The Sunscreens Beauty Editors Actually Wear Every Day

Hands down, the most important product for healthier, clearer, and radiant skin is one of the best face sunscreens, which you must wear every day, rain or shine. Despite limited sunscreen innovations in the US, we promise you there’s a lightweight, comfortable-to-wear, pilling-free, and cast-free (for chemical sunscreens, specifically) formula on the market that you’ll actually enjoy slathering on. And, of course, they all have broad-spectrum protection of SPF 30 or higher, as per dermatologist guidelines.

In true Allure fashion, we’re spilling everything you need to know about our team’s favorite face sunscreens—many backed by board-certified dermatologists, to boot. These formulas glide on like a dream, never disrupt makeup, and above all else, help prevent sunburns, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer with proper usage.

Our Top Face Sunscreens

• Best Overall Mineral: Dr. Loretta Universal Glow Daily Defense Mineral Sunscreen Fluid SPF 40, $60
• Best Overall Chemical: Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50, $36
• Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen, $40
• Best for Mature Skin: SkinCeuticals Clear Daily Soothing UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50, $54
• Best for Dry Skin: Kate Somerville Hydrakate Illuminating Sunscreen SPF 50+ Drops, $46
• Best for Oily Skin: Isdin Eryfotona Actinica Ageless Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, $78
• Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40, $38
• Best Redness-Neutralizing: EltaMD UV Skin Recovery SPF 50 Sunscreen, $52
• Best Korean: Then I Met You Light Essence Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++, $36
• Best Tinted: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, $48
• Best Glowy: Supergoop Glowscreen SPF 40, $38

Best Overall Mineral: Dr. Loretta Universal Glow Daily Defense Mineral Sunscreen Fluid SPF 40

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Dr. Loretta

Universal Glow Daily Defense Mineral Sunscreen Fluid

Why we love it: Think of your typical mineral sunscreen, and then think of something 10 times better. Don’t strain yourself because it’s right here: Dr. Loretta Universal Glow Daily Defense Mineral Sunscreen Fluid. This zinc-oxide-based, peachy-pink formula is as elegant as they come, blending in in mere seconds and leaving your skin looking like you woke up naturally glowy. Ingredients-wise, lipochroman (a next-level antioxidant) and ectoin hydrate and protect skin against environmental aggressors (that can lead to fine lines, dark spots, the works). Even if you don’t consider yourself a mineral sunscreen fan, this formula might convince you otherwise.

Best Overall Chemical: Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50

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Ultra Violette

Supreme Screen SPF 50

Why we love it: Has the Aussie sunscreen takeover officially commenced? While Ultra Violette isn’t the first Australian brand to arrive stateside, it has made the biggest splash in recent years. Debuting at Sephora, this brand has quickly rounded up fans amongst the Allure staff for its advanced yet easy-to-wear sunscreens. Our top pick goes to the Supreme Screen SPF 50, which uses a blend of chemical UV filters (four, in fact) to protect skin, while plant-based pentavitin (a powerful humectant) and squalane attract moisture while also preventing moisture loss. The result? Healthy, glowing skin. Bonus: It smells slightly citrusy and has primer-like grip abilities if you apply makeup afterwards.

Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen SPF 50

Why we love it: La Roche-Posay knows a thing or two about formulating with sensitive skin in mind. After all, its claim-to-fame ingredient, thermal spring water sourced from La Roche-Posay in France (yes, it’s an actual place!), is rich in antioxidants and instantly soothes skin. The Best of Beauty-winning Anthelios Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen SPF 50 bottles thermal spring water with barrier-strengthening vitamin E and two mineral UV filters to provide impeccable sun protection that helps prevent moisture loss and won’t upset your reactive skin. Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, counts herself as a fan, adding, “It has a subtle mattifying effect that’s perfect to wear under makeup.” And as with any excellent sunscreen, she says it sinks in so fast you barely feel like you’re wearing anything.

Best for Mature Skin: SkinCeuticals Clear Daily Soothing UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50

Why we love it: SkinCeuticals has some of the best skin-care products in the game, full stop, especially for mature skin and post-procedure skin. The brand’s sunscreen lineup has slowly (and intentionally) grown over the years, and its latest member is Clear Daily Soothing UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50. Since it’s a hybrid formula (meaning it has both chemical and mineral UV filters), it’s ideal for someone who has sensitive skin but wants to branch out into chemical sunscreens—extra thanks to skin-soothing and redness-minimizing ingredients like bisabolol (an oil extracted from chamomile) and palmitoyl tripeptide-8. And when we’re talking redness, we also mean post-breakout discoloration and sensitivity, so acne-prone friends, do not fret. In short, think of Clear Daily as a product with the lightweight feel, minimal cast, and elegance of a chemical sunscreen without the irritation that’s commonly associated with them.

