We Tested Dozens of Dermatologist-Approved Sunscreens — These 12 Were Our Favorites

Ever find yourself yearning for a sunscreen that’s decidedly not ... annoying? Well, we found it. “My favorite thing about this sunscreen is how effortless it is to apply,” says editor Lacey Muinos, who tested it. “You don’t have to rub or tug to get this to blend in, and it doesn’t have that greasy or tacky consistency some formulas can have. It just feels good on the skin at first, then it dries down to nothing.”

Editor LaKeisha Fleming tested this product, and she reports that the sunscreen felt very light on her face. Her skin felt moisturized and vibrant after using it. And it delivered on its promise — it didn’t take long to rub in, and didn’t leave any white cast. 

If you ask me, a sunscreen stick is an invention nearly as groundbreaking as the telephone. After all, one of the worst parts of wearing sunscreen is applying it — especially if you’re applying it to another less-than-willing party. In stick form, there’s no leaking or dripping or endless rubbing, and for that, we can be glad.

Editorial director Simone Scully tested this sunscreen, as did her son. She found that it absorbed easily, blended in smoothly, and didn’t leave that yucky post-sunscreen sticky feeling on her hands. She also loved that it was easy to pop into her bag without fear of leaks, and she found that it protected both her and her son, without causing any itchiness or irritation.

I tested this product, and I found it certifiably no-fuss. It is lightweight and airy, and it rubs in easily. There was a slight grainy quality to the texture that I couldn’t put my finger on, but that didn’t affect my overall experience of using it. It gave my skin no grief, was easy to toss into my beach bag, and carried the same sunny vibe as its yellow packaging.

For the SPF-challenged, a tinted facial sunscreen can be sort of a superpower. Since you generally apply it while getting ready and putting on makeup in the morning, you don’t have to think about an added step, but you still end up with sun protection. That said, these products can also be difficult for people with eczema to tolerate, which makes this one all the more impressive.

Writer Raki Swanson tested this sunscreen, and she found it to be effective and nonirritating. She describes it as creamy and lightweight — thinner than a sunscreen, but slightly thicker than a typical foundation. She says she tends to break out when she puts new products on her face, but she had no issues with this one, and she found that it kept her protected from the sun even though she didn’t reapply it after putting it on in the morning. She also notes that it absorbs quickly and doesn’t look obviously like makeup.

Writer Nicole LaMarco tested this sunscreen and found it to be lightweight, with a thin texture that was easy to apply. She also says that it absorbed quickly — so quickly that after a few minutes, she no longer noticed it on her face. It didn’t cause her any irritation, and she liked the way it felt on her skin.

Our research shows that this sunscreen may leave a white cast, which is why we recommend it for the body rather than for the face. That said, it has a lightweight feel, is easy to spread over large surface areas, and should not irritate eczema-prone skin. 

If you have eczema or sensitive skin, odds are that you already own at least one product from Vanicream. The brand specializes in sensitive skin care, and their products are all fragrance-free and free of dyes, parabens, lanolin, formaldehyde, and gluten. 

The mineral sunscreen met our high expectations for a soothing, moisturizing, and extremely gentle product. While it may leave a white cast, with a little bit of elbow grease (that is, rubbing it in for a bit longer than you’d like), it should blend. It’s made with non-nano zinc oxide and ceramides, and our research shows that it feels calming on irritated skin.

I tested this product and opted to try a tinted version. I have very fair skin, so I chose the light/medium tint and found that it matched my face and blended well. I wore it over my daily moisturizer, which didn’t cause any pilling. Although it felt like makeup when I applied it — that is, lightweight and blendable, as opposed to feeling like a typical sunscreen — it really didn’t look like makeup; it just provided a slight glow. It was nice to wear on beach days and feel a bit more put together than I would have if I’d just rubbed on sunscreen in a hurry. 

I didn’t test this product long enough to notice any anti-aging effects, but I found it quite pleasant to use and effective as a sunscreen, and it didn’t cause any skin irritation. 

Scully tested this product with her son and found that, despite being thick, it went on smoothly, didn’t take long to apply, and her son didn’t mind it. She noted that its lack of water resistance past 40 minutes makes it better for days at the playground or the zoo than at the pool, but she says that it didn’t bother her son’s eczema-prone skin and kept them both safe from sunburns. 

But after half a year has gone by, SPF is on the table, and this is a great option for babies who are prone to eczema. It’s a mineral sunscreen made with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and it’s gentle and lightweight.

Writer Riley Blanton says that it effectively did its job of keeping her baby’s skin safe, without causing irritation. She reported that it was easy to apply, and she says that although it did leave some greasy residue, she found it to be less than she’d experienced with other baby brands.