Sunscreen is an important product you don't want to miss on your face, especially when going out. This is because it is one of the recommended ways to protect your skin from the sun, regardless of your skin tone. For this reason, you need to find the best sunscreen for your face so that you can yield better results.
A quality sunscreen can do a number of things. It can protect your skin from harmful UV rays that may cause premature aging. It can also help reverse the signs of damage by boosting brightness, improving texture, and reducing dark spots. Moreover, the best sunscreen can also prevent sunburns that may increase your risk of getting skin cancer.
If you're looking to find the right formula or the best sunscreen, then we are here to help. We have rounded up the five best sunscreens for every skin type, their pros, and cons, as well as a buying guide to help know what important factors to consider before buying a face sunscreen.
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Best Sunscreens For Your Face
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Best Sunscreens For Your Face - Reviews
The EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen is fragrance-free and the best sunscreen for your face. It features an amazing formula that is great for all skin types, but it is particularly formulated for people with sensitive or acne-prone skin. It rubs in quickly, gives light moisture, and has niacinamide that acts as an anti-inflammatory to reduce the sebum or oil.
It features hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, niacinamide, and SPF 46 to protect sensitive or acne-prone skin from UVA and UVB sun rays and improve your skin complexion over time. This EltaMD's sunscreen is rich in antioxidants that help to protect the skin against free radicals.
Dermatologists recommend this face sunscreen because it soothes and safeguards all skin types and is safe for those that have acne-prone skin and people with rosacea. Its zinc oxide formula will also help protect the skin from sun rays.
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The La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Sunscreen SPF 60 is another best sunscreen for your face that boasts a broad spectrum SPF 60 and has earned great reviews online. It has a formula that melts into the skin and doesn't leave a greasy residue or white cast, making it a great choice for all skin tones and types.
This melt-in cream has a good texture that is more like a thick moisturizer that doesn't leave you feeling like something heavy is sitting on the top of the skin. It features a water-resistant ability for up to 80 minutes, so you can always have it on at the beach or swimming pool.
It features UVA and UVB filters that deliver a broad spectrum. This sunscreen will absorb seamlessly and quickly into the skin, leaving it feeling smooth and soft. It also features a cell-ox shield antioxidant technology that gives skin-friendly formulas and ingredients.
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If you're looking for a skin-renewing day cream to rescue the wrinkles and fine lines, then the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 is a great option. This gentle and non-irritating cream does not only have anti-aging properties but is also a broad spectrum SPF.
It's also an amazing option for people with sensitive skin, and the active ingredients are zinc oxide and octinoxate. The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30 has a ceramide-rich formula that gives the important ingredients to maintain a healthy skin barrier.
This face sunscreen will not only protect your skin from the sun but will also restore and rebuild your skin's protective outer lipid layer. It features a Multi Vesicular Emulsion or MVE technology that provides a controlled release of protective and skin-nourishing ingredients. It also allows the ingredients to enter deeply into the skin so as to nourish, protect and moisturize it all day long.
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This lightweight broad-spectrum SPF 50 FEATURES photolyase, a DNA enzyme that repairs the damage caused by the sun, zinc oxide, and hydrating Vitamin E that aids in protecting the skin from premature aging and harmful UV rays.
It is a great option for both men and women since it rubs beautifully in the skin without leaving a white film. The ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica Broad Spectrum SPF 50 has a great formulation that combines anti-aging ingredients and skin protection ingredients with your daily SPF.
It works great for all skin types and most skin tones. This face sunscreen will instantly absorb into the skin, leaving a matte finish and improving skin health quality. Clinical studies have shown that it helps in guarding against precancerous sun damage.
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The MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème SPF 50 is a creamy, mineral-based sunscreen that covers the skin with excellent UV reflectors that are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It also features Vitamin C that keeps the collagen in the skin springy, and maintains the radiance.
Moreover, this sunscreen has a green tea extract that helps prevent the free radical damage that is a contributor to aging. This face sunscreen has a variety of antioxidants that include cranberry, green tea, and pomegranate. It is free from octinoxate and oxybenzone, both of which can be harmful to the coral reefs.
This eco-friendly and mineral face sunscreen boasts a formula that takes care of all skin types without any risk of allergies, skin rash, or acne. The MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème Sunscreen SPF 50 is proof that sunscreen can effectively provide UV defense without harming nature.
