If you don’t live in New York City, allow me to fill you in on our current situation: it’s roughly 100 degrees and central AC is hard to find. It’s also the work week, which means I’ll be running around Manhattan, taking disgustingly humid subways, and attending work dinners—outside (love that). That being said, my makeup has left much to be desired—my foundation is on a slip-in-slide fueled by sweat. That’s where Anastasia Beverly Hills’s brand new Hydra Prime SPF 50 comes in.
Hear me out: I’m normally skeptical when a cosmetic brand ventures into skincare. So when I heard through the grapevine that the brand—famed for cult-favorite brow products and eyeshadow palettes—was entering the skincare space with what’s debatably the single most difficult product to formulate, I was, well, not optimistic. Even the best sunscreen brands occasionally have flop formulations with pilling texture, white casts, and skin-irritating ingredients.
But the idea of an SPF that doubles as a primer (and from a brand that knows how to get a full face beat to last) was appealing enough for me to try during this heatwave. Plus, I’m all about having fewer layers on my face in this brutal weather. My honest thoughts, ahead.
My Skin
I’m a sensitive skin girl. I find that mineral SPF formulas are the path of least resistance during a beach day, but I typically gravitate toward chemical formulas for a work day. They’re often lighter and wear better under makeup. I definitely prefer to be glowy over matte and want a sunscreen that propels me toward that goal, not against it.
The Formula
It’s not uncommon for skincare ingredients to function more like an add-on than the main event when a makeup brand is in charge of creating a hybrid. But that’s truly not the case here.
- Broad Spectrum SPF 50: This primer/SPF multi-tasker gets extra points from me for packing in SPF 50 broad-spectrum protection. It uses an assortment of chemical filters (meaning they absorb the sun’s UV rays as opposed to reflecting them) and protects against the effects of both burning and aging.
- Niacinamide: Dermatologists love niacinamide because it's a do-it-all ingredient. It helps blur over pores, minimize the appearance of dark spots, and even out skin tone and texture.
- Ectoin: This isn’t a new ingredient per se, but it really started bubbling up in the beauty zeitgeist last year—and I’ve been an ectoin fan since. It’s a hydrator first and foremost (you’ll see it a lot of barrier repair creams) and keeps the skin protected from environmental stressors like pollution.
- Bisabolol: Anything and everything (especially sunscreens) causes my skin to react so I’m always on the lookout for calming and soothing ingredients. Centella asiatica and azelaic acid are a few favorites, but bisabolol is up there too. It’s gentle and actively works to reduce redness and prevent flares.
The Application
Let me take a moment to appreciate the packaging. I travel every single weekend in the summer, and putting sunscreen in my carry-on suitcase seriously stresses me out. What if the twist top isn’t stable and it explodes all over my clothes, you know? That being said, this lid has a sturdy snap-in feature to control spillage. The applicator itself is a needle-point dispenser, which is ideal for measuring how much SPF I’m putting on my face. (You need three full fingers’ worth of sunscreen to effectively cover the chest and neck.)
As for the texture? It actually reminds me a bit more of a mineral texture at first—it’s on the thicker side, has a goopier white feel, and a traditional sunscreen smell (I love this, but it’s definitely a controversial opinion). I thought blending out this SPF was going to be a struggle, judging by the initial feel, but it actually absorbed into my skin within 15 seconds (yes, I counted) and left a pretty, glowy sheen behind. I wouldn’t go so far to say it feels invisible or dries down entirely, but it does have a lightweight finish and won’t suffocate the skin.
Senior Beauty Editor Samantha Holender wearing Anastasia Beverly Hills's Hydra Prime SPF.
The Wear
While a tackier finish isn’t for everyone, I do think this is why the product works so well under makeup. It’s like velcro for foundation—gripping it upon first contact and keeping it steady throughout the day. It didn’t pill under my (many) complexion products, which is a huge win.
The primer-SPF promises 16 hours of wear, and while I didn’t keep my face on for that long, my foundation doesn’t separate, oxidize, or slip off when I have this on underneath. It also gives a pretty added glow and keeps my oil in check so I look glowy not greasy in the extreme heat.
The Takeaway
Honestly: I thought this suncreen-primer hybrid was going to do, frankly, a whole lot of nothing. But it genuinely made a difference in how my makeup wore during hot, humid weather. The texture is silky and creamy, the finish is just the right amount of radiant, and the grippy effect of the primer is nothing short of effective. I don’t plan on using this during days when I’m actively in the sun or at the beach, but it’s my new go-to daily SPF when I plan on applying a full face of makeup.
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