Our Top 5 Sunscreens for Summer

a collection of sunscreens

Anyone who goes out in the sun should apply sunscreen on a regular basis, but you could be wasting your time with subpar solutions. If you’re at all worried about protecting your skin (and you should be), try one of these. You’ll be healthier for it.

Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50

Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Sunscreen is perfect for anyone with sensitive skin and a tight budget. But the biggest benefit of all is that it’s designed to go under makeup without any issues. Yet another advantage of this brand is that it has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance. Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Sunscreen is non-comedogenic and fragrance-, PABA-, and oil-free. You can typically find it for around $10.

Equate Sport Lotion SPF 50

Equate Sport Lotion is one of the cheapest sunscreens you can get, but it does a great job. It has a Sun Protection Factor of 50, which is the basically the upper limit for an SPF that’s actually useful. It only costs $4.98 from Walmart and is available at most locations. The Equate Sport Lotion is quick-dry and water resistant, so it’s perfect for days when sweat is a major issue. The only drawback for this sunscreen is that it has that strong “sunscreen smell”, but is that really an issue? Maybe it’ll remind someone else to layer it on!

 

 

Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+

You want to keep your children safe from harmful sunburns, but you don’t want to reach for just anything. Some sunscreens may cause an allergic reaction, and you may not yet know what your kid is allergic to. Good news: Thinkbaby is specifically designed to keep your children safe while using quality ingredients that won’t harm sensitive skin. The jury is still out on the potential health risks of avobenzone, oxybenzone, and others. Avobenzone might break down into harmful things when exposed to chlorinated water, and oxybenzone sure seems to be hurting coral reefs. Just to be on the safe side, Thinkbaby delivers 50 SPF without using either. Since kids are unpredictable, it is also tested to be water resistant for up to 80 minutes. You can get Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen on Amazon and elsewhere. You can typically find it for under $12.

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch SPF 50

Are you looking for a sunscreen that does more than protect your skin? Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch should be the sunscreen you grab. It has a slight shimmer in the solution that allows your skin to glow in the sun. Plus, your skin won’t feel greasy after application, and you won’t be rocking that typical sunscreen smell thanks to the tropical fragrance. The SPF 50 keeps your skin safe while the shimmer makes it seem like you already have beautifully glowing skin. You can get it at Walmart for $11.99 or pick up a two-pack at Amazon, which is usually a better deal.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50

For someone that’s looking for a high-quality sunscreen, La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50 is perfect. The benefit of this sunscreen is that the solution is made from minerals and tinted to provide a natural glow for most skin tones. It’s also fast-absorbing and designed to dry down matte. This is also one of the best sunscreens on the market for people with strong allergies. It’s paraben- and fragrance-free, as well as non-comedogenic. You will pay for the privilege of not having your sinuses act up, though. This sunscreen lists for $33.50, but you can generally find it for less.