You’ll actually be excited to wear these skin protectors—seriously. While you likely know that SPF protects against UV rays and sunburn, you might not realize that the best sunscreens for face can do so much more. Many also contain antioxidants to protect against free radical damage, plus hydrators like hyaluronic acid and brighteners like vitamin C to tackle dullness and dark spots.
Derms love a multi-tasking sun protector— “UV exposure is the leading cause of premature skin aging, sun damage, and skin cancer, so daily sunscreen is one of the most effective anti-aging steps someone can take,” says Jenna Queller, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of DermWorks. But when it comes to finding the right formula that actually makes you want to wear SPF on the daily, things start getting annoying. How many times have you slathered on a sunscreen, only to find it left your skin looking or feeling like a greasy mess?
Then there are those that leave a white cast behind, and others that might even dry your skin out. That’s what inspired our team of Glamour staffers to try dozens of dermatologist-recommended face sunscreens and narrow them down to the very best options that will play well with your skin. Ahead, find picks from top-rated brands that are gentle enough for the most sensitive skin types, from mineral SPFs that don’t leave a white cast to to-go sticks for easy reapplication.
Every skin type and concern will find something here—whether you’re looking to level up your antiaging routine, protect your skin from harsh UV rays or need a new everyday SPF. These are the ones we’ve tested, re-tested, and given our sun-protected seal of approval. Bonus:none of them will make you feel like you dunked your face in a vat of fry oil.
Our top sunscreens for face Best Overall: Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50, $38 Best for Under Makeup: La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVDefense Sunscreen SPF 50, $40 Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Byoma Ultralight Face Fluid SPF 50, $19 $15 Best for Reapplication: Abib Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar SPF 50, $28 $18 Best Tinted: Beauty of Joseon Tinter Mineral Dayscreen SPF 30, $20 Best for Sensitive Skin: EltaMD UV Skin Recovery SPF 50 Red Color Correcting Face Sunscreen, $53 Best Overall: Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen (SPF 40) What we love: What could improve: Updated formula with higher SPF Can feel a bit greasy Invisible for all skin tones Doubles as makeup primer Supergoop! has gone viral more times than we can count for formulas that make sunscreen genuinely enjoyable to use, and Unseen Sunscreen is their most iconic.
Marisa Garshick, MD and board-certified dermatologist based in NYC agrees, too. It’s one of her favorites because it’s everything you need in a face sunscreen: lightweight, fast-absorbing, and mixes well with other products, especially if you apply complexion products on top. This pick goes on completely invisible—yep, even on deep skin tones—and makeup artists regularly use it as a primer because of its blurring and smoothing capabilities.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
