It should be your number one beauty buy, that you use every day regardless of the weather outside. Here’s a guide to finding a sunscreen that works with your skin type, has high UVA and UVB protection, and looks great under makeup, says editor Trudi Brewer.
Image Mecca Cosmetica
No matter how cloudy it is, you should wear sunscreen daily. Ultraviolet, aka UV radiation, is the cause of sunburn and skin cancer, and they do not just disappear when the sun goes behind a cloud. Proper sun protection is designed to block those rays and prevent sunburn. That's why you should always consider the sunscreen's SPF label claim. Having a sun protection factor of at least 30+ with broad-spectrum protection - as in, blocking both UVA and UVB rays - is essential. However, it’s too familiar for people to neglect to wear or reapply sunscreen because of its notoriety for being too heavy and oily on your skin. That's why we collated a list of our favourite sunscreens to incorporate into your daily skincare, so you no longer have to choose between heavy goop that clogs your pores or going out with unprotected skin.
How to find the best sunscreen for you
Avène Sunscreen Emulsion Face SPF50+, $31
Designed to wear under makeup, this dry-to-touch, matte finish SPF with the unique "SunSitive" protection (a formula made with minimal chemical ingredients) is nourishing and offers broad-spectrum protection. With photostable vitamin E, potent antioxidants, and that famous soothing spring water in every Avène skincare product, it's ideal for even the most sensitive skin.
Avène Sunscreen Emulsion Face SPF50+, $31.
Skinnies Sungel SPF 30, $35
Skinnies Sungel SPF 30, $35
This homegrown, fragrance-free SPF offers a clear finish yet brilliant sun protection from UVA and UVB rays. A little pea-sized blob goes a long way, leaving the skin feeling moist but not greasy - ideal for going under any foundation.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF40, $34
Totally invisible, weightless, and scentless. This clear sunscreen, being oil-free, doubles as a makeup primer. You can expect the full UVA AND UVB SPF protection, as well as the latest skin aggressor: blue light protection. It's brilliant!
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF40, $34.
Clinique Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Fluid for Face, $56.
Clinique Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Fluid for Face, $56
Sheer on the skin, fragrance, and oil-free, this mineral-based everyday sun lotion feels ultra-light on application. Thanks to the Invisible Shield Technology, it forms a protective SPF50 veil on your complexion that lasts all day.
Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen Oxybenzone-Free Formula, $44
Our style director swears by this sunscreen. Stacked with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, it is easy to layer under makeup, leaves a non-greasy, matte finish, and provides broad-spectrum protection. Ultra-lightweight, this sensitive sun lotion sits between your moisturiser and foundation, perfect for any skin type or skin colouring. Plus, it's cruelty, alcohol, sulphate, and oxybenzone-free (reef safe).
Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen Oxybenzone Free Formula, $44.
Shiseido Clear Suncare Stick, $55.
Any new sunscreen innovation from Shiseido is exciting, and this SynchroShield in this clear sunscreen provides the full broad-spectrum sun protection factor (SPF) from UV radiation through intense heat, water, and perspiration. Creating an invisible veil with microscopic contours, it adheres to every inch of your skin, shielding you against both UVA and UVB rays from every angle. It can be applied over and under your makeup from the handy, pocket-sized, portable stick - so you don't have to worry about messing up your makeup when reapplying. Packed with plant botanicals that treat the skin while protecting it, this product is also oxybenzone-free, often a troublesome sunscreen - making it reef safe for our oceans.
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