings by Balinese Hindus), cooking traditional Balinese cuisine, and making Jamu (traditional herbal drinks) are also available.

Later in mid-September, Fivelements Retreat is part of the global movement, the World Wellness Weekend, https://world-wellness-weekend.org/ a United Nations-supported celebration, via a series of activities that adhere to the Five Pillars of Wellness, namely Purpose and Solidarity, Mindfulness and Serenity, Movement and Vitality, Nutrition and Immunity as well as Sleep and Creativity.

Woman Pause

Taking place from September 15 to September 17, the activities include sound therapy, yoga and fitness classes, organic cooking, and many others. “Through this series of activities, we hope to demonstrate that wellness activities are easy to do and encourage people from all walks of life to also take part in the global celebration,” notes John T G Nielsen, who also is the Indonesian Ambassador for the World Wellness Weekend.

“At Fivelements Retreat Bali, we believe in the power of balance and are committed to providing our guests with the ultimate journey of mind, body, and spirit,” concludes our wellness liaison, Pak Surya Suparma.

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LIFESTYLE

Woman’s ‘traumatising experience’ due to ‘cruel’ Covid rule

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Woman’s ‘traumatising experience’ due to ‘cruel’ Covid rule

A Sydney woman who miscarried twins is among a growing cohort of women who say their treatment in a NSW hospital was cruel and that their experience was traumatic.

Hospitals have implemented a variety of new rules during Sydney’s coronavirus outbreak that mean women who are giving birth, experiencing complications with pregnancy or having a miscarriage need to do it alone — their partners and support people are not allowed in.

The measures are in place to protect healthcare workers from the risk of being infected with Covid-19 but even Health Minister Brad Hazzard questions whether they are a step too far.

“I must say from a human point of view, I would like to see mums who are about to give birth and post birth have their support person with them as long as possible,” he told reporters last week.

So bad is the situation that some women are “afraid to fall pregnant … due to the restrictions hospitals are placing on labouring women”.

Katherine*, a 31-year-old woman from Sydney’s south, told news.com.au she would never forget her horrific experience last week.

It started when she went in to see her obstetrician for an eight-week scan and was told she could only attend alone.

“I had my hubby on FaceTime during the entire appointment where my scan revealed an unviable twin pregnancy,” said Katherine, whose name has been changed to protect her identity.

“I was in absolute and utter shock. In that moment all I needed was my husband’s hand to hold. But there I was, clutching my mobile phone as I fought back the tears. My OB recommended a (procedure to remove tissue from inside the uterus) and I had to process it all on my own.”

Things got worse for Katherine from there when, a day later, she received a notification from NSW Health that she was considered a “close contact” of an infected case because she visited an Ikea store. She was told to isolate for 14 days.

“I immediately contacted the hospital and was honest and transparent about my situation,” she said.

“They explained that I could not come for the procedure and that essentially I should only go to emergency if I were to start miscarrying on my own. This was an absolutely terrifying prospect for me.

“I reached out to NSW Health to seek an exemption on compassionate grounds, and, to their credit, they worked tirelessly to get me off that close contact list. I only attended Ikea for four minutes using their Click and Collect service. How could I be a ‘close contact’?

“Within a few days I finally received word that after reviewing my case, which included three negative Covid tests and receipts from Ikea showing time stamps of a person working in Click and Collect, NSW Health no longer considered me to be a close contact. Relief.”

Katherine booked in for the procedure the following day but was again not allowed to have her husband by her side.

“I had to go in alone. It was absolutely the most traumatising experience of my life. I was first put in a room in the maternity ward where I had to take a pill to start the miscarrying process and wait for theatre to be ready.

“I was there for close to three hours. Alone. Cramping. Unable to cry in my husband’s chest. Listening to the beautiful sound of crying babies around me. It was an extremely difficult experience.

“Opening my eyes for the first time after my procedure, I looked around and remembered I was alone. I was alone, in pain and in tears. I couldn’t stop crying and all I needed in that moment was my husband. But he wasn’t allowed in.”

Katherine says the hospital “should have granted me special exemption” for a support person.

“I believe we need to put an end to not only birth restrictions, but restrictions on support people attending when women experience miscarriage,” she said.

Other women are sharing their stories via a petition at change.org that has been signed more than 32,000 times.

Petition author Sarah Fowler wants the hashtag #endbirthrestrictions to gain traction and for the situation to be corrected immediately.

“The restrictions that are currently in place are inconsistent across hospitals throughout Sydney and are damaging women,” she wrote.

“Women are stressed, anxious, worried and fearful about what may happen if they have to go in to birth their babies with no support people. It is no secret that our hospital system is failing women already, the system is hard to navigate under normal circumstances, now it is nearly impossible.”

