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Nancy Redd is a writer who covers health and grooming. She has tested dozens of hair dryers, toothbrushes, and pairs of period underwear. Folding Bin
Correction: A previous version of this guide reported that our budget pick, Equate Sport Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Value Size SPF 50, was only available in a 32-ounce bottle. It's also available in an 8-ounce bottle.
The best sunscreen is the one you’ll apply liberally and often, so it should be affordable but still feel and smell good on your skin.
After extensive brand-concealed panel testing, we recommend the physical sunscreen Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ and the chemical sunscreen Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50, which best suit most preferences.
This physical sunscreen lotion absorbs easily and is free of added fragrance. Although it can feel greasy and leave behind a white cast, it’s less visible on skin than most physical sunscreens.
This easy-to-apply lotion lives up to its name, as it rubs in with a dry, transparent finish and appears nearly colorless on skin. It has added fragrance but not an overpowering sunscreen-y scent.
This store-brand chemical sunscreen is surprisingly pleasant to use. It feels good, rubs in easily, and looks nearly invisible on all skin tones. Its polarizing medicinal smell can be a dealbreaker, though.
This lotion is formulated with non-nano zinc oxide, an active ingredient known to be safer for marine life. It leaves a minimal white cast, but it’s pricey and has a strong scent.
The American Academy of Dermatology suggests wearing sunscreens that advertise a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.
Choose a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation.
Even if you don’t plan to sweat or swim, water-resistant sunscreens have better staying power on skin.
To be well protected, you need to apply sunscreen liberally and reapply it often.
We also recommend a budget pick in a big bottle: Equate Sport Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Value Size SPF 50, a chemical sunscreen that rubs in effortlessly but has an added fragrance our testers found divisive. (It’s four times less expensive per ounce than Banana Boat Light As Air.)
And for those seeking a "reef-safe" sunscreen, the lightweight Thrive Bodyshield SPF 50 is an excellent option.
This physical sunscreen lotion absorbs easily and is free of added fragrance. Although it can feel greasy and leave behind a white cast, it’s less visible on skin than most physical sunscreens.
Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ formula spreads relatively quickly and absorbs easily for a sunscreen containing only physical UV blockers, which tend to be chalky and difficult to rub in. Formulated with both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, this sunscreen contains no added fragrance.
SPF: 50+ Type of protection: physical Active ingredients: zinc oxide (10%) and titanium dioxide (8%) Broad spectrum: yes Reef safe: no Price per ounce (at the time of publication): $2.85 per ounce in the largest bottle size (8.75 ounces)
This easy-to-apply lotion lives up to its name, as it rubs in with a dry, transparent finish and appears nearly colorless on skin. It has added fragrance but not an overpowering sunscreen-y scent.
Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ is our favorite chemical sunscreen that doesn’t contain oxybenzone (a common active ingredient that some advocacy organizations have expressed concern about). It’s lightweight, nongreasy, and blends seamlessly into a variety of skin tones. Although it contains added fragrance, testers weren’t put off by its fruity scent. It costs less per ounce than our physical sunscreen picks—although much more than our budget pick.
SPF: 50 Type of protection: chemical Active ingredients: avobenzone (3%), homosalate (9%), octisalate (4%), octocrylene (5%) Broad spectrum: yes Reef safe: no Price per ounce (at the time of publication): $1.67
This store-brand chemical sunscreen is surprisingly pleasant to use. It feels good, rubs in easily, and looks nearly invisible on all skin tones. Its polarizing medicinal smell can be a dealbreaker, though.
Walmart’s oxybenzone-free Equate Sport Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Value Size SPF 50 was very popular in our brand-concealed panel testing, during which many testers rated its translucence and skin feel as highly as sunscreens that cost 10 times as much. However, some found its medicinal odor a dealbreaker.
SPF: 50 Type of protection: chemical Active ingredients: avobenzone (3%), homosalate (15%), octisalate (5%), and octocrylene (7%) Broad spectrum: yes Reef safe: no Price per ounce (at the time of publication): 39¢
This lotion is formulated with non-nano zinc oxide, an active ingredient known to be safer for marine life. It leaves a minimal white cast, but it’s pricey and has a strong scent.
