Best Sunscreen for Face: 10 Solid Options That Actually Work

• Skin Type: Sensitive, acne-prone
• Texture: Lightweight lotion
• Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide, niacinamide
• Price Range: $35 to $40

This one’s been around for years for a reason. It doesn’t clog pores. No heavy feel. And it calms redness thanks to niacinamide. One of the safest picks if your skin reacts to everything. A lot of dermatologists actually recommend this.

• Skin Type: Dry, normal
• Texture: Creamy
• Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate
• Price Range: Around $37

It goes on thick but sinks in fast. Works well under makeup too. It has high SPF without leaving a weird film. If you’ve got dry skin or flake easily, this one helps keep things hydrated while still protecting.

• Skin Type: All, especially oily or combo
• Texture: Gel-like
• Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, octocrylene
• Price Range: Around $38

This one feels like nothing. Literally invisible on skin. No white cast. It works well under foundation or on its own. The finish is soft matte, which makes it a go-to for people who hate greasy products.

⭐ Top Pick ⭐

• Skin Type: Sensitive, combo
• Texture: Cream
• Active Ingredients: Rice extract, niacinamide
• Price Range: $18 to $20

One of the most viral Korean sunscreens right now. It feels soft, not oily. No sting near eyes. The texture is smooth enough to reapply without pilling. And it doesn’t mess with makeup.

• Skin Type: Dry, sensitive
• Texture: Thick cream
• Active Ingredients: Titanium dioxide, ceramides
• Price Range: About $15

It’s a mineral sunscreen, which means it uses physical blockers. So there might be a slight cast on deeper skin tones. But for people who can’t handle chemical filters, this is a solid drugstore option.

• Skin Type: Oily, mature skin
• Texture: Tinted lotion
• Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide, antioxidants
• Price Range: Around $35

This one has a soft tint that evens out skin tone. It’s not full coverage but enough to skip foundation on low-effort days. It also has anti-aging ingredients, which helps if you’re trying to protect and treat at the same time.

• Skin Type: Normal to oily
• Texture: Lightweight lotion
• Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, oxybenzone
• Price Range: About $9 to $12

Budget-friendly and easy to find. It dries fast, doesn’t leave you shiny, and offers high SPF. Not the best if you’ve got really dry skin, but great if you just need something simple that works.

• Skin Type: Aging, sun-damaged skin
• Texture: Watery lotion
• Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide, DNA repair enzymes
• Price Range: Around $60

This one’s more on the medical side. It has enzymes that help repair sun damage. It’s pricey but designed for people with real skin concerns like hyperpigmentation or early signs of damage.

• Skin Type: All
• Texture: Balm stick
• Active Ingredients: Octocrylene, octinoxate
• Price Range: Around $30

Perfect for on-the-go use. You don’t need to touch your face to reapply, and it doesn’t mess up makeup. Super portable. The stick format works well for travel or if you’re outside a lot.

• Skin Type: Combo, normal
• Texture: Creamy primer
• Active Ingredients: Silk extract, Japanese wild rose
• Price Range: $70

This is more of a skincare-meets-makeup type sunscreen. It helps blur pores while giving sun protection. Pricey, but some people use it in place of primer and sunscreen combined. If texture bugs you, this one feels nice.

• Skin Type: Oily, sensitive
• Texture: Lightweight fluid
• Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide
• Price Range: Around $10 to $15

Good if you want something affordable and matte. It dries down quickly and doesn’t feel sticky. Fragrance-free, so less likely to irritate. Can leave a little white cast on deeper skin tones, but for lighter or medium skin, it works fine.

• Skin Type: Normal to dry, melanin-rich skin
• Texture: Cream
• Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate
• Price Range: Around $15

Created for darker skin tones so it blends in clear without that grayish layer some mineral sunscreens leave. Also moisturizes, so you might not need an extra layer underneath. Good option if you're skipping foundation or want something simple.

• Skin Type: Dry, normal
• Texture: Dewy cream
• Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide, grape seed oil
• Price Range: Around $35

This one’s popular with the 'skin first, makeup second