The Health Minister said last week that he was in discussion with health officials but they were holding firm to their decision.

“It is a difficult issue because at the moment Covid is in the community more broadly,” he said.

“I must say from the human point of view, I would like to see mums who are about to give birth and post birth have their support person with them as long as possible.

“I have discussed that with the senior health officials and the instructions they’ve given out are reflective that on the ground health authorities just have to make some really challenging decisions.”

He said issues had arisen in recent weeks at both hospitals on Sydney’s north shore and in Fairfield where hundreds of staff had to be furloughed because they came in contact with known Covid cases.

“Everybody in the health system innately wants people to have support in a whole variety of circumstances but at the end of the day it has to be a health decision in not only keeping that mum and that dad and that baby safe,” he said.

“It is a highly difficult and challenging circumstance. My heart goes out to those people. Compassion and care and concern has to be the overriding factor, but that compassion and care and concern can also mean you have to look at what risks there are around Covid.

“This one in 100 year pandemic is not easy when it comes to those issues.”

 

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Sydney worker keeps getting dobbed in

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Sydney worker keeps getting dobbed in

A popular Sydney personal trainer has taken aim at a community of naysayers who continue to dob him in for working throughout lockdown.

Rory Stephen, who owns Roar PT, has been abused and heckled since the Greater Sydney lockdown begun and is fed up with members of the public trying to shame him.

“I’ve been in eight different spots now, because at every one there’s been someone who has complained or had something negative to say,” Mr Stephen, who works in the inner city area of Potts Point, told news.com.au.

“The people I’ve come across have been pretty rude.”

In one instance, a random man yelled out to complain about the noise from Mr Stephen’s speaker.

“He was really rude about it as well,” he said, detailing how the man threatened to call the police if he didn’t move.

Another woman blasted him for having loud music outside while she was working from home.

“She was just so rude about it, and telling me how she would appreciate it if I left. She just had no respect for me,” Mr Stephen said.

“I’m always a people pleaser and don’t want to upset anyone, but I’ve had enough.”

He said he had been told to move at least eight times by disgruntled members of the public.

People were constantly pointing and taking photos of his set up too, which he suspected may not have been solely due to his impressive collection of equipment.

“I’m just trying to service my clients as best as possible. Because everyone’s in a tough place, working from home and going crazy, so the highlight of their day is working out,” he said.

“It’s hard when I’m trying to keep my clients happy and the community happy as well. It’s frustrating.”

Police have stopped in three times, likely after receiving calls from the public, and “they have been fine with it”, Mr Stephen said.

“They have not said one negative thing to me and council has been really good too, it’s just the community.”

Government health advice stipulates that exercise can be undertaken outdoors with “a friend, family member, or trainer”, so long as there are no more than two people at all times.

Exercise is one of four reasons Greater Sydney residents are allowed to leave their home.

 

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‘How I became best friends with my ex’s new wife’

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‘How I became best friends with my ex’s new wife’

A woman who is now best friends with her ex’s new wife has told how the pair forged a friendship even though they loathed each other when they first met.

Taylor Cole, 27, who shares son Beckham, three, with her ex Gentry Hatch, 27, admitted she was threatened by his new girlfriend and later wife Madison Hatch, 22.

The US women even fought when Taylor was upset by Madison posting pictures of her toddler on Instagram.

“I didn’t like Madison. No mum wants to be replaced and the idea that Beckham would like her more than me was hard,” Taylor said.

Madison added: “I made assumptions about who Taylor was as a person and I didn’t see things from her perspective.

“We didn’t really like each other but it wasn’t because of each other, it was because of the situation.”

Taylor, who is now also mum to Ledger, one, with her new husband Cameron, said it was difficult at first because of her strained relationship with Gentry.

“I met Gentry in college and we went out for two and a half years and I got pregnant by accident,” the Utah woman explained.

“It was a really big deal and a really stressful time. We ended up in courts fighting over custody – it was a very acrimonious split.

When he met Madison, things became even more tense as Taylor didn’t like how often her ex’s new partner was posting photos of her son Beckham.

“I just felt like I didn’t want someone showing off Beckham on the internet,” she said.

“I had a fight with Gentry about it which only caused more problems.

“I couldn’t have foreseen a time when we would be friendly.”

But now the pair have turned their relationship around and even consider themselves best friends, speaking to each other every single day and enjoying spa days.

They also celebrate holidays and co-parent Beckham together.

Relations between the women began to change when Madison reached out to Taylor to explain she had no intention of taking over her role as Beckham’s mother.

“I was posting pictures of Beckham like he was my child and from Taylor’s point of view, I was just the girlfriend,” Madison said.

