The Best Sunscreen
Updated Dec 10, 2022
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As you stroll through the sunscreen aisle, you’ll face a dizzying number of choices—from many different SPF levels, active ingredients, and water-resistance ratings to a wide variety of textures and scents. After more than 65 hours of research—and many more hours of wearing sunscreen on our bodies—we’ve found that the best sunscreen is the one you’ll apply liberally and often, so it should be affordable but still feel good on your skin. The physical sunscreen Blue Lizard Sensitive SPF 50+ and the chemical sunscreen Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 best suit most bodies and budgets.
Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+
An easy-to-spread physical sunscreen
This physical sunscreen lotion absorbs easily and is free of added fragrance. Though this water-resistant formula can feel greasy (like most physical sunscreens) and leave behind a white cast (especially on darker skin), we’ve found its dependable coverage to be worth the trade-off.We recommend
Thinksport Sunscreen SPF 50+
A reef-safe physical sunscreen
This physical sunscreen lotion is formulated with non-nano zinc oxide, an active ingredient known to be safer for marine life. But it doesn’t rub in quite as easily as our top-pick physical formula from Blue Lizard. It also contains added fragrance and appears chalkier on skin.Another good choice
