Best sunscreen options for spring and summer 2022
Did you know dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen every day that you're out in the sun? Lathering up with a great sunscreen, like the ones featured below, can help protect you -- and your skin -- from the elements, especially during the super-sunny spring and summer months. Many of these sunscreens, including those by Supergoop, SunBum and CeraVe, can be picked up today on Amazon.
Top products in this article:
Supergoop Play Everyday, SPF 50 (5.5 oz.), $32
Vacation Classic Spray, SPF 30 (6.0 oz.), $20
Elta MD UV Clear broad spectrum, SPF 46 (1.7 oz.), $37
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch, SPF 30 (8.0 oz.), $8
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, when choosing a sunscreen, you should look for one that's broad spectrum, meaning it offers protection against both skin-wrinkling UVA rays and sunburn-causing UVB rays. The sunscreen should be rated SPF 30 or higher, and be judged water resistant. (SPF, so you know, stands for sun protection factor.)
We've rounded up some of the best sunscreen options out there -- ones that work for just about everyone, from outdoor athletes and swimmers, to children and those with sensitive skin.
Supergoop Play Everyday sunscreen lotion, SPF 50
Formulated for all skin types, Supergoop Play Everyday lotion offers broad-spectrum SPF 50 coverage, and water resistance. Supergoop Play Everyday is a ray-absorbing chemical sunscreen, albeit one made without two ingredients usually associated with chemical sunscreens, oxybenzone and octinoxate. The Supergoop product is loved by its users for a greaseless formula that absorbs into, and hydrates, the skin.
Supergoop Play Everyday sunscreen lotion, SPF 50 (5.5 oz.), $32
Tower 28 Sunny Days tinted sunscreen, SPF 30
Most tinted sunscreens only offer a slight tint to prevent that white residue that physical or mineral formulas traditionally tend to leave behind on your skin. Tower 28 Sunny Days, however, eliminates the need for you to cover up with foundation. The tinted sunscreen comes in 14 shades for a variety of skin tones. Designed for those with sensitive skin, Sunny Days has been endorsed by the National Eczema Association as gentle enough for those with eczema.
Tower 28 Sunny Days tinted sunscreen, SPF 30 (1.0 oz.), $30
Vacation Classic Spray, SPF 30
Not a fan of the scent of the traditional titanium-zinc sunscreen? Vacation offers ample sun protection with a tropical scent so amazing that the brand bottled it, and made it into a perfume. The skin-hydrating, SPF 30 formulation remains water resistant up to 80 minutes. Its ingredients won't harm coral reefs. It's also vegan!
Vacation Classic Spray, SPF 30 (6.0 oz.), $20
Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer/Tinted Daily Defense, SPF 30
If you have sensitive skin or suffer from skin conditions, namely eczema, you may want to look for a physical or mineral sunscreen. This kind of sunscreen sits on the surface of skin, and acts like a shield. Unlike a chemical sunscreen, a physical sunscreen, as previously mentioned, may leave behind a residue.
All of this brings us to this physical, broad-spectrum, SPF 30 sunscreen by the beauty brand Drunk Elephant. Sheer and tinted versions are available. Both versions are formulated for the face, and feature ingredients like marula oil and fruit enzymes, along with zinc oxide (a hallmark of a physical sunscreen).
Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Daily Defense, SPF 30 (3.0 oz.), $34
Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Daily Defense, SPF 30 (3.0 oz.), $36
Elta MD UV Clear broad spectrum, SPF 46
Elta MD's UV Clear sunscreen is one of the most highly rated mineral-based sunscreens on Amazon -- and the top-selling facial sunscreen overall. The zinc oxide, broad-spectrum sunscreen offers extra gentle protection for sensitive, oily or acne-prone skin.
Elta MD UV Clear broad spectrum, SPF 46 (1.7 oz.), $37
Elta MD UV Clear tinted broad spectrum, SPF 46 (1.7 oz.), $41
CeraVe Tinted Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30
Looking for a great, tinted facial sunscreen on a budget? CeraVe makes a great one with lightweight, greaseless protection. It boasts thousands of 5-star reviews on Amazon. Per CeraVe, its products were developed with the help of dermatologists.
CeraVe Tinted Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30 (1.7 oz.), $14 (reduced from $16)
SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair, SPF 50+
SkinMedica, a skincare company owned by the pharmaceutical company Allergan, created Total Defense + Repair, a broad-spectrum chemical sunscreen that not only protects skin against sun damage, but encourages skin regrowth with the help of additional antioxidant ingredients. Clinical studies conducted by the brand found that regular use reduced the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while improving the appearance of damaged skin.
SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair, SPF 50+ (2.3 oz.), $68
Banana Boat Sport Cool Zone, SPF 30
A water-resistant, reef-friendly, chemical sunscreen, Banana Boat Sport Cool Zone boasts SPF 30 protection and water resistance for up to 80 minutes. On Amazon, the lightweight, greaseless spray boasts an average 4.7-star rating with more than 24,000 reviews.
Banana Boat Sport Cool Zone, SPF 30 (two pack, 12 oz. total), $12 (reduced from $26)
SunBum Mineral spray sunscreen, SPF 30
If you don't mind the white residue usually associated with a physical sunscreen, then SunBum Mineral should be in your beach bag. A mineral sunscreen that smells like summer, it sprays on with a matte finish, offering SPF 30 protection with the active ingredient zinc oxide.
SunBum Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30 (6.0 oz.), $16
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch, SPF 30
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch is a chemical sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum, SPF 30 protection. It's a budget-friendly option that moisturizes the skin, and delivers a fragrance that transports you to the tropics. If you prefer a mist to a lotion, order Hawaiian Tropic's Silk Hydration spray.
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch, SPF 30 (8.0 oz.), $8
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration spray, SPF 30 (6.0 oz.), $8
Blue Lizard sensitive mineral sunscreen, SPF 50+
Amazon reviewers love this unscented mineral sunscreen formulated for sensitive skin from Australian brand Blue Lizard. Not only does it offer ample, SPF 50+, sweat- and water-resistant protection for up to 80 minutes, it does so without using ingredients that can be harmful to coral reefs.
Blue Lizard sensitive mineral sunscreen, SPF 50 (5.0 oz.), $14
Project Reef mineral sunscreen, SPF 30 or 50
Project Reef is another reef-friendly sunscreen brand that's committed to making products as safe for the environment as it is for humans. It makes sunscreens in SPF 30 and SPF 50 varieties. Both are infused with hydrating and soothing botanical ingredients including organic aloe vera, coconut, sea-buckthorn oil, green tea, pomegranate and raspberry extract, along with non-nano zinc oxide.
Project Reef mineral sunscreen, SPF 30 (4.22 oz.), $24
Project Reef mineral sunscreen, SPF 50 (4.22 oz.), $26
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