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Aside from a favorite bright lipstick or a shimmery highlighter, the most important step in your daily routine might just be an invisible one. According to dermatologists, protecting your face from the sun is one of the best things you can do for your complexion.
In order for your sunscreen to be effective, you need to make sure you're applying enough of it. "For the face, it is recommended to apply a nickel-sized dollop — the equivalent of two finger lengths, which is also equivalent to half a teaspoon — to the face and neck combined," says board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD.
For those of you already shaking your heads, we know — the last thing you want is for your $40 foundation to come out cakey or oily because you layered it over a sunscreen. But the best facial sunscreens work with your skin and makeup instead of against them. And it's always worth using one. "Exposing skin to aging UVA rays breaks down the supportive collagen and elastin fibers," dermatologist Howard Fein, MD, told Allure, and as a result, your skin can become dull, blotchy, and less firm.
Thankfully, there are a ton of best-selling gems that not only guard your face against harmful UV rays but also help control oil, boost moisture, and create a matte finish for your makeup, too. We've rounded up the best sunscreens on Amazon to keep your complexion protected.
Forego foundation with a few pumps of Hero Cosmetics Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30, which utilizes a sheer green tint that quickly makes redness go "poof." And when you do want to wear foundation? In addition to its blurring properties, this lightweight gel-cream provides a grippy finish that transforms your complexion into the perfect canvas for makeup. Think of it as primer and sun protection rolled into one convenient bottle.
If your skin errs on the dry side, you'll want to snag a bottle of Cosrx Vitamin E SPF 50+ Daily Lightweight Sunscreen due to the hero ingredient of vitamin E. Its fat-soluble composition makes it "readily absorbable in our skin, which is great for people with dry skin," explains David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. The ingredient list in this sunscreen also boasts cacao and cotton, which reduces redness.
Thousands of reviewers have given Innisfree Daily UV SPF Sunscreen their stamp of approval, with one reviewer claiming that the impressive formula has turned them into a "sunscreen snob." It's pill-free, doesn’t leave behind an ashy or white cast on any skin tones, and it's the perfect in-between when it comes to finish: non-greasy but still promoting a dewy, glowing complexion.
Bliss Blockstar Tinted Face Sunscreen is a mineral-based formula lauded for its universal tint, which reduces redness and blurs pores just as effectively as a heavier BB cream. Apply this in the morning and expect a lightweight finish (no grease, no breakouts, no white cast), all while a subtle, soothing lavender scent delivers a dose of zen.
Not everyone has the patience to complete a whole five-step routine before their coffee has kicked in, so we recommend enlisting the help of Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 to streamline your morning. This splurge-worthy formula is medium-weight, providing long-lasting moisture and sun protection in one quick step. A trio of antioxidants and squalane provide hydration while an impressive polypeptide blend blurs the appearance of fine lines, while protecting your skin with broad-spectrum SPF 50.
When you're dealing with facial sunscreen, there's a very fine line between that dewy, moisturized glow, and downright oily. Over three-fourths of reviewers have given EltaMD UV Daily Facial Sunscreen a five-star rating because it's sheer, great for all skin types, lightweight, and works well under makeup, all while providing broad-spectrum SPF 40 protection. The secret is hyaluronic acid, which soaks into the skin to boost moisture retention without excess grease.
Sunscreen should be applied liberally (reminder: about a nickel-sized dollop) and reapplied every two hours if you're sweating or in the sun — and that can get expensive. The $8 Missha All Around Safe Block Essence Sun SPF 45 gives expensive formulas a run for their money thanks to its hydrating, cooling finish; and due to the budget-friendly price tag, you won't feel guilty about rigorously reapplying to ensure your complexion stays protected.
If you're sick of having to blot your T-zone by mid-afternoon, add Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish Sun Milk SPF 50+ to your shopping cart; it's a formula suited for oily complexions that deliver on its promise of being non-greasy. While some sunscreens tend to leave behind a shiny finish, this fast-absorbing alternative dries truly matte.
Made specifically for acne-prone skin, Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen contains absolutely no oil. Instead, it uses a Helioplex UVA/UVB-protection formula that's meant to avoid breakouts and irritation. "This is the first sunscreen I've used that did not cause my face to break out," one reviewer raves. Did we mention it's available in SPF 30 and SPF 50?
La Roche-Posay has been a favorite of Allure's for several years, and its Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen is no exception. It won the 2017 Best of Beauty Award pick for untinted sunscreens because it stays matte, dry, and breathable, even under your heaviest foundation. It's also water-resistant for up to 80 minutes of swimming and doesn't leave a chalky, white residue like other options.
Treat your skin to an immediate, line-smoothing matte finish and fight wrinkles and other sun damage effects at the same time with the antioxidant-infused Coola Mineral Face SPF 30 Sunscreen. It's unscented — though a cucumber scent is also available should that be more your speed — lightweight, and claims to keep moisture locked in all day long.
Hundreds of reviewers have given the Sun Bum Mineral Face Stick SPF 50 a five-star rating, and that's probably because it's hypoallergenic, moisturizing, and comes in an easy-to-apply balm form. It's also infused with vitamin E and other ingredients that promise to not clog pores.
If you have combination skin, Cetaphil's Dermacontrol Oil-Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30 balances and protects your face in three steps. First, the Micropearl technology absorbs excess oil. Next, Oleosome technology boosts hydration, and finally, the broad-spectrum SPF 30 UVA/UVB formula guards the skin against harmful rays. The result? A protected complexion that's matte without being too dry.
The first sunscreen to pass Whole Foods' premium-care requirements, Thinkbaby has an extremely gentle formula that utilizes protective minerals instead of harmful chemicals. The Safe Sunscreen offers an SPF of 50 that stays on for up to 80 minutes in the water and is safe for people of all ages or with skin sensitivities. "Fantastic, and I've tried all the non-toxic sunscreens," says one reviewer, who loves this one because it's non-greasy, reliable, and smells peachy.
Specifically designed for sensitive skin, Australian Gold's Botanical Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 50 won't clog pores and is fragrance-free. Happy reviewers love that it leaves behind no white cast, soaks in immediately, and smoothes the skin with a semi-matte feel once dry. For "no-makeup makeup days," one of the three shades (Fair-Light, Medium-Tan, or Rich-Deep) is the perfect product for a subtle base tint that feels weightless on the skin.
CeraVe is a dermatologist-approved brand when it comes to all things skin care, and that, of course, includes the brand’s lineup of sunscreens. Along with calming niacinamide, the Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 contains all the vital ceramides (or fatty lipids) that your skin needs in order to retain its natural protective barrier. However, it also doubles as a full physical sunscreen using zinc oxide. Best of all, it's lightweight, oil-free, and non-comedogenic, so you can use it as your daily sunscreen without feeling greased or clogged up.
You can completely eliminate the fear of a hot, messy sunscreen disaster in your bag with a compact SPF stick, and this fragrance-free Clear Zinc Sport Sunscreen Stick SPF 30 from Babo Botanicals is a good place to start. Designed to provide the best protection for the face, lips, nose, and ears, this non-greasy solid sunscreen provides up to 80 minutes of water and sweat resistance, so it's perfect to throw in your bag for a day at the beach or in the park.
More on sun protection:
- The Inkey List Finally Dropped a Sunscreen and It Was Worth the Wait
- The 17 Best Mineral Sunscreens That Won't Irritate Sensitive Skin
- The 23 Best Sunscreens to Protect Your Complexion All Year Long
Now, watch a makeup artist guess cheap vs expensive eye shadow:
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