Thrive Bodyshield SPF 50 is easier to rub in than our physical-sunscreen pick from Blue Lizard, and its feel and transparency on all shades of skin is better, too—on par with most chemical sunscreens. In our testing we found that it leaves less of a white cast on skin than any of the other 15 reef-safe formulas we’ve tested. But this sunscreen is much more expensive than our other picks and contains a strong added fragrance.
SPF: 50 Type of protection: physical Active ingredient: non-nano zinc oxide (23.5%) Broad spectrum: yes Reef safe: yes Price per ounce (at the time of publication): $4.30
Thrive Bodyshield SPF 50 is our favorite reef-safe sunscreen. It’s also a great option for anyone who prefers sunscreens without chemical UV filters.
Sunscreen is personal, and the one you choose to slather on your face is even more so. Here are nine options to suit different preferences and budgets.
To find the best sunscreens, we spoke with multiple cosmetic chemists, dermatologists, and other medical professionals.
We read studies on FDA-approved active ingredients, investigations into how people apply sunscreen (spoiler: poorly), and literature reviews. Over years of work on this guide, we have consulted the FDA several times to learn more about its regulation of sunscreens.
We also read through sunscreen reviews from nonacademic publications—and then tossed most of them out because of their utter lack of basis in science. Although we previously considered independent SPF testing from Consumer Reports, we’ve concluded that lab simulations tell us very little about sunscreen efficacy during real-world use.
Sunscreen is for everyone over 6 months of age, including people with darker skin. Experts recommend keeping young infants out of the sun altogether; if that’s impossible, using sunscreen is better than not.
“Just because some cultures don’t have a long-standing history of wearing sunscreen doesn’t mean there can’t be a benefit from wearing it,” said Vinod Nambudiri, a dermatologist in Boston. “Darker-skinned people can absolutely get skin cancer as well as other skin problems caused by UV ray damage.”
Applied properly, sunscreen lowers your risk of skin cancer and helps prevent wrinkles (video); it’s arguably the most effective anti-aging product available. You’re getting hit by a fair amount of the sun’s rays every day, even overcast ones, “unless you are a spelunker,” said Rachel Herschenfeld, a Wellesley, Massachusetts–based dermatologist. “I put it on every single day. I will leave the house in smelly workout wear, but I never leave the house without my sunscreen.”
Many sunscreens meet our basic requirements. If you’re satisfied with what you already use and it’s not past its expiration date, continue using it. Particularly if you’ve developed an allergic reaction to a certain formula in the past, you ultimately know which sunscreen is best for you.
For this guide, we considered physical and chemical sunscreen formulas containing FDA-approved active ingredients that are widely available for purchase in the US. We focused our search on:
We prioritized lotion formulas without added fragrance, which can be a potential skin irritant, but did not exclude those that contain it.
Although we’ve tested continuous-spray sunscreens in the past, we no longer recommend them. While aerosolized sprays seem to be an appealing option for covering hard-to-reach parts of your body, every expert we asked said that you can’t just spray your own back and be good to go (you still have to rub the sprayed sunscreen into your skin). Aerosol-spray sunscreens are also easy to accidentally inhale, posing a significant health risk. “If you can smell your spray sunscreen, you’re inhaling it,” warned pediatric dermatologist Lawrence Eichenfield.
Along with continuous sprays, we also skipped foams and powders, since those formats are less common, and it can be hard to tell how much to apply. Stick sunscreens are semi-solids, so their formulas often differ from the lotion versions from the same brands. We’ve tried a variety of stick sunscreens and concluded that they are best for spot treatment. No stick we’ve tried is the best choice for full-body application, and all of them cost significantly more per ounce when compared with sunscreen lotions.
We’ve tested nearly 90 sunscreens since 2015 (including over 25 reef-safe formulas and even more facial sunscreens). We considered but ultimately decided against commissioning an independent lab to assess SPF, broad-spectrum, and water-resistance claims because the results of even the most sophisticated lab tests can’t predict how a given sunscreen performs in the real world, where application amount and frequency matter much more than a subtle difference in SPF. Instead, we’ve focused our testing on the factors that affect people’s sunscreen use: namely, how the formulas feel and smell.