“But for me those posts showed that I was serious about my relationship with Gentry.

When they spoke, she explained this, reassuring Taylor she was there for “extra support and extra love”.

“[After] She texted me saying: ‘If Beckham has to have another mum, I’m glad it’s you’.”

After, Madison invited Taylor and Cameron, 27, to her December 2019 wedding to Gentry, firming their bond in “an act of solidarity”.

Over the past 18 months, the women have grown so close that they speak daily and consider each other best friends.

“I think she’s my best friend, I tell her everything, we share a child,” sports reporter Taylor said.

“It’s a woman-to-woman relationship, not just mum-to-mum.

“We speak at least once every day.”

The pair also try to have a girls’ night at least once a month where they get massages and go for dinner.

They also go on holidays together and celebrate Beckham’s birthday and Christmas to ensure that one parent doesn’t have to miss out.

The pair have even set up a joint Instagram page, @steppedup.coparenting, to encourage other divorced parents to take the steps that will help them bond with their ex’s new partner.

The friends share their top tips to becoming friendly with your ex’s new significant other.

“Start doing little things together that will make you feel more comfortable in each other’s company,” Madison said.

“And finally have compassion for each other.

“Co-parenting is very emotional and you have to take a step back and look at it from the other person’s perspective.”

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LIFESTYLE

Best Mineral Face Sunscreens: SPF for Sensitive & Acne-Prone Skin 2021

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Best Mineral Face Sunscreens: SPF for Sensitive & Acne-Prone Skin 2021

At this point, you know how important it is to wear sunscreen every single day. SPF should always be the last step in your daytime skincare routine, and it’s especially important to apply sunscreen during the summer, when the sun is beating down more than ever. Aside from helping keep wrinkles and dark spots at bay, sunscreen most importantly also helps lower the risk of skin cancer, by protecting your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

You’ve also surely heard plenty of talk (and heated debate) about the differences between and benefits of mineral (also known as physical) sunscreens versus chemical sunscreens. The main distinction between the two is that mineral sunscreens contain just two active ingredients (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide), which essentially sit on top of your skin and deflect harmful UV rays to prevent sun damage. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, typically contain a number of other active ingredients, and actually absorb UV rays like a sponge, and dissipate the rays as heat.

Mineral sunscreens tend to be much gentler on the skin, and for those of us struggling with acne-prone skin that is also extremely sensitive, I’ve found that mineral SPFs are the way to go. I try to use clean and nontoxic skincare and beauty products whenever possible, and made the switch to primarily using mineral sunscreen about a year ago. I’ve occasionally used a chemical SPF in the time since (usually for a body sunscreen), but over the past few months, my skin has been more sensitive, reactive and generally fussier than ever, which hasn’t been helped by allergy issues. Using any kind of chemical sunscreen on my face or chest is a nonstarter for me right now, and I’ve realized (especially after hours upon hours spent at my dermatologist) that when it comes to protecting my face, mineral sunscreen is my only option.

Aside from a personal preference for clean skincare in general, I’ve found that mineral sunscreens don’t aggravate my highly temperamental skin in the same way that chemical sunscreens often do; oftentimes, chemical SPFs result in bumps and redness all over my face (and especially my cheeks), though I’m the first to admit that my skin is exceptionally volatile, particularly when it’s this hot out. Or cold out…or any weather that’s not 70 and breezy. Anyway, since mineral sunscreens don’t absorb into skin the same way as chemical sunscreens, they also don’t clog pores in the same way, and as an added bonus, mineral SPFs are also pretty much immediately effective in providing sun protection.

In the past, mineral sunscreens were known for leaving behind a heavy white cast and being far less blendable than their chemical counterparts, but it’s all about finding the right formula. Yes, some mineral SPFs do still leave a white cast, but there are plenty of options that easily blend into your skin, without that ghostly residue.

Not all mineral sunscreens are the same, of course, as some brands use fragrances or other additives that can cause major irritation for certain skin types, like my own incredibly sensitive and blemish-prone skin. Luckily, there are quite a few mineral SPFs that have absolutely saved my skin this time of year, especially since I’m *always* slathering on sunscreen to protect myself from harmful UV rays, and especially so during this endless heatwave also known as summer.

And just a quick disclaimer: The most important thing is that you actually wear some form of sunscreen every single day, and find a mineral or chemical sunscreen that’s right for you. Definitely do you research, as after the recent sunscreen recall situation, it’s more crucial than ever to make sure that you’re using a clean, trustworthy SPF in your routine.

Below, see the best mineral face sunscreens that won’t irritate sensitive, acne-prone skin, and don’t forget to slather on the SPF this summer.

