We Tried the Most Popular Face Sunscreens. These 10 Passed the Test With Flying Colors

The most important step of my skincare routine is this: applying face moisturizer with SPF. The thing is, there are so many options out there that it’s a little confusing to suss out which might be the best SPF for your face — especially considering everyone’s skin types are different. So, the Dorm Therapy team set out to test several sunscreens (we purchased some and were sent some) under the summer heat to find the best one to wear all year long, whether you’re sitting out on the campus quad or in your dorm room catching some stray rays through the window.

To come up with this list of the best SPF for your face, I scoured all of the existing roundups I could find, from beauty editors to Reddit forums, polled the Dorm Therapy team on their faves, and narrowed down the list of 40-plus contenders based on a few factors:

• A minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30
• Broad-spectrum protection
• Affordable on a student budget (I capped the price per ounce at $12)
• Untinted (we didn’t tackle tinted face SPF in this list)
• Lotion form only (spray coverage can be more uneven)

We tested a mix of chemical and mineral sunscreens, since each has different perks depending on what you’re looking for. “Chemical sunscreens absorb UVR [ultraviolet radiation] before the rays go under the skin surface,” explains board-certified dermatologist Purvisha Patel, MD, whereas mineral sunscreens “deflect and absorb” UVR before the rays can reach the skin at all. She explains that mineral sunscreens can also cause less skin sensitivity, while chemical sunscreens are “more elegant in formulation and tend to not have a white cast.” 

We tested these sunscreens during the summer (while we wear sunscreen year-round, summer rays and sweat really put them to the test). While wearing them, we took note of the following factors to give each face SPF a rating out of five (we didn’t score the specific factors, but rather took them into account for the final rating): 

• Applicator: How easily does the product come out, and how easy is it to dispense the right amount?
• Consistency: How does it feel straight out of the bottle, and how does it feel when it soaks into the skin? Is it greasy? Moisturizing?
• Appearance: Does it leave a white cast? Is it visibly glowy? Is it mattifying?
• Wearability: How does it sit on the skin and wear throughout the day? Do we want to reach for it in the morning?

For any facial SPF to work, you have to apply it consistently, so, as Patel says, “The best SPF is the one the patient will actually wear.” She also suggests seeking “thicker formulations that are spread on the skin, like a cream or a lotion (over sprays) so they can be applied in a more even distribution on the skin, and stay.”

When you apply in the morning, Patel says three finger lengths spread across your face and neck is a good rule of thumb. After that, try to reapply every hour, especially when you’re outside in the sun!

• SPF: 100
• Type: chemical 
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $9 ($26.99 for 3 ounces)

For maximum sun protection, I’m a fan of this option from La Roche-Posay with SPF 100 (meaning it filters out about 99% of the sun’s UVB rays). I already love this brand’s moisturizers (I buy Cicaplast to protect against dry skin every winter) but hadn’t yet tried its sunscreen, and this one thoroughly won me over. I’m not extremely sensitive to scents, but regardless, I really appreciated how it has almost no perceptible fragrance. It’s a slightly thicker formula than others I tried (see: Byoma’s Face Fluid), but once on the skin, it does absorb surprisingly quickly, and I like how the viscosity lets me really apply an even coat across my face — which makes me feel like I’m doing a great job protecting my skin. I have a more oil-prone T-zone, so I’ve found that this SPF can feel a little greasy in those areas throughout the day, but overall it leaves my skin looking pleasantly glowy. —Sofia Rivera, Senior Editor

Best face SPF for: People who can’t stand scented sunscreens and want as much sun protection as possible. 

Our score: 4.5/5

• SPF: 60
• Type: chemical 
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $12 ($20.97 for a 1.7 ounces)

This sunscreen is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes and has a pleasant consistency that’s almost lotion-meets-putty, but it goes on smoothly and has a nice mattifying effect on my oil-prone T-zone. It has a non-comedogenic formula that shouldn’t clog your pores, and “helps absorb excess oil” and “reduce shine,” according to the product description. I tend to prefer a glowy finish, so though this one didn’t dry out my face at all, I found myself applying the product just to the extra-shiny parts of my face after I’d used a different SPF. It sometimes pills a bit if I apply too quickly after putting on my moisturizer, so I’d recommend letting your other skincare fully soak in before applying. —Sofia Rivera, Senior Editor

Best face SPF for: People who love a matte look, or student athletes who are getting super sweaty and don’t want to clog their pores.