In each round of testing, a panel of testers tried the sunscreens in swatches on their arms. All of the bottles were covered in tape to avoid the influence of brand names and marketing claims. Testers rated the texture, feel, appearance, and smell of each formula, assessing if it was a pain to rub in, either because it took too long or it was not spreadable enough. We wanted to account for how different sunscreens might work for people with different skin tones and body-hair textures, so we made sure to assemble a diverse panel.
Physical sunscreens available for sale in the US contain varying concentrations of the FDA-approved active ingredients zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or both. The FDA recognizes these ingredients as safe and effective.
This physical sunscreen lotion absorbs easily and is free of added fragrance. Although it can feel greasy and leave behind a white cast, it’s less visible on skin than most physical sunscreens.
Formulated with both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the water-resistant Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ offers broad-spectrum protection and was a staff favorite in our tests for a few key reasons.
It rubs in easily: Testers found it easy to apply. Compared with most mineral sunscreens, this sensitive formula is especially runny, which makes application and absorption much easier. It rubs in almost as smoothly as a chemical sunscreen (like our pick from Banana Boat), and many people find this sunscreen to be near colorless on the skin (though people with darker skin are more likely to see a white cast).
It’s inexpensive: Our pick from Blue Lizard is less expensive than many mineral sunscreens we’ve considered. And it’s even less expensive per ounce if you buy it in a larger bottle (8.75 ounces) than the 5-ounce bottle pictured above. A feature unique to all Blue Lizard sunscreens is that part of the packaging turns from clear or white to blue (or for baby formulas, pink) in the presence of UV light, which the company says provides a helpful visual reminder of sun exposure.
It’s free of added fragrance: Our testers appreciated that this formula is fragrance-free (many didn’t like formulas with added scents).
Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ is also available in a ½-ounce semi-solid stick. Like the lotion, it is fragrance-free. Unlike the lotion, which contains both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, zinc oxide (20%) is the lone active ingredient in the stick version. Like all sticks, we think this is best for spot application (especially because of this stick’s small size).
Although the formula doesn’t contain chemical UV filters that can harm aquatic life, Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ lotion is not reef safe, according to one of the strictest definitions of the term, because it contains nanoparticles of zinc oxide (10%) and titanium dioxide (8%). If you prefer a mineral sunscreen containing only non-nano UV blockers, consider the more expensive (but even more translucent and lightweight) Thrive Bodyshield SPF 50.
This lotion is formulated with non-nano zinc oxide, an active ingredient known to be safer for marine life. It leaves a minimal white cast, but it’s pricey and has a strong scent.
For people who don’t mind spending more for a “reef-safe,” mineral-only sunscreen, we recommend Thrive’s Bodyshield SPF 50. Unlike most mineral sunscreen formulas we’ve tested (including our pick from Blue Lizard), Thrive’s sunscreen, which is formulated with non-nano zinc oxide, is easy to rub in and didn’t leave a white cast on any of our panel testers.
Like our other picks, it’s water resistant for up to 80 minutes and offers broad-spectrum protection. However, Thrive’s sunscreen lotion costs more than double our physical pick from Blue Lizard and our chemical pick from Banana Boat, and more than 10 times as much per ounce as our budget chemical pick from Equate. It also contains added fragrance that leaves a strong, sweet smell on the skin that takes up to several hours to fully dissipate.
This formula only comes in a 5.8-ounce tube with a seal-tight cap, but it is also sold in multipacks that lowers the price per ounce, sometimes by about 20%.
The single active ingredient is non-nano zinc oxide (23.5%).
Most chemical sunscreens available for sale in the US contain varying concentrations of the FDA-approved active ingredients avobenzone, ecamsule, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, or some combination of these. The FDA is evaluating additional data to further determine the safety and efficacy of these ingredients. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents consider avoiding using sunscreens containing oxybenzone on kids. (Neither of our chemical picks contain oxybenzone.)
This easy-to-apply lotion lives up to its name, as it rubs in with a dry, transparent finish and appears nearly colorless on skin. It has added fragrance but not an overpowering sunscreen-y scent.