EltaMD UV Elements Broad-Spectrum SPF 44

EltaMD is a longtime dermatologist favorite, and they have a huge selection of sunscreens, including versions that leave you with a true glow or matte finish. Lately, we’re partial to this 100 percent mineral UV Elements formula, which is safe for sensitive and even post-procedure skin, and also contains hyaluronic acid, for a little hydration. It’s lightly tinted, so you get a touch of coverage without having to apply additional products. $36.50, EltaMD.

SkinBetter.

SkinBetter SunBetter Sheer SHEER SPF 70 Sunscreen Lotion 50 ml

I only recently tried out this SPF 70, and already love it. SkinBetter’s oil-free, fragrance-free face sunscreen goes on super lightweight and sheer, and it’s a dependably high SPF, plus it’s water-resistant. $75, SkinBetter.

Sun Bum.

Sun Bum Daily Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 30

I’m a longtime fan of Sun Bum’s sunscreen, and they recently branched into skincare. Their new mineral SPF moisturizer is super lightweight, and is a great choice when you want a moisturizer-sunscreen combo. It’s also filled with antioxidants like banana and skincare hero niacinamide, which is one of our favorite ingredients for fighting acne, rosacea and eczema. $21.99, Ulta.

Isdin.

Isdin Eryfotona Actinica Daily Mineral SPF 50+ Sunscreen

If you want your sunscreen to simultaneously protect your skin and reverse that sun damage from those years you may have been too lax with the SPF (we’ve all been there), then you must try this silky smooth Isdin sunscreen. Aside from 100 percent mineral sun protection, it also contains photolyase, an enzyme that helps repair sun damage. $55, Isdin.

Eminence Organics.

Eminence Organics Lilikoi Daily Defense Moisturizer SPF 40

This has become my go-to daily moisturizer-sunscreen over the past month, as not only does it provide SPF 40 protection, but it also keeps my skin hydrated with natural, organic ingredients like cocoa seed extract, satsuma mandarin peel extract, larch tree and lilikoi. Plus, it smells amazing. $68, Eminence Organics.

Farmacy.

Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

Farmacy recently relaunched its Green Defense 100 percent mineral sunscreen, with a new formula that includes zero reef-damaging ingredients. Winter cherry and beta carotene help protect your skin from blue light rays, while moringa water and seed extract, which have natural vitamin c, help purify and refresh. $36, Farmacy.

Medik8.

Medik8 Physical Sunscreen Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 50+

This no-nonsense physical sunscreen provides SPF 50 protection as well as a healthy dose of double hydration, thanks to the combination of hyaluronic acid and squalane to help maintain a healthy skin barrier. Grape seed extract, green tea extract, bisabolol and allantoin work together to soothe irritated skin. $46, Medik8.

Cocokind.

Cocokind Daily SPF 32

Cocokind products are simple and straightforward, and their mineral, non-greasy sunscreen is no different. Aside from sun protection, this formula also keeps skin hydrated, courtesy of humectants like glycerin. $24, Cocokind.

Avene.

Avène Solaire UV Mineral Multi-Defense Sunscreen Fluid SPF 50

This is one of my favorite French drugstore brands; the formulas are great for sensitive complexions, and this mineral sunscreen also helps calm and soothe irritated skin. It’s also super lightweight, with pretty much zero white cast. $32, Avène.

Supergoop.

Supergoop Mineral Sheerscreen SPF 30

I’ve always loved Supergoop sunscreens, and as much as I adore the dewy look from my beloved Glowscreen, I’ve had to make the switch to exclusively mineral formulas. The brand’s mineral SPF 30 is one of my favorites, as it’s non-irritating and easily blends with no white reside, for a natural finish that isn’t too matte. $38, Supergoop.

Paula’s Choice.

Paula’s Choice Hydralight Shine-Free Mineral Complex SPF 30

If you want a mineral sunscreen that also hydrates *and* reduces redness, look no further than this Paula’s Choice SPF. It does leave a subtle matte finish, so it’s great if want to tone down those natural oils. $29, Paula’s Choice.

Native.

Native Unscented Face Sunscreen SPF 30

Native’s unscented face sunscreen is ideal if you’re looking for an SPF with zero fragrance additives. Don’t get nervous about the Benzyl Alcohol and Behenyl Alcohol listed in the ingredients, as those actually help with keeping the sunscreen non-greasy, and are an asset if your skin tends to be on the oily side. $16, Native.

MDSolarSciences.

MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème SPF 50

This is a super sheer physical sunscreen with a matte finish, for those that aren’t into the whole dewy donut look. This is one that contains lots of vitamin c, so make sure your skin is okay with these antioxidants before applying this one on your face. $30, MDSolarSciences.

The Best Mineral Face Sunscreens for Sensitive and Blemish-Prone Skin

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