Our score: 3.5/5

• SPF: 50
• Type: chemical 
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $5 ($28 for 5.5 ounces)

The first thing I noticed is that this bottle is huge. It doesn’t specify on the packaging that it’s specifically meant for faces, so I assumed it was just a body sunscreen, but I was wrong. To test its moisturizing power, I used it as my face SPF and moisturizer, and it soaked into my skin pretty quickly, but it didn’t feel totally weightless — ultimately, I started using it on top of my moisturizer because my skin needed a little more hydration. It also left a light sheen (and no white cast) that made my skin look glowy, not greasy. I liked the consistency because it wasn’t drippy or too thick, and I easily squeezed out the amount I wanted. I didn’t mind the lightly floral but not overpowering scent, which I think comes from the sunflower extract, and I felt like I had good sun protection and didn’t get any color on my face when I used it. If you want sun protection and good bang for your buck, this bottle is a great addition to your skincare routine. —Collette Reitz, Deputy Editor, Special Projects      

Best face SPF for: Anyone who wants a double-duty SPF — this one works for your face and your body. 

Our score: 4.5/5

• SPF: 30
• Type: mineral
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $9 ($15.74 for 1.69 ounces)

Don’t be alarmed by the light minty green color of this face SPF — it doesn’t stay that way when you rub it into the skin. However, it does leave a pretty visible white cast, which makes sense as its active ingredient is zinc oxide. The bottle says that the “green tint visibly balances redness,” and though I didn’t notice that effect — I don’t have a lot of redness in my skin — it could be more impactful depending on your skin type. What I love about this non-comedogenic formula is that it applies like a smooth, lightweight lotion, but leaves the skin fairly matte. Though it is fragrance-free, I do find it has a light powder-like scent that I don’t mind at all. —Sofia Rivera, Senior Editor

Best face SPF for: People prone to breakouts or with natural redness in their skin who don’t mind a slight white cast. 

Our score: 3.5/5

• SPF: 60
• Type: chemical 
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $10 ($16.99 for 1.7 ounces)

This serum’s consistency felt smooth and incredibly grease-free despite its SPF of 60. I was honestly so impressed. I got a rejuvenating-but-not-too-strong whiff of the ginger extract only as I applied, and after three minutes, I wouldn’t have even known the serum was on my face (complimentary) except for a slight smoothness I felt on my hands as I applied my makeup on top. Full disclosure that I layered a moisturizer with SPF between the serum and my makeup, so it’s hard to know just how sun-protective this serum was for me. If I had been wearing it alone, I would have worried that I hadn’t applied enough for full sun protection, given that it’s a thinner serum and not a thicker, rub-all-over-your-face lotion. And one other caveat: I’ve not experienced this personally, but reviews do warn of eye irritation, so I was careful to not apply it too close to my eyes. —Alison Goldman, Editor-in-Chief

Best face SPF for: Anyone who wants to wear a thin SPF serum under their moisturizer and makeup. 

Our score: 4/5

• SPF: 30 (it also comes in 50)
• Type: chemical
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $11 ($18.99 for 1.69 ounces)

“Face fluid” is a fitting name for this very light, liquidy formula that I applied straight from the applicator to my face. It has a slightly peachy tint to it out of the tube, but went onto my tan skin with no cast, and left a really lovely glistening finish. It contains astaxanthin, which is what gives it that pinkish color, as well as hyaluronic acid, and the two work together to create a really hydrating SPF that combats sun damage. Despite its hydrating effects, I layered this over my moisturizer because I prefer to rub in a lotion first. —Sofia Rivera, Senior Editor

Best face SPF for: People who prefer a sunscreen that they can barely feel on their face, with a glowy finish.