If you prefer a chemical sunscreen, the broad spectrum, water-resistant Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ stood out as the overall favorite in our brand-concealed testing. In addition to being less expensive than our physical sunscreen picks, we like the Light As Air formula because:
You can forget you’re wearing it: This formula is easy to apply, blends well, and has a nongreasy, dry finish that is translucent and truly feels light as air. The formula doesn’t contain oxybenzone, which some people want to avoid.
It’s scented, but nicely so: Although the formula does contain added fragrance, our testers did not find its scent overpowering. One described it as a “light, fruit-like smell.”
Currently, this formula only comes in a 6-ounce tube with a seal-tight cap.
The active ingredients are homosalate (9%), octocrylene (5%), octisalate (4%), and avobenzone (3%).
This store-brand chemical sunscreen is surprisingly pleasant to use. It feels good, rubs in easily, and looks nearly invisible on all skin tones. Its polarizing medicinal smell can be a dealbreaker, though.
Walmart’s Equate Sport Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Value Size SPF 50 earned top marks in our brand-concealed panel testing, which was surprising considering it is the least expensive sunscreen we’ve ever tested at just 39¢ an ounce (when purchased in the 32-ounce pump bottle). The majority of testers loved how easy it was to apply and considered it nearly as comfortable, translucent, and nongreasy on the skin as our top pick from Banana Boat (as well as other sunscreens that cost over 10 times as much per ounce, including Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50).
Like our other picks, it is oxybenzone free, broad spectrum, and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Since this sunscreen is only available for purchase at Walmart, it’s not as easily obtainable as the other sunscreens we recommend.
Like our picks from Banana Boat and Thrive, Equate’s sport sunscreen contains added fragrance, which proved polarizing during our testing. Some testers either didn’t notice it or enjoyed its short-lived medicinal smell (“reminds me of childhood,” one tester said), whereas others—in particular those who only needed to purchase sunscreen for themselves instead of a household—refused to consider it for long-term use despite giving its feel and appearance positive marks, all because of the “hospital-esque odor.”
For first trying this sunscreen, consider buying the 8-ounce version. In our testing, even when properly closed, a small amount of sunscreen leaked out of the 32-ounce pump bottle when the container was jostled around.
The active ingredients are avobenzone (3%), homosalate (15%), octisalate (5%), and octocrylene (7%).
If you want a relatively affordable reef-friendly sunscreen but can’t find or don’t like Thrive’s formula: Thinksport Sunscreen SPF 50 (active ingredient: 23.4% non-nano zinc oxide) is a reliable, affordable choice (and the runner-up pick in our guide to reef-safe sunscreens). But it is more difficult to rub in and appears chalkier on skin than our other sunscreen picks. Thinksport also has a 0.64-ounce SPF 30 stick, containing 20% zinc oxide.The applicator is sized such that it’s only practical to use on small patches of skin. Our testers liked applying the Thinksport SPF 30 stick sunscreen to their faces and ears, but we don’t see much practical value to this format beyond that.
If you want a reef-friendly sunscreen without added fragrance: Badger Adventure Mineral Sunscreen Cream SPF 50 (active ingredient: zinc oxide 25%) is a four-ingredient formula that is more expensive, more difficult to spread, and has more of a greasy, heavier feel on the skin than Thrive Bodyshield. However, it contains no fragrance and, like our pick, is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. A semi-solid “sport” version comes in a packable tin. Some testers found the semi-solid formula difficult to spread for adequate coverage anywhere other than on the face.
If you want a huge bottle of luxe sunscreen that will last for weeks, if not for a season: Consider Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 (active ingredients: avobenzone 3%, homosalate 10%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 7.5%), a pick in our guide to face sunscreens. It’s moisturizing, nicely scented, and normally under $4 per ounce when bought in an 18-ounce jug.
If you want a budget-friendly option and can’t find or don’t like Equate’s formula: No Ad Sport 50 Sunscreen (active ingredients: avobenzone 3%, homosalate 10%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 5%), a former pick which was discontinued in 2020, is available again. It’s more than double the price per ounce when compared with our pick from Equate (and almost identical in terms of ingredients, scent, and skin feel) but half the price of our Banana Boat pick.
All sunscreens have a sun protection factor, or SPF. It’s a measure of how well sunscreen protects against UVB rays, the type that causes sunburn.
Your chances of getting an effective SPF above 30, regardless of what the label claims, are better if you buy a sunscreen labeled SPF 50 or even 70.