Best for Dry Skin: Kate Somerville HydraKate Illuminating SPF 50+ Drops

Why we love it: If supremely lightweight formulas are your vibe, we recommend giving Kate Somerville’s Best of Beauty-winning HydraKate Illuminating SPF 50+ Drops a try. Despite its watery consistency, this mineral sunscreen doesn’t skimp on hydration. Ectoin, one of the star ingredients, is “a natural moisture binder that’s great for smoothing rough and scaly skin, can reduce inflammation, and works for lines and wrinkles [by providing] long-term hydration,” Aanand Geria, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Jersey, previously explained. In layman’s terms, this sunscreen has your skin’s best interests in mind and acts like a superboosted moisturizer—hold the heaviness of a cream.

As for the UV protection, that’s credited to 24.5% non-nano zinc oxide. The “non-nano” means the particles are larger than regular zinc oxide, so they even more readily sit on the surface of your skin, avoiding any penetration. The real magic is that these particles are paired with sheer mineral-based pigments that neutralize discoloration and leave you with a cast-free finish, as our editor-in-chief attests.

Best for Oily Skin: Isdin Eryfotona Actinica Ageless Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

Why we love it: If you haven’t heard of Isdin by now, where have you been? This dermatologist-beloved Spanish brand has been pulling out all of the research stops around photoaging since 1975. Consider the Eryfotona Actinica Ageless Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 your go-to, no-nonsense mineral formula that protects your skin with zinc oxide, repairs damaged skin with DNA Repairsomes (a.k.a. plankton-derived enzymes), and prevents early signs of aging with a strong-willed lineup of antioxidants such as peptide Q10 and vitamin E. Anyone who prefers a matte finish will be drawn towards this one, but, according to Brooklyn-based board-certified dermatologist Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, MD, people with oily skin are the ideal candidates. The peach tint also helps counteract any white cast from the zinc oxide, which always earns a resounding “YES” from us.

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++

Why we love it: Since 2015, Supergoop Unseen has stunned users with its completely transparent gel formula that melts into skin without a trace and its strong makeup-gripping powers. It’s weightless, scentless, and suits all skin tones. Hear that, acne-prone skin? Unseen doesn’t clog your pores or exacerbate existing breakouts, leaving behind a natural finish that looks very much like your skin before you applied it. The original formula had a strong SPF 40 but has since been improved to SPF 50. If you’re wearing makeup on top of Unseen, the brand recommends waiting at least 30 seconds.

P.S. Unseen has since expanded into a body sunscreen (which won a 2024 Best of Beauty Award) and mineral sunscreen, which, albeit, isn’t totally clear like its siblings. (Zinc oxide comes in a white powder, so no FDA-approved mineral sunscreens can be formulated as clear.)

Best Redness-Neutralizing: EltaMD UV Skin Recovery SPF 50 Sunscreen

Why we love it: EltaMD has an extensive lineup of dermatologist-beloved sunscreens that we also wholeheartedly back, but for sensitized skin that’s been put through the wringer (ahem, a little too much fun in the sun), we can’t recommend EltaMD’s

borrowed copy: That green pigment comes from centella asiatica (cica), a skin-care staple that counteracts redness and soothes irritation. This mineral sunscreen is also packed with ceramides and amino acids to strengthen the skin barrier and provide deep hydration. “The EltaMD UV Skin Recovery worked well with all of them and didn’t pill throughout the day,” said former digital deputy beauty editor Sophia Panych. “I’m in my late 30s, have combination skin, and live in a city with very hard water that dries you out from head to toe.” Panych also swears by the sunscreen’s glowy, dewy finish, something she hadn’t yet found in the world of mineral SPFs.

