I Tried the Purple Sunscreen That Keeps Selling Out

The internet's most-loved acne influencer, Cassandra Bankson, and cult-favorite Korean brand Isntree have teamed up to create an acne-friendly sunscreen (cue the applause from acne-prone skin types everywhere) called the Isntree Onion Newpair Sunscreen ($22). This lavender-hued sunscreen, dubbed "the Purple Protector," which features onion extract as the hero ingredient, promptly sold out on Amazon in less than 24 hours. You read that right: a purple-tinted onion sunscreen. It sounded totally unlike anything I'd tried to date, and my interest was very piqued.

Isntree Onion Newpair Sunscreen

From

$22

$22 at en.isntree.com

My personal acne journey, often fueled by PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), has me constantly finding ways to calm inflammation from all angles, inside and out. But even with focusing on gut health, trips to the dermatologist, and carefully perfecting my skin-care routine, I still get a pang of fear when I slather on sunscreen. Will it break me out? Will my eyes sting? Will my face feel greasy? If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, you know the struggle.

With all of my sunscreen trial and error, Korean formulas have become a fast favorite in my arsenal — with lots of late-night scrolling on Soko Glam and Stylevana. So when I got word that one of my go-to brands had developed a sunscreen that aims to treat, minimize, and prevent acne, I had to get my hands on it. Curious too? Here's what you need to know.

Anyone who's found themselves frantically searching online for acne advice has probably stumbled across one of Bankson's YouTube videos. For years, she's vlogged her lived experiences of treating her acne — and since become a licensed medical aesthetician as a hands-on way to help others dealing with acne. To me, it didn't feel like your average influencer or celeb collaboration to boost sales but an organic and thoughtful release between a brand and creator.

After receiving the Purple Protector, I'll admit, I was a little put off by the color. It was giving Grimace Shake vibes, and even though it was an intentional addition to help neutralize redness on all skin tones, I wasn't convinced it would blend well. To my surprise, it instantly melted into my skin without any trace of a white or ashy cast.

While I didn't experience a significant blurring effect, it did give a nongreasy finish that left my skin feeling hydrated and soft to the touch rather than sticky. It was such a relief to not feel like I was smothering my pores in this summer heat. Plus, the purple-to-clear color transformation adds a little whimsy to daily application.

Like with any sunscreen, consistency is key. You'll want to follow the usual rules of applying your SPF at the end of your morning skin care (i.e. after cleansing and moisturizing) and reapplying every two hours to make sure you're protected throughout the day. I don't skip the sunscreen on cloudy days or when I think I'll be stuck indoors, because it's easier to just treat it as a nonnegotiable rather than risk sun damage from an impromptu hot girl walk.

Isntree's packaging directions specify to use a "proper" amount, which is extremely vague, but thanks to the internet (and creators like Bankson), I've learned to follow the two-finger rule. So, I dispense a squiggly line of the purple sunscreen across two fingers to properly cover my face, neck, and ears. Directions also instruct to "pat into skin," but old habits from years of using chalky mineral sunscreens die hard, so I gently rub to make sure it's fully absorbed.

The good news is everyone is very excited to try out Isntree's purple sunscreen — this baby sold out fast — but the bad news is that securing your own bottle might be tricky.

It's also important to note that I am a type one on the Fitzpatrick scale of skin tones and generally have better luck when dealing with white cast. While this purple sunscreen definitely didn't leave any hint of a cast on me, I'd love to see its claims of the formula vanishing on all skin tones backed with testing. Though I have a feeling we'll see plenty of glowing reviews rolling in soon.

Rating: ★★★★★