Many sunscreens also protect against UVA rays, the type of rays that cause wrinkles. Both types of radiation can lead to cancer, and sunscreens that protect against both are labeled “broad spectrum.” The SPF rating, though, only applies to UVB protection.
The relationship between SPF and protection is not linear: SPF 15 filters 93% of UVB rays, whereas SPF 30 filters 97% and SPF 50 filters 98%. No sunscreen blocks 100% of UVB rays. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing sunscreens that list a minimum SPF of 30. However, your chances of getting an effective SPF above 30, regardless of what the label claims, are better if you buy a sunscreen labeled SPF 50 or even 70. (All of our picks are labeled SPF 50.)
A sunscreen with a higher SPF can’t make up for poor application. An SPF 15 lotion that you apply liberally and often can protect you better than an SPF 50+ lotion that you put on only once in eight hours.
The two main kinds of sunscreen formulas are physical (reflects rays away from your skin) and chemical (soaks up rays so your skin doesn’t). Some companies also make combination sunscreens, which have both physical and chemical UV filters.
Physical sunscreens, which are also commonly called mineral sunscreens, tend to be thicker and go on whiter. Chemical sunscreens (which are sometimes called “organics” because of the structures of the molecules they’re made of, not because of how the ingredients are sourced) tend to be greasier but go on translucent. Most combination sunscreens strike a balance between those textures and appearances.
Physical (aka mineral) sunscreens deflect UV rays using the active ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, often in tandem.
These FDA-approved active ingredients often come in micronized—finely ground—nanoparticles, which, according to cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson, are easier to apply and more sheer on the skin. Sunscreens that rely on non-nano particles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide tend to be thicker and more chalky. But the trade-off is that those larger particles cannot penetrate the skin (there is no published evidence that nanoparticles of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are harmful, except, possibly, when inhaled).
Chemical sunscreens absorb the photons of the sun’s rays before they reach your skin; the photons’ energy goes into breaking down those chemicals rather than into penetrating your skin. Avobenzone, oxybenzone, ecamsule, and octocrylene are the four main FDA-approved filters (PDF), though several other active ingredients work similarly.
Currently, the FDA only acknowledges the mineral active ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE). The agency has said it needs additional data to determine the GRASE status of 12 additional active ingredients.
Globally, there are many other effective UV filters approved for use as active ingredients in sunscreens. “The complexities—time, cost, toxicological tests—of getting new sunscreen actively approved in the US have left some effective molecules in limbo for nearly two decades has deterred many companies from attempting to put other new ingredients through the process,” Kelly Dobos, an independent cosmetic chemist who has advised personal care companies that manufacture lotions, hand sanitizers, and SPF-containing lip balms, wrote in an email.
To improve the efficacy and appearance of their sunscreen formulas, some companies include inactive ingredients that are sometimes called SPF boosters (video). These, Dobos explained, are likely how sunscreens that contain differing concentrations of the same active ingredients can provide the same level of stated SPF. One commonly found SPF booster, butyloctyl salicylate, is similar to the FDA-approved UV filter octisalate. Because it is not considered an active ingredient, some “mineral” sunscreens are functionally combination formulas.
Many sunscreens also contain added fragrance. You may want to avoid fragrances because they can be irritating, and fragrance preferences are largely personal. That said, the sunscreen active ingredients themselves still have a scent, so it’s hard to find a sunscreen that has absolutely no scent (even if it’s labeled fragrance free).
To get the SPF listed on the bottle, the average-size adult needs roughly a shot glass’s worth (1 ounce) of sunscreen for their mostly naked body (excluding areas that swimwear typically covers). So as you may have just concluded, you are almost certainly not using enough sunscreen.
Apply your sunscreen at least 15 minutes before sun exposure, since it takes that long for the formula to fully sink into your skin. Then reapply once every hour (or two hours, per the American Academy of Dermatology), as well as after each time you work up a sweat or go in the water. Consider setting a phone alarm or a timer to remind you when it’s time to reapply.
There’s no reason a body sunscreen can’t work on your face. Face sunscreens are often simply body sunscreens repackaged, according to independent cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski.