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Factors to Consider Before Buying a Face Sunscreen
1. Skin Types
Since different sunscreens are specifically designed for different skin types, for this reason, people with dry skin should avoid sunscreens with alcohol and consider buying one with hydrating ingredients like oils, glycerin, aloe, and silicones like dimethicone.
For those with oily skin, sunscreens that give a matte finish are recommended. Lighter or gel lotions like isododecane or silica will make you feel less heavy, especially if you tend to have a shiny face throughout the day.
On the other hand, fragrance-free and hypoallergenic ones are considered the best for people with sensitive skin. Also, mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are great also. Avoid sunscreens with preservatives and alcohol.
2. Ingredients in the Sunscreen
Before buying the best sunscreen for your face, you need to be aware of the key ingredients. This is to help you ensure that you get the coverage and quality you need. If you're looking for maximum protection, you need to ensure the sunscreen has both UVA and UVB protection,
A mineral sunscreen tends to use natural minerals like zinc oxide and titanium oxide to reflect the sun rays away from your skin. Chemical sunscreens will use chemical compounds like avobenzone, biscotizole, and bemotrizinol, whereby all of them will provide broad-spectrum protection.
Some of the sunscreen ingredients you should avoid are oxybenzone that may disrupt the hormones and cause allergic skin reactions, and the preservative methylisothiazolinone may also cause some skin issues.
3. Skin Tones
Apart from skin types, you should also have skin tones in mind since different sunscreens have been designed for different skin tones. For users who have a medium to dark complexion, chemical sunscreens are easily absorbed into the and apply clearer.
Mineral or physical sunscreens will sit on top of the skin, reflect the UV rays, and often leave a white cast. Both types will offer equal protection and have their pros and cons. The type you choose is dependent on your preference.
However, if you choose to go with a mineral formula, which works well for sensitive skin, you need to apply it in sections to slowly rub it in and clear or sheer out the product.
4. Broad Spectrum
Since the sun emits different types of ultraviolet light, it's best to consider getting sunscreen that protects you against all of them. Broad-spectrum means that the sunscreen will protect you against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). The SPF rating of the broad spectrum indicates how well it will protect against UVB.
4. Chemical or Physical
A chemical sunscreen works to limit sun damage using various chemicals. They absorb UV rays into the tissue, and when the ultraviolet rays get into the skin, they change these rays into a longer wavelength that is less harmful.
On the other hand, the physical or mineral sunscreens will sit on the skin and reflect the rays away from the skin. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the only two types of physical sunscreens that are FDA approved, and both are great for the skin.
If you have sensitive skin, mineral sunscreen is the better choice because it will less likely cause skin reactions compared to a chemical sunscreen. However, physical sunscreens may like a white cast on the skins and are, most of the time, pricier. To avoid the white cast, you can choose to use a tinted mineral sunscreen.
5. Water Resistance
You will need to find a water-resistant sunscreen so that if you need to get in the water or get sweaty, the sunscreen will keep you covered for longer. Although sunscreen is tested for about 80 minutes of water resistance, you need to reapply it after every two hours or after swimming or wiping off with a towel.
Mineral sunscreen with zinc and titanium tends to wipe off easily when you have friction from clothing or when you sweat. This is why you shouldn't get lazy about reapplying to ensure you are well protected throughout the day.
Frequently Asked Questions on Facial Sunscreens
1. Is SPF 30 or 50 better for the face?
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation and EWG, the higher SPF the product has, the better they are at shielding you from UVB radiation. Ideally, an SPF 30 blocks about 97% of the UVB radiation, an SPF 50 product blocks about 98% of UVB radiation, and an SPF 100 product will block about 99% of UVB radiation.
2. Can I use SPF 50 every day?
Yes. It is important to wear a sunscreen lotion SPF every day for sun protection. This is because if you don't use the best sunscreen for your face, you're going to experience damages to the skin, and the accumulation of such damages may lead to the development of cancerous skin cells later in life.
3. Can you use sunscreen as a daily moisturizer?
Yes. Any sunscreen can be used as your daily moisturizer and SPF also. However, if you moisturize your skin before putting your sunscreen on during your skincare routine, you might experience dewy skin throughout the day.
