Chemical sunscreens
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun is a sunscreen made in Korea that receives rave reviews online, but it garnered mixed results in our brand-concealed panel test. Some testers really liked it, commenting on its lightweight, creamy texture and its hydrating-yet-invisible finish after it fully dried down. Others, however, thought it was too “liquidy” and said it left their faces “looking shiny.” Like other imported sunscreens, this formula contains active ingredients not approved for sale in the US, and it may be difficult to acquire.
Black Girl Sunscreen Make it Matte is a gel version of our pick from Black Girl Sunscreen, and this one is meant to reduce the sheen that some people didn’t like about the original. However, we found that this sunscreen was overly drying, and it left an oily residue that didn’t go away even after it was fully set. It also gave off a strong chemical smell. We also found that it tends to run into the eyes and sting.
The ELF Skin Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen SPF 35 looks similar to the Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 and Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40 formulas we recommend, and also does not contain added fragrance. But we ultimately found its consistency too watery. It feels greasier on the skin when compared with the matte finishes of our nearly-invisible picks. At the time of publication, it cost $8.23 per ounce—far less expensive than Supergoop Unseen, but costlier than the Trader Joe’s sunscreen.
Fenty Skin’s Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer SPF 30 is a creamy pink moisturizer that spreads easily and leaves a slight sheen. But the strong floral scent may not appeal to people with sensitive noses or skin. The fragrance-free version, released in 2022, is the same formula, minus the overpowering, perfume-y smell. Still, one tester found that of all the sunscreens they tried, the no-added-fragrance Hydra Vizor still had the most scent. Another tester thought that it was sticky, that it went on unevenly, and that it left a shiny finish. And, unlike with most of the sunscreens we’ve considered, you can buy refills for the Hydra Vizor bottle.
Our testers found Krave Beauty Beet the Sun runny and thin; many said it didn’t provide adequate moisture. One tester even noted that it made their skin feel tight and dry, and over time, this formula made their face feel flaky.
A compelling post on Reddit in praise of Kroger Sunscreen Invisible Gel SPF 40 (currently unavailable) convinced us to try this more-affordable take on Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. In comparison with Supergoop Unseen, which has a thick, lotion-like texture, the Invisible Gel squeezed out of the bottle in white chunks that were swimming in a watery liquid. Though both products are equally transparent, we thought Kroger’s version was much greasier, did not absorb well, and smelled overly synthetic. We wouldn’t call it an Unseen dupe (video). We prefer the much-more-Unseen-like Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40, which is also available only in stores.
La Roche Posay Anthelios 50+ has a nice, fresh scent, and it rubs in easily, with little to no white cast. However, one tester described it as having a “milky consistency” because of its white, runny texture. Another noticed that it made their skin look “dull and flat” due to its matte-like finish.
Testers found La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Cooling Water-Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30 (intended for both face and body) to be, well, watery. It didn’t absorb the way they’d expected a sunscreen to, and the runny consistency tended to trickle straight into our testers’ eyes.
Madagascar Centella Hyla didn’t rate very highly in our group tests because of its runny consistency, which made it feel like it was never going to dry. The general sense we got was that this sunscreen was “unremarkable.”
Like the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40, the Murad Multi-Vitamin Clear Coat Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is a makeup primer-like sunscreen that rubs in quickly and looks almost invisible on the skin. Its added fragrance imparts a subtle citrus scent that some people may like (there’s no fragrance in Supergoop Unseen or Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40). However, at the time of publication, Murad Multi-Vitamin Clear Coat sunscreen cost more than the Supergoop Unseen it so closely resembles.
Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 is water resistant for up to 80 minutes, and it blends well into the skin. But we thought it was too wet out of the bottle, and it dried with a grainy finish.
The Nyx Professional Makeup Blur Screen Primer SPF 30 is another makeup primer-like, clear-gel sunscreen that costs less than the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 we like, and more than the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40 we recommend. It has a slightly thicker consistency than either of these picks and takes longer to fully rub in. We found its added fragrance off-puttingly strong.
Paula’s Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 is lightweight, has a mild typical sunscreen scent, and binds quickly with the skin. But we thought it was too runny, and it didn’t reapply well—layering it over makeup resulted in small white clumps.
Physical sunscreens
The All Good Tinted Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 absorbed easily. Testers with dark skin found that the pigment blended nicely, but some lighter-skinned testers said they experienced paint-like streaks.
Almost all of our testers found Aveeno’s Positively Mineral Sensitive Skin SPF 50 too thick and sticky.
Blue Lizard Sensitive Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30+ is a great option if you’re simply looking for something cheap and easy for a day at the pool—one tester even said it’s got a “great, creamy feel that left a white cast, but somehow that makes me feel more protected.” If you’re willing to make aesthetic compromises, we think this formula is a solid choice for the price.
Our testers strongly disliked the scent of CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Face. One said it smelled sort of like burning plastic.
Our testers found the physical Coppertone Pure & Simple Face SPF 50 (currently unavailable) sunscreen messy (and it left some testers feeling overly shiny). Coppertone’s Sport Mineral Face SPF 50 Face was decidedly less messy, but it took forever to rub in, felt chalky, and could leave a serious white cast.
Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Mineral Daily Defense SPF 30 comes in tinted and non-tinted versions. Our testers found it to be patchy, drying, and chalky around the hairline and in facial hair. The texture was also a point of contention, with one tester even describing it as “slightly separated, slightly clotted.” Many noted that the non-tinted version was hard to rub in, that it never fully absorbed into their skin, and that it left a white cast.
EltaMD UV Physical Tinted SPF 41 is a tinted formula that we found to be too thick, hard to rub in, and ultimately drying. It left a white cast on testers with darker skin tones.
First Aid Beauty Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 is a physical formula that doesn’t feel heavy or chalky or leave a horrible white cast. It spreads well on the skin and has little to no scent. But nearly all of the participants in our most recent round of testing thought this sunscreen was too sticky or left them looking greasy.
ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica SPF 50 is a liquidy, thin sunscreen. It took a while to rub in and had an off-putting, alcohol-like scent. The formula felt drying and chalky, and it left one tester looking slightly blue in the sun.
Kinship Self Reflect Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 32 was hard to spread in an even layer, and it dried down almost powdery. Some thought it left a grainy texture, and a few testers said it left a streaky white cast.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 30 is sticky and drying, and it doesn’t spread well. Two testers noticed that it left a substantial white cast, and a third simply said it was “middle-of-the-road whatever.” We also tried the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Ultra-Light Face Sunscreen SPF 50, which is a similar formula designed for sensitive skin. However, almost all of our testers thought this sunscreen was too runny. Even though this formula is supposed to dry down with a matte finish, we found it to be drying and a little chalky.
Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is tinted a peachy-orange color, and it has a smooth texture, an inoffensive smell, and a moisturizing feel. But this sunscreen does tend to sit on top of the skin instead of immediately sinking in, which some testers said made their skin look greasy. One tester in our panel also said this formula left a light, peach-colored cast on their skin.
Native Unscented Mineral Face Lotion SPF 30 went on in a thick, white layer and left a streaky white cast. It also got caught in hair, which may be especially annoying for people with facial hair. We don’t love its push pump nozzle, which dispensed an insufficient—and inconsistent—amount.
Our testers found Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 kind of sticky. It was difficult to absorb and frequently left a whitish cast. One tester said it turned their beard “white like Santa Claus.”
Neutrogena Mineral Invisible Daily Defense Face Liquid SPF 30 is a peach-colored liquid formula that one tester said stained their shirt. Most thought this sunscreen was too runny, and they said it left them looking dry and flaky.
PanOxyl Oil Control Moisturizer SPF 30 goes on very thick, very tacky, and very white. It takes a long time to rub in, and it feels heavy on the skin long after it’s set. A couple of testers thought it clung to dry patches of skin, and I noticed that it easily caught in the baby hairs around the edges of my face and left a noticeable white cast after it dried.
Paula’s Choice Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 is silky and lightweight, and it “applies like a dream,” according to one of our testers. We thought it rubbed in quickly and easily, and although it went on a little tacky at first, it dried down nicely after some time. Overall, we liked this especially moisturizing sunscreen, and a couple of testers said they would definitely buy it for themselves. However, even though it lacks added fragrance, it does have a fruity scent that some testers considered a dealbreaker.
Supergoop Mineral Matte Screen SPF 40 is a tinted, mousse-like mineral sunscreen. A couple of our testers liked the texture and how it felt going on, and they thought the tint worked well with their skin tone. However, the tinted color makes this sunscreen limiting because it suits only a small number of skin tones. It’s not particularly moisturizing, so it may end up looking patchy on people with combination or dry skin.
Think Daily Tinted Face Zinc Oxide Sunscreen SPF 30 didn’t score as well as other physical sunscreens we tried, though testers praised its near-invisibility.
We dismissed Badger’s Active Mineral Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 without testing, based on customer reviews citing ultra-greasiness.
Combination sunscreens
Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30 left very little impression on our testers. It has a nice, whipped texture and is moderately moisturizing, but one tester thought it had a “slightly draggy oily feel” that made their face feel greasy after rubbing it in. If your local drugstore is out of both CeraVe AM Moisturizing Lotion With Sunscreen SPF 30 and Olay Complete Daily Moisturizer With Sunscreen SPF 30, this would be a fine, cost-effective substitute.
EltaMD UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF 50+ and EltaMD UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46 are both widely adored by skin-care fanatics across the internet, but they fell short of our expectations. Both are combination formulas that some testers found greasy compared with our picks. One tester with dark skin noticed a blue sheen long after rubbing in the UV Clear formula.
We think Eucerin’s Daily Protection Face Lotion SPF 30 is a decent, fragrance-free drugstore option. It was moisturizing and spread really well. But it took a long time to fully absorb into the skin, and it could feel sticky, even after drying.
Sun Bum Clear 50 is a light, airy sunscreen that is most notable for its powerful, beachy smell. It comes in a small, twist-cap tub (as opposed to a squeeze or pump bottle); we liked this because we could scoop out lotion to slather on our faces. However, we found this formula’s strong, almost banana-y scent to be too much for everyday use. Also, despite feeling lightweight on the skin, Sun Bum Clear 50 left our testers looking greasy.
This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Kalee Thompson.