If you don’t want to spend the extra cash on a specific face lotion, keep in mind this caveat to using one of our body-sunscreen picks on your face: Water-resistant formulas contain more oil. That’s what makes them water resistant, Romanowski said. Face sunscreens tend to be formulated with less oil. We recommend several options in our guide to face sunscreens, but we wouldn’t hesitate to use a body sunscreen on the face for a beach day. No matter what you use, keep in mind that your level of protection depends on how much and how often you apply.
Yes, sunscreen expires. Usually there is an expiration date stamped on the bottle. If there’s not one, know that sunscreen is generally OK to use for up to three years from purchase. You should discard unused sunscreens that are beyond their expiration dates or more than three years old: Beyond that, the FDA warns, “there is no assurance that they remain safe and fully effective.”
Alba Botanica Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 contains no added fragrance and is generally less expensive than other nanoparticle-free physical sunscreen lotions we considered, but most of our testers did not like it due to its difficulty to rub in and sticky skin feel.
The All Good Mineral Sport Sunscreen SPF 30 contains less non-nano zinc oxide than the Thrive formula we recommend, and it leaves more of a white cast.
Testers disliked the artificial, syrupy scent of Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen SPF 50, which left a whitish cast on our skin.
We found that Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 took significantly longer to rub in compared with most other physical sunscreens we’ve tried, and it consistently left a white cast. Aveeno’s Protect + Soothe Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 and Kids Continuous Protection Zinc Oxide Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 offer the best values among physical sunscreen sticks we’ve considered. (Even so, the former regularly costs just north of $9 per ounce.) These Aveeno sticks are larger than the Blue Lizard and Thinksport sticks—more like the size of a stick of deodorant—yet still impractical for full-body coverage.
Babo Botanicals Baby Skin Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, a sunscreen lotion with non-nano zinc oxide as the lone active ingredient (and with butyloctyl salicylate as a possible SPF booster), feels and smells good. But it’s currently nearly $6 an ounce—significantly pricier than our picks.
Badger Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 is a reef-friendly, unscented formula that looks and feels nice on skin but is rated water resistant for only 40 minutes.
Banana Boat Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+, Banana Boat Kids Mineral SPF 50+, CVS Health Baby Sun Lotion SPF 50, and Equate Kids SPF 50 all contain less of the active ingredients (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) than other physical sunscreens we recommend. However, they are well priced and, in general, highly rated by customers. On a per-ounce basis, the Equate Kids is the least expensive sunscreen containing only mineral active ingredients we’ve ever tried—just 61¢ an ounce. However it contains only 3.1% titanium dioxide and 4% zinc oxide by volume (whereas our pick from Blue Lizard, which is also labeled SPF 50, contains 10% zinc oxide and 8% titanium dioxide). When we shared both brand-concealed ingredients lists of both formulas with cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos, she posited that an SPF booster in the Equate formula, butyloctyl salicylate, may have contributed to the total SPF. (Banana Boat Baby and CVS Health Baby also contain butyloctyl salicylate.)
The separated, watery consistency of Bare Republic Mineral Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 made it difficult to use. It, too, contains butyloctyl salicylate.
Many of our testers found Coppertone Pure & Simple Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50, a physical sunscreen that contains the SPF booster butyloctyl salicylate, to be goopy. While its zinc oxide percentage is among the highest of the sunscreens we tested (over 24%), most testers found that the runny formula made complete absorption nearly impossible.
Test panelists rated the fragrance-free Eucerin Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 (active ingredient: 24% zinc oxide) highly. It costs roughly 40% more per ounce than our pick from Blue Lizard, though, and contains butyloctyl salicylate.
Of the physical sunscreens we’ve tested, Goddess Garden Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 was by far the most polarizing. Testers either absolutely loved or positively hated the way it felt as well as its strong, cinnamon-like smell (one tester said it reminded them of Big Red chewing gum).
Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Skin Nourishing Milk SPF 50 is a nice-feeling, near-odorless, physical sunscreen that comes in a convenient pump bottle. But it’s available only in a 3.4-ounce quantity, and it’s more expensive than the Blue Lizard sunscreen we recommend. Some people may find it worth the extra cost.