Best Korean: Then I Met You Light Essence Sunscreen SPF 50

Why we love it: Put the words “essence” and “sunscreen” into one product name, and we’ll be expecting serious hydration. Luckily, Then I Met You’s Light Essence Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++ meets our expectations, and then some. This Korean sunscreen has some of the usual suspects like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, but it also has one of TIMY’s signature ingredients: galactomyces ferment filtrate. Quick lesson: GFF is a derivative of fermented sake that has ample benefits, including minimizing the look of pores, blackheads, and sebum, and boosting your skin’s brightness levels. Bottle all of that goodness with chemical UV filters, and you’ve got yourself a very elegant, nourishing, and cast-free formula. P.S. Because this formula is so hydrating and glow-inducing, if you have oily or combo skin, you don’t necessarily need a moisturizer prior. A little time saved, a little win for us.

Best Tinted: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

Why we love it: Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is so dependable, you’ll want one in the regular, summer, and winter shades. Good thing it comes in 30 (count ‘em!) shades. True to its name, this skin tint feels akin to a serum and is infused with serum-like ingredients, such as squalane, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid for an absolutely radiant, glowing finish. “This feels like skin care and looks like skin care, but with good coverage,” says Kirin Bhatty, a bi-coastal celebrity makeup artist. “I love how glowy this formula is, and I feel like it’s good for my skin. The shade range is also so beautiful.” (Your shade will look lighter at first, but it dries down to its true tone in 30 to 60 seconds.)

Best Glowy: Supergoop Glowscreen SPF 40

Why we love it: She’s an icon, and she is the moment. Our editors have been fans of Supergoop Glowscreen since the beginning, even bestowing a Best of Beauty Award in 2020, the very year it launched. (Now that’s amore.) If you’ve ever wanted your skin to look like golden hour, no matter what time of day, this formula does just that—and, as a matter of fact, one of the shades is named Golden Hour. In addition to being packed with nourishing goodness, like hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, and cocoa peptides, it leaves a sheer veil of shimmery tint—ranging from a pearly champagne to deep bronze—that may prompt you to skip your usual base routine. But, as our editors attest, it looks just as good paired with makeup as it does worn alone. Your skin will look radiant and healthy either way, and that’s the biggest takeaway.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does sunscreen work?

As beauty journalists, at least one person on our staff chats with a dermatologist on a near-daily basis, and nearly every single one praises the importance of wearing a proper broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF rating of, at the very least, 30. Wearing one daily (and reapplying every two hours) protects your skin from harmful, damage-causing UVA and UVB rays. As a refresher, too much exposure to the sun’s rays can result in long-lasting damage, leading to concerns like sun spots, skin sagging, fine lines and wrinkles, and so on. (UVA rays, for good measure, penetrate more deeply than UVB rays and can potentially lead to more aggressive skin cancers, including melanomas.)

As a reminder in regards to efficacy, let’s talk SPF, short for sun protection factor. SPF 30 guards against 97% of UVB rays, and SPF 50 is about 98%, and so forth. (SPF 15 only protects against 93%, which is why most dermatologists—and the Allure team—recommend at least 30.) The evidence is crystal-clear, so do yourself a favor, slather up, and consistently reapply facial sunscreen every few hours to minimize the effects of sun exposure—which, at its worst, can culminate in a skin cancer diagnosis.

What’s the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreens?

Sure, there are thousands of SPF products to sift through, but finding the right sunscreen for your skin tone and type can be tricky. Like any other skin-care product, personal preferences run the gamut. Those with sensitive skin may prefer mineral or physical sunscreens, which are formulated with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide and “reflect ultraviolet rays off of them before the rays penetrate skin cells,” as Loretta Ciraldo, MD, a Miami-based board-certified dermatologist, previously explained.

On the other hand, those who prefer their SPF to feel more like a lightweight serum or moisturizer (that’s also more likely to induce zero white or gray cast) will turn to chemical sunscreens, which “use chemicals that absorb damaging UV rays and convert them to non-damaging heat,” says Sejal Shah, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist. Heads up: Common chemical UV filters include avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate, and ensulizole. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are two other chemical filters that are banned in Hawaii, and therefore many companies have followed suit to keep them out of their ingredient lists.

Meet the experts

• Kavita Mariwalla, MD, a West Islip, New York-based board-certified dermatologist
• Caroline Robinson, MD, a Chicago-based board-certified dermatologist
• Mona Gohara, MD, a Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist
• Sejal Shah, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist
• Aanand Geria, MD, a New Jersey-based board-certified dermatologist
• Shari Marchbein, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best sunscreens, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

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