Our score: 4/5

• SPF: 45
• Type: chemical
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $6 ($17.99 for 3 ounces)

This sunscreen smells like a beach getaway! I love the coconut scent because it’s not overpowering or overly fake. (I could see becoming annoyed by it in the dead of winter, though.) The lotion came out in easily controlled dollops — not too runny and not as thick as a balm — and I also liked the flip-top cap because I didn’t have to fully unscrew it and risk misplacing it. My face mostly soaked it up, and I appreciated that it didn’t leave a white cast, but I could feel it sitting on my skin. When I applied my regular moisturizer first, the sunscreen melted in and felt more wearable. It didn’t feel greasy at all and gave my skin a faint sheen, which I really liked. I didn’t get a sunburn or any color on my face when I used it, but I also wear a baseball hat when I’m outdoors, so that adds more protection. I’d recommend this as a trusty everyday sunscreen to fold into your skincare routine. Depending on your skin type, it could replace your moisturizer, but if you’re on the drier side like me, you’ll want to add it on top. —Collette Reitz, Deputy Editor, Special Projects   

Best face SPF for: People who prefer scented lotions and still want good SPF protection.

Our score: 4/5

• SPF: 30
• Type: chemical
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $8 ($14.29 for 1.7 ounces)

I tried three different CeraVe SPF products — the CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion, the CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen, and this one — and though I really loved them all, the CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion was definitely my favorite. It’s so weightless, has no scent, and contains the brand’s signature three essential ceramides to help balance and protect your skin. It’s formulated for normal to oily skin and boasts a “matte finish,” which is absolutely accurate. A minute after applying, my skin felt smooth and moisturized, and neither dry nor dewy. All that for $8 per ounce — one of the least expensive options on this list. (If you prefer a mineral sunscreen, though, I was absolutely wowed by the CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen, too. Though it left my skin looking much shinier and feeling a tad bit tacky, I couldn’t sense any white cast, even on my darker tan complexion.) —Sofia Rivera, Senior Editor

Best face SPF for: People with normal or oily skin who like a more mattifying, super lightweight formula.

Our score: 5/5

These face sunscreens are well over the $12 price per ounce max of our other favorites, but we loved them so much they’re worth calling out — and trying out, if you’re looking to spend that gift card or treat yourself to some skincare. 

• SPF: 50
• Type: chemical 
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $22 ($38 for 1.7 ounces)

I’m truly obsessed. I’ve never before found a sunscreen (with an SPF of 50!) that actually, truly, legitimately goes on clear and doesn’t feel sticky or greasy — on my face or to the touch. This one does all that and acts more as a primer than a sunscreen; I loved that I could apply it, wait just a minute or so, and then smoothly layer makeup on top. My next request for the geniuses at Supergoop is that they develop an option I can use for sunscreen reapplication without smearing or rubbing off my makeup, because that’s the only thing it seems this sunscreen can’t do. —Alison Goldman, Editor-in-Chief  

Best face SPF for: Fancier occasions when you don’t want your face to look greasy and want your makeup to stay put. (I’d wear it all the time, but that would cost a lot!)

Our score: 5/5

• SPF: 46
• Type: hybrid (contains mineral and chemical ingredients)
• Price per ounce (at time of publication): $26 ($45 for 1.7 ounces)

I found myself using this sunscreen day after day, because it’s such a trusty product. It’s non-comedogenic and fragrance-free, though it does have a hint of a sunscreen smell (I didn’t mind it at all), and it has a buttery-smooth texture that I loved rubbing into my skin. It soaked in relatively quickly, and though it contains zinc oxide, I didn’t find that it left a white cast on my tan complexion. I also love that it contains niacinamide to reduce the appearance of spots and blemishes, and overall it left my skin looking and feeling soothed, moisturized, and protected. I’ll definitely be buying this again, though I’m trying to make my little bottle last as long as possible, given the price. —Sofia Rivera, Senior Editor 

Best face SPF for: People who want an SPF that feels like face lotion, contains zinc oxide, but leaves virtually no white cast.

Our score: 5/5

*Prices per ounce are rounded to the nearest dollar