Spring Fever has officially hit, which means more time being spent outside for many of us. While the UV Index isn’t soaring yet, now is an excellent time to restart your daily sunscreen regime. Luckily for me, my makeup has sunscreen built in, which I’ve highlighted below in our top ten. But if your foundation or moisturizer doesn’t already have an SPF of 30 or higher, we recommend adding a layer of sunscreen to your morning skincare routine (we’ve highlighted some below). I didn’t start wearing daily facial sunscreen until my early twenties and probably had a few good burns until then. It’s never too late to start wearing sunscreen, and the benefits speak for themselves: daily sunscreen use reduces the chance of unsightly and painful skin burn, significantly slows down the aging process (fewer wrinkles, fewer dark spots, and more collagen retention), and most importantly, drastically reduces the risk of skin cancer. So, we’d say that the investment far outweighs the cost in the sunscreen department. We’ve narrowed down our top 10 tried and true sunscreens suitable for various skin types and applications. Here’s to a fun, safe, burn-free season!

PENNY’S PICKS

I’ve been using Ilia products for many years, and I’m a HUGE fan of their Super Serum Skin Tint with SPF 40. This is the workhorse of tinted moisturizers. It’s a hydration and vitamin-packed super serum, skin tint, and sunscreen all in one! What more could you ask for? Best of all, their clean products are formulated for all skin types. I use this one almost every day. It’s definitely more of a skin tint rather than a foundation, so when I’m looking for additional coverage, I simply add a drop or two of their True Skin Serum Foundation, which usually does the trick. Ilia is consistently upping their game and recently added their Skin Rewind Foundation Stick to their makeup line. I’m definitely ordering this next!

A good friend turned me on to Beautycounter products in 2020, and I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from this brand. One of the most remarkable Beautycounter products I’ve used is their Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Mist. It’s an SPF sunscreen spray that doesn’t quit. If you’re looking for a sunscreen that does its job effectively, I highly recommend it. Even after being in the pool for over an hour, it was as if I had just put it on. They also offer their Countersun Daily Sheer Defense For Face that you can use as a daily base underneath make-up and their handy Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Stick sunscreen stick you can put it your purse as a backup. Bonus: Beautycounter is a leader and pioneer in the clean beauty sector. They boast some of the highest standards in safety and sustainability for all of their products. If you’re searching for clean beauty, definitely check them out!

If you want to feel like a goddess while sunning on the beach or next to the pool, invest in Kopari’s Sun Shield Body Glow. This luxurious sunscreen goes on more like a tanning oil but with all the sun-blocking power of an SPF 50. Best of all, this formulation is packed with billions of shimmering gold mica flecks, which makes your skin look illuminated and glowy (thus highlighting your inner goddess even more!). The smell is divine and it stays on your skin for a long time. I use this sometimes as a moisturizer in the summertime to increase my “glow” factor before a party or a night out with my husband. My friend gifted this to me on my last birthday, and I have to say that it was one of my favorites, so keep this in mind if you’re looking for good gift ideas.

My aesthetician recommended Rhonda Allison’s Daytime Defense SPF 30 to me when I was in my late 30’s and I still swear by it. This skincare line can be found online and in luxury spas across America. The texture of their Daytime Defense mineral-based, 11% zinc oxide formula is a lightweight, almost whipped consistency. It soaks into your skin quickly and doesn’t leave a sticky residue. The smell is faint, pleasant, and spa-like. It works perfectly alone or underneath your makeup. It has never made my face break out and has had calming effects on my skin, which is what we all want. Just be sure to re-apply after swimming or sweating as it is a lightweight formula. Formulated as a water-resistant, ultra-pure topical solution for outdoor use, this product offers a natural sun protection factor equivalent to SPF 30, making it suitable for all skin types, including infants. Daytime Defense creates a natural barrier against the sun using zinc oxide, safeguarding the skin from UVA and UVB rays. Infused with botanical extracts, it enhances antioxidant defense and provides antimicrobial properties, while simultaneously delivering soothing and healing benefits.

If you’ve been in a pharmacy or grocery store in the last 10 years, you’ve definitely tried or at least heard of SunBum products. Since 2010, this Florida-based company has made it their mission to not only offer cleaner sunscreens to the masses but also to save the environment at the same time. Their reef-friendly sunscreens are safe and effective and come in a wide variety of formulations. My family’s go-to sunscreen that we use for the beach and pool includes SunBum’s SPF 30 Moisturizing Sunscreen Spray and SPF 50 Moisturizing Sunscreen Spray. If you have little kids, SunBum’s Baby Bum product line is excellent. To this day, the Sun Bum Baby Bum SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion and SPF 50 Sunstick are the only sunscreens my kids want to put on their faces as it doesn’t sting their eyes. Plus, it stays on well while they’re playing in the water, so it’s a win-win for both kids and parents!

MAYA’s PICKS

What I love about Coola most is that it’s an organic SPF 50 sunscreen for the face and serves dual purposes as a daily moisturizer and sunscreen. The lotion composition shields against the sun and elements. The sheer, silky lotion nourishes skin and wears beautifully under makeup. Coola also has a Farm to Face® commitment. This means they’re intentional about knowing where their ingredients come from. They work hand-in-hand with their partners to push the industry to a more natural, organic, regenerative way of farming. And it's ensuring that the ingredients they use are healthy for our skin and our world.

The NAELI Naturals face moisturizer with SPF 30, is an anti aging cream with collagen & peptide cream that protects your skin and reduces wrinkles, I love it because it’s super lightweight, hydrating and has Hyaluronic Acid, is Paraben free & non-comedogenic, and it’s made in the USA. NAELI, meaning "the truth will be revealed," embodies the company’s dedication to integrity, which permeates every aspect of their brand and core pillars of inclusivity, transparency, and cleanliness.

I’ve been a big fan of Neutrogena products for quite a while. They offer quality products to protect your skin at accessible price points. This Beach Defense sunscreen is a go-to for me and my husband. It’s water resistant for up to 80 minutes, absorbent, and super protecting against both UVA and UVB rays, thanks to its Helioplex technology. It’s a lightweight, oil-free, PABA-free and oxybenzone-free formula.

Murad offers a multi-vitamin broad-spectrum sunscreen. What I love about this sunscreen is it’s a sheer clear coating, so you don’t get that white residue that you can sometimes get with other sunscreens. Along with being SPF 50 Murad offers a potent blend of vitamins C-F, which are known for antioxidant efficacy, and preventative aging properties.

Ensure glowing, radiant and healthy skin with Glo Skin Beauty’s oil free sun protection. The soothing and hydrating formula won’t clog your pores and it protects against sun damage and aging environmental skin stressors. Glo is a weightless, invisible finish, oil-free antioxidant and hyaluronic acid infused broad spectrum SPF 40 sunscreen. What I love about Glo is that this sunscreen is made for all skin types, so if you tend to have sensitive skin, like I do, this one could be a winner for you. It’s also 100% vegan and reef safe.