We liked Hello Bello Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 for its price and skin feel; it’s similar to our pick from Blue Lizard and usually costs a bit less. But it’s frequently out of stock or difficult to find (either at Walmart or on the company’s website—the only two places it is sold), and several of our testers actively disliked this sunscreen’s scent. The Hello Bello formula contains the SPF-boosting inactive ingredient butyloctyl salicylate.
Kōkua Sun Care Hawaiian Natural Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50, which contains the same concentration (25%) of active ingredient non-nano zinc oxide as our reef-safe pick from Thrive, looks and feels as nice on skin. But it costs twice as much.
Somewhat confusingly, the Supergoop Play SPF 50 sunscreen stick is a mineral formula. (Another Supergoop Play formula we recommend is a chemical sunscreen lotion.) We found it a bit more difficult to spread and took longer to dry down on the skin when compared with a less-expensive stick sunscreen from Blue Lizard.
Test panelists appreciated the lack of added fragrance in Vanicream Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50+, a non-nano physical sunscreen formulated for sensitive skin that is beloved by people with eczema, rosacea, and related conditions that sunscreens can aggravate. But this formula costs much more per ounce than the sensitive formula from Eucerin we like.
Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Body Lotion SPF 60 felt watery and difficult to rub in, with many panelists noticing a white cast after application.
Most panelists disliked the sweet scent of Banana Boat Sun Comfort Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50, another chemical sunscreen lotion.
The deodorant-stick-size Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sun Stick SPF 50 is among the least expensive and most user-friendly sunscreen sticks we’ve tried, but it is still difficult to use and apply anywhere other than small swaths of skin.
Neither Coppertone Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 nor Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion SPF 70 ranked as well as our chemical picks in terms of translucence, skin feel, and ease of application.
Coppertone WaterBabies Lotion SPF 50, a chemical sunscreen, is easy to apply and wear, but the flowery scent of this formula isn’t for everyone.
Coppertone Ultra Guard Sunscreen Lotion SPF 70 was a beloved pick for years until it was discontinued.
We found that Fruit of the Earth Block Up Sport 50 rubbed in easily, but not as easily as our other chemical-sunscreen picks.
Hawaiian Tropic AntiOxidant+ Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50, a chemical formula, felt nice on skin, but testers found its traditional sunscreen smell to be overly strong.
Early on in our testing, we eliminated one chemical sunscreen lotion, Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen Weightless Face SPF 30, because of its bottle. With one drop on the floor, the pump broke, making it difficult to use.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Sunscreen SPF 60 is a much-revered chemical sunscreen lotion. Per ounce, it tends to cost more than 10 times as much as our picks. In a practical sense, each hour spent wearing this formula costs a few dollars.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 45 comes in a bottle that’s small enough to toss in a purse, but despite the marketing, the feel was not significantly drier than that of other sunscreens we tried.
CVS Health Clear Zinc Broad Spectrum Sun Lotion SPF 50 is a fine choice for sunscreen but we found that it does not appear colorless on all skin tones.
Coppertone Pure & Simple Baby SPF 50 felt thick and took a while to fully absorb into our skin.
Panelists generally liked EltaMD UV Sport Broad-Spectrum SPF 50, rating its feel and appearance highly. But at over $7 an ounce, it’s expensive if applied often enough to be effective.
Shannon Palus contributed reporting. This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Kalee Thompson.
Perry Romanowski, cosmetic chemist, phone interview
Rachel Herschenfeld, MD, doctor at Dermatology Partners in Wellesley, MA, phone interview
Ron Robinson, cosmetic chemist, email interview, June 25, 2019
Henry Lim, MD, MD, former president of the American Academy of Dermatology, email interview, June 26, 2019
Vinod Nambudiri, MD, assistant professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, phone interview, April 23, 2021
Lawrence Eichenfield, MD, chief of pediatric and adolescent dermatology at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, phone interview, April 23, 2021
Kelly Dobos, cosmetic chemist, email interview, March 20, 2024
Nancy Redd is a senior staff writer covering health and grooming at Wirecutter. She is a GLAAD Award–nominated on-air host and a New York Times best-selling author. Her latest nonfiction book, The Real Body Manual, is a visual health and wellness guide for young adults of all genders. Her other books include Bedtime Bonnet and Pregnancy, OMG!
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Galvanized Folding Dirty Basket Steel Wire Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).