Best Sunscreens for 2024 – CNET

I chose this sunscreen as the best sunscreen for everyday use because of its lightweight and sheer formula. It absorbs well into the skin and doesn’t smell like sunscreen, so you can wear it to work or to go out without smelling like you just got back from a tropical vacation. The gel-like consistency also makes it easy to rub onto the skin and doesn’t leave a matte or dewy finish — it doesn’t look like you have anything on at all. Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen Body contains a blend of antioxidants that helps protect the skin from free radicals. This sunscreen is water resistant (up to 40 minutes), dermatologist tested, reef friendly, vegan and contains no artificial fragrances.

Greasy sunscreens are no longer the norm, thankfully. Now you can find many sunscreens that feel like (and blend into your skin like) a moisturizing lotion. One of them is Coola Classic Body Sunscreen. This SPF 30 is ultra-lightweight, water resistant (up to 80 minutes) and promises to hydrate and nurture your skin while protecting it from the sun. This sunscreen has a proprietary Plant Protection complex that contains antioxidant-rich ingredients like red raspberry seed oil, buriti oil, meadowfoam seed oil and prickly pear extract that help fight free radicals and nourish your skin.

Zinc sunscreens have come a long way from those pasty lotions that left a sheen of white behind. EltaMD UV Sport Sunscreen uses only zinc oxide to reflect harmful UV rays off your skin so they don’t cause skin damage. What I really love about this sunscreen is that it applies clear. It’s also oil-, fragrance- and paraben-free, so it’s a good sun protection choice for anyone with sensitive or oily skin.

CeraVe is already a great brand for simple, budget skincare, so this sunscreen’s effectiveness is no surprise. CeraVe’s hydrating mineral sunscreen is a great choice for those looking for a sunscreen that provides protection and a natural-looking tint. As someone with dark skin, I tend to avoid tinted products as they’re typically too pale for me and leave a white cast. I did not have that experience with this sunscreen. It absorbed really well with no white residue. 

In addition to sun protection, CeraVe Mineral Tinted Sunscreen also contains three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, that help restore and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier. This product is great for all skin types and is free of fragrance, oil and parabens. 

One myth is that Black people don’t need sunscreen, which couldn’t be further from the truth. While melanin does protect Black skin, it doesn’t mean immunity from harmful rays. Black Girl Sunscreen is specially formulated to protect darker skin tones. Many sunscreens leave a sheer white cast on dark skin tones, but Black Girl Sunscreen blends seamlessly onto the skin. If you’re worried about oxybenzone and octinoxate, neither are in this sunscreen; all you’ll find are natural ingredients like avocado and jojoba oil, which also hydrate the skin.

Doctors recommend limiting your baby’s sun exposure by having them wear a wide-brimmed hat and sun-protective clothing and keeping them in the shade. Even with those precautions, sunscreen is still recommended, generally when they are six months and older. Once they reach the six-month milestone, you can use sunscreen to protect them from the sun’s rays, but stick to formulas free of dyes and scents and use minerals (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) for sun protection.

This sunscreen for babies was tested on my 7-month-old nephew. His mom was pleased that it had no strong scent and also didn’t cause any reaction on his sensitive skin.

Badger Baby Mineral Sunscreen Cream is an excellent choice for parents looking to protect their babies from the sun’s rays. This sunscreen is made with natural and organic ingredients and is free from harsh chemicals like oxybenzone. It’s also water resistant (up to 40 minutes) and has a soft scent (from the chamomile).

It’s currently 15% off at $15 on a 2.9 Fl Oz pack of one.

Despite its name, this sunscreen isn’t clear out of the pump. This mineral sunscreen rubs in without any white cast. It’s designed for those with acne, rosacea and hyperpigmentation and includes niacinamide (vitamin B3), an ingredient that can soothe inflammation and reduce redness.

This formula is neither thick nor thin, and there’s no smell. It takes a bit of rubbing to get the formula to sink in, but once rubbed in, it feels lightweight and moisturizing on the skin. If you’re opposed to the white hue, EltaMD also makes tinted sunscreen.

EltaMD products are great if you have various skin concerns such as rosacea or sensitivity.

