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The 10 Best Sunscreens To Keep Your Skin Safe
Summer is all about long days, longer nights, and having fun in the sun. But those long days underneath the beating sun can be brutal, particularly for your skin. So whether you’re going to be working all summer or chilling under an umbrella on a beach somewhere, you’re going to need that number one summer essential: sunscreen.
Wearing sunscreen every day – especially during the hot summer months – can protect your skin from harmful UV rays that will cause premature aging, oxidative stress, and potentially skin cancer. And since it’s best to avoid those things altogether, adding sunscreen to your skincare routine can be the easiest (and most effective) way to keep your skin looking young and healthy for years to come.
And if you’re worried about looking like a white nose-tipped lifeguard from a movie, you can put those fears aside. Forget what you may know about those thick, chalky white sunscreens you’d get slathered with when you were young because the future is here, and SPFs are looking good. Below, we’ve gathered our top 10 SPF products for men this summer, all of which pack a luxurious formula with skin-soothing ingredients you’re going to want to try.
Best Buy
1. Jack Black Sun Guard Water-Resistant Sunscreen
Part of Jack Black’s Performance Remedy collection, this sunscreen is specially designed to keep up with you while you work hard and play harder. The formula is water and sweat-resistance for the best protection for seriously sweaty activities with quick absorption so you can get back to setting your new PB.
Don’t let your sunscreen hold you back; choose Jack Black Sun Guard Water-Resistant Sunscreen for intense physical activity on land and in water that won’t run into your eyes so you can keep your eyes on the prize. For use on the face and body, this vitamin-enriched sunscreen offers SPF 45 protection from head to toe. It’s completely oil-free, so you no longer have to choose between getting pimples or sunburnt.
2. Ultimate Sun Protection Spray Broad Spectrum SPF 50+
For those that want to avoid thick, sticky sunscreen hands, choose Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Spray Broad Protection SPF 50+. The spray application allows the sunscreen to be applied easily and quickly over large areas, even the back, whilst spraying upside down, so you don’t have to rely on your other half to apply it. If you’re single, even better.
The luxurious formula protects your skin against UVB and UVA rays with skin-loving ingredients to maintain its health. It contains exclusive SuperVeil-UV 360™ technology to reduce the signs of aging that come from regular sun exposure. Unlike most spray-on sunscreens, this sunscreen by Shiseido can be used on the face as well as the body. Plus, the non-sticky, lightweight formula can even be used on your hair (and yes, you should be applying SPF to your hair also).
3. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen
The ideal sunscreen feels like you’re not wearing any sunscreen at all. The stickiness alone is enough to talk ourselves out of wearing sunscreen and aging prematurely. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen is super fast-absorbing with dry-touch technology for a lightweight matte finish, so you’ve no longer got an excuse not to slather yourself in sunscreen.
The PABA-free formula is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores and cause you to break out. With broad-spectrum SPF 100+, you can trust that you’re getting the best possible protection with Neutrogena.
4. EltaMD UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF 50+
EltaMD is a brand known for its SPF collection. It’s even recommended, trusted, and used by dermatologists and skincare experts alike. This lightweight, sheer formula blends and absorbs effortlessly into the skin (and even helps even skin tone), making it perfect for all skin types. The SPF combines natural mineral filter zinc oxide that reflects and scatters harmful UVA and UVB rays with chemical filter octocrylene to achieve a sheer formula that leaves zero white cast on all skin tones.
EltaMD has also formulated this SPF with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and plant-derived squalane to help the skin retain moisture and avoid irritation from all the summer fun activities you’re bound to be having.
5. Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Sunscreen
Sun Bum’s Original SPF 50 is the perfect sunscreen option for those, well, sun bums who plan on spending their days soaking in the summer sun on a beach, by a pool, or on whatever adventure you have planned for that day. This fragrance-free SPF is lightweight, dermatologist-approved, non-comedogenic, and hypoallergenic, so it’s safe to say this sunscreen can be used and loved by all.
Sun Bum’s SPFs are also considered coral reef-safe, so if that’s a priority for you, this option’s perfect. Plus, it contains moisturizing vitamin E to support skin repair and antioxidant protection.
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6. Coola Classic Body Sunscreen Guava Mango
As one of the best modern, up-and-coming sunscreen brands to hit the market in recent years, you can’t really go wrong with any one of COOLA’s suncare products. But with this delish guava mango scent, you really can’t go wrong. This SPF 50 lotion is an enhanced version of COOLA’s award-winning classic sunscreen and is perfect for those long, active summer days when you need something that will perform.
