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10 best facial sunscreens for all year round - sweat-resistant, lightweight and actually pleasant to wear

From lightweight fluids to SPF sticks, our beauty team tested the best facial sunscreens for every skin type

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Last updated In Buying Guides
best facial sunscreens from Caudalie, Beauty of Joseon, La Roche-Posay, Kiehl's and Supergoop
(Image credit: Future)
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The best facial sunscreens do more than protect your skin from UV damage - they should feel lightweight enough to wear every single day, suit your skin type, and sit comfortably under makeup without pilling, greasiness or a white cast.

Any skin expert, from dermatologists to facialists, will tell you that sunscreen is the single most important step in any skincare routine - and the one most likely to prevent visible ageing and long-term sun damage. The problem is habit. Most of us are diligent with SPF on holiday or during a heatwave, but daily application at home is where good intentions tend to fall away. The solution, more often than not, is finding the right formula for your skin. Having the best sunscreen for oily skin or the best sunscreen for sensitive skin transforms daily SPF from a grudging extra step into something you actually look forward to.

The good news is that the facial sunscreen market has never been better. There are now formulas for every skin type, concern and texture preference - and our beauty team has tested almost all of them. These are the ten best facial sunscreens that genuinely earned a place in our daily routines.

The best facial sunscreens for every skin type, tested by our beauty team

How we tested the best facial sunscreens

A selection of the facial sunscreens we tested for this guide

A selection of the facial sunscreens we tested for this guide

(Image credit: Fiona McKim)

The most important thing any sunscreen can do is offer robust protection. So, it goes without saying that of the dozens of products we tested for this guide, we ensured every single one was from a reputable brand offering well-formulated, trustworthy products to defend the skin from UV damage – and carried a minimum SPF level of 30.

We also looked for a solid list of skincare ingredients that benefit mature skin, seeking out hydrating, pigmentation-busting, rosacea-calming and hot-flush surviving formulas. We then sought out user-friendly packaging and textures and appearances that meant each sunscreen is genuinely comfortable to wear every day. Every product was tested for several days during various weather conditions and through daily activities to observe which ones truly performed best.

How to choose the best facial sunscreen for you

Picking the best facial sunscreen for you starts with pinpointing your skin type, so run a quick check with says Kimberley Medd, Head of Clinic at Face The Future's tips. "Normal skin has a good balance of oil and moisture, whereas combination skin will usually have an oily T-zone with dry areas. Dry skin feels tight and flaky, which is often paired with a dull complexion. Oily skin looks shiny, and will be prone to blackheads and breakouts."

Once you have that down, you can then select the sunscreen type and texture that is best suited to your skin type. As Medd explains:

  • Oily skin: “I would highly recommend an SPF that is oil-free to prevent further skin congestion and to reduce shine."
  • Combination skin: “Needs an SPF that adds moisture to dry areas of the skin, but that is also oil-free and non-comedogenic to prevent skin congestion in the T-zone."
  • Dry skin: “For dry skin types, I would recommend a formula that includes moisturising ingredients, such as Vitamin E, glycerin or ceramides." These can help a natural glow stick around for longer, if you want to know how to make a tan last longer.
  • Balanced skin: “Requires an SPF that isn’t oil-rich, but that also isn’t too drying, boasting a comfortable, non-greasy formula.

What is the most effective sunscreens for the face?

Understanding sunscreen effectiveness means first decoding the (often fairly jargon-heavy) labeling. The Australian Academy of Science explains clearly what SPF numbers actually signify.

It's calculated by measuring the time (in seconds) it takes for skin to slightly redden when covered in sunscreen, divided by the time it takes for it to redden without protection. So, if it took 300 seconds for the skin to burn with sunscreen, and 10 seconds to burn without it – 300÷10 – a sunscreen would carry an SPF of 30.

Here is your quick cheat sheet to the other numbers and letters found on a sunscreen label.

  • UVA: The ultraviolet rays that are largely responsible for premature and visible skin ageing (think A for ageing).
  • UVB: The ultraviolet rays responsible for skin burning and reddening (think B for burning). Both UVA and UVB exposure can result in the DNA damage that leads to cancer.
  • SPF: Stands for Sun Protection Factor and only determines protection from UVB rays. Dermatologists recommend applying a minimum SPF of 30.
  • PA: The Protection Grade of UVA is measured via plus signs (+) – the more pluses, the better the protection.
  • Broad-spectrum: Absorbs or blocks both UVA and UVB rays. So if you are wondering does sunscreen prevent tanning, if it's broad spectrum then yes, it largely will.
  • Chemical sunscreen: These widely-used formulas contain chemical compounds that absorb and neutralise UV rays within the skin.
  • Mineral sunscreen: Also called "physical" sunscreen, they contain natural reflectors, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, that largely physically block the sun and reflect UV rays away from the body.
  • Reef safe: Some chemical sunscreens can be damaging to aquatic life when they rinse off your skin into the water supply or ocean. According to Save the Reef, this is any sunscreen product with ingredients that “aren't on the HEL List".

Should you apply SPF before or after moisturiser?

The question of applying sunscreen or moisturiser first is a common one for those who are newer to skincare. But the rule of thumb is to make sure sunscreen is always the last step within your skincare routine (before applying makeup, if you wear it). This means, you should apply your SPF after moisturiser in order for the protective layer to shields your skin from harmful UV rays effectively.

For those with very oily skin, many dermatologists say that sunscreen alone is sufficient in the summer months during the day if you find that moisturiser and sunscreen is too much for your skin to abrosb.

What sunscreen is the most environmentally friendly?

Today, a sunscreen formula not harming the environment is seen as almost, if not equally as important as protecting our skin. Even the best facial sunscreen won't be able to accompany you on all coastal holidays if it isn't "reef safe". In order to protect their coastlines and underwater habitats, some parts of the world have committed to sunscreen bans on chemical sunscreens – and even some mineral ones – that contain ingredients that aren't considered reef safe.

Currently, Hawaii, Key West (Florida), Palau, Rivera Maya (Mexico), Los Cabos (Mexico), Bonaire, Aruba, and the US Virgin Islands have sunscreen bans in place that don't allow the delivery or sale of specific products to their region. It's good to be aware of this before travelling so you can pack compliant sunscreens.

Fiona McKim
Fiona McKim
Beauty Editor, womanandhome.com

As woman&home's Beauty Channel Editor, Fiona Mckim loves to share her 15+ years of industry intel on womanandhome.com and Instagram (@fionamckim if you like hair experiments and cute shih-tzus). After interning at ELLE, Fiona joined woman&home as Assistant Beauty Editor in 2013 under industry legend Jo GB, who taught her to understand ingredients and take a cynical approach to marketing claims. She has since covered every corner of the industry, interviewing dermatologists and celebrities from Davina McCall to Dame Joan Collins, reporting backstage at London Fashion Week and judging the w&h Beauty Awards.

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