If you want this, you should grab it quickly as it’s currently on sale at 5% off — with the option to save an extra 10% through Subscribe and Save.

Looking for a sports sunscreen that doesn’t feel sticky or oily? This is a good bet. This sunscreen is designed to provide protection from UV rays, even during intense physical activity. Coppertone’s Sport Sunscreen is a popular lotion that’s both water-resistant and moisturizing, thanks to vitamin E. It’ll protect you from UVA/UVB rays for up to 80 minutes if you’re in the water or sweaty. What I liked most is that once I started sweating, it didn’t sting my eyes like other affordable brands do.

If you’re looking for a sunscreen that doubles as a skincare duo, you’ll love the Everyday Human’s Resting Beach Face formula. It’s infused with natural ingredients like green tea extract and spinach, which help strengthen your skin’s natural defense systems. It also contains hyaluronic acid and Pentavitin®, a moisturizing complex that helps restore your skin’s suppleness and volume. This sunscreen is lightweight and non-greasy, so it’s a great option to use under your makeup. It also provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, which is essential for maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin. All of Everyday Human’s products are cruelty-free, vegan, oxybenzone and PABA-free, fragrance-free and Climate Neutral Certified. The packaging is also recyclable. All you have to do is unscrew the cap, cut the tube to remove any product and rinse.

If you’re anything like me, you enjoy good branding. Everyday Humans’ packaging is so aesthetic you’ll want to snap a few pics next to the pool with it. Good ingredients and nice packaging? You got it with Everyday Humans.

You can save 5% if you buy this while it’s on sale right now.

This sun gloss contains SPF 50 to protect your lips against the damaging effects of UV rays while helping you look fabulous. It contains hyaluronic acid, tripeptides, vitamin E and jojoba that nourish your lips. Unlike other lip sunscreens I’ve tested, this one doesn’t leave a chalky or sticky residue on your lips. It has a glossy and smooth texture that keeps your lips moisturized, similar to the high-end glosses you would get at Sephora. Just like regular body sunscreen, you must reapply every two hours for maximum sun protection.

This sunscreen lotion is a great choice for parents who want a safe but effective sunscreen for their little ones. I tested this sunscreen on myself as I don’t have any kids in my family, but what’s important here are the product’s ingredients. Earth Mama Uber Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion is made with organic shea butter and organic colloidal oatmeal, making it soothing and gentle for sensitive skin. This sunscreen is reef-friendly, cruelty-free and contains non-nano zinc  — sun protection that sits on top of the skin that scatters sun rays instead of being absorbed by the skin.

Earth Mama’s Mineral Sunscreen for Kids is water resistant (up to 40 minutes) and free from parabens and artificial fragrances.

Sonrei Cleary Zinq mineral sunscreen is the best organic sunscreen I tested on this list. It provides ample protection from UV rays and is also gentle on the skin. This Sonrei sunscreen is made with 70% organic ingredients like zinc oxide, an effective mineral sunscreen agent. It’s also free of oxybenzone, fragrances, parabens and gluten. The Sonrei Clearly Zinq sunscreen is also cruelty-free, vegan, GMO-free, water resistant (up to 80 minutes) and Hawaii Reef compliant. It’s lightweight and doesn’t leave a greasy finish like other mineral sunscreens I tested.

If you’re looking for a great cruelty-free sunscreen, look no further. Pacifica Sea & C Sheer Sunscreen is your best bet if you’re looking for quality sunscreen without compromising your ethical beliefs. As someone who is vegan, I really like that this sunscreen is completely free of animal-derived ingredients, and Pacifica also does not test on animals, making it 100% cruelty-free. Pacifica’s Sea & C Sheer Sunscreen contains vitamin C and marine extracts which decrease photodamage (skin damage from the sun) and help repair your skin. It’s also water resistant (up to 80 minutes), free of octinoxate, oxybenzone and nanoparticles (small particles that may be absorbed by the skin and have been associated with adverse effects).

I don’t love sunscreens that come in a spray bottle since it’s hard to apply evenly. Instead of a spray, it’s more like a light mist — it does a better job of providing coverage. I recommend not relying only on the mist but also rubbing it onto your skin with your hands after spraying.