But it’s also lightweight and moisturizing enough for everyday use with nourishing, antioxidant-rich ingredients like buriti oil, meadowfoam oil, raspberry seed oil, and prickly pear extract. Customers rave how it’s lightweight and disappears into the skin instantly, just like a moisturizer. It’s also vegan, reef-safe, and comes in sustainable, responsible packaging.
7. Banana Boat Sunscreen For Men Triple Defence
Ah, another classic who knows how to do sunscreen just right. We wouldn’t be surprised if you used Banana Boat sunscreens growing up. You don’t have to kiss the nostalgia goodbye, but you can say hello to this adult-version SPF 50 lotion designed to give men ultimate broad-spectrum sun protection.
Its triple defense means you get heavy-duty broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection that kicks in and stays strong when the sun’s rays are most intense. It also combats odor when sweating (which is ideal in the heat) and contains nourishing ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E.
8. Pipette Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Pipette specializes in making affordable, gentle products suitable for just about anyone. So if you have sensitive skin, want something fragrance-free, or just can’t resist a good bargain, don’t fight it as Pipette’s Mineral Sunscreen is the one for you.
This reef-safe mineral sunscreen uses non-nano zinc oxide to provide broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. It’s lightweight (almost weightless), fast-absorbing, and non-sticky. Thanks to its plant extracts and sugar-derived squalane, it’s also incredibly calming and moisturizing.
9. Cetaphil Sheer Minimum Sunscreen
For those with sensitive skin who want hydrating protection, they can wear it all summer long. This 100% mineral sunscreen uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to provide broad-spectrum protection.
This ultra-gentle, fragrance-free, dermatologist-recommended SPF is microbiome-friendly, meaning that it will hydrate the skin and lock in moisture to protect the skin’s delicate acid barrier. It also contains prebiotics and antioxidant vitamin E to protect skin from environmental stressors and whatever harsh, drying conditions your skin may face this summer.
10. A’PIEU Pure Block Daily Sunscreen
Korean sunscreens are some of the best on the market, thanks to their innovative technology, top-of-the-line ingredients, and PA ranking system that lets you know just how much sun protection you’re getting. A’PIEU’s Pure Block Daily Sunscreen Cream packs a punch at SPF 45/PA+++ to block UVA and UVB rays whether you’re inside or exploring the outdoors. It’s non-sticky, non-greasy, fast-absorbing, and leaves zero white cast on the skin.
With its dewy finish, non-comedogenic ingredients, and hydrating plant extracts (hello aloe vera and watermelon), this sunscreen could help you achieve your best skin yet. The brand doesn’t recommend this sunscreen to retinoid users, so if you use sensitizing actives like retinol at night, this might not be the SPF for you.
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Sunscreen FAQs
Sunscreens are essential for protecting your skin against damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation because it blocks those rays from absorbing into your skin. In the short term, this can prevent sunburns and oxidative stress. But in the long run (of wearing sunscreen consistently), this can protect you from premature aging (like wrinkles and sagging skin), hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer. Yikes.
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, so the number alongside it will tell you how long the sun’s UV rays would take to redden or burn your skin compared to if you didn’t have any sunscreen on. So if you use an SPF of 45 properly (reapplying as often as needed), it would take your skin 45 times longer to burn than if you used no sunscreen at all.
The SPF value of sunscreen is important since it tells you a lot about how your skin will be protected for and how long. But a higher SPF doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll have superior sun protection. It just means that your sun will stay protected for a more extended amount of time. That’s why opting for an SPF of at least 30 will provide you with ample time to reapply and keep your skin protected.
Everyone’s skin is different, so what you’re looking for in a sunscreen will depend on your skin type, where you live, whether you prefer mineral or chemical filters, and what your skin goals are. You want to make sure that the sunscreen you choose is (at the bare minimum) an SPF of 30 or higher, and it offers broad-spectrum protection, meaning that it protects against UVA and UVB rays. If you’re going to be sweating or swimming a lot this summer, using a water-resistant sunscreen can help ensure you’re still getting protection, but make sure to reapply at least every two hours or according to the label.
At the end of the day, all that matters when looking for sunscreen is that you like it and you’re going to wear it. The right sunscreen for you is one that you’re going to want to wear consistently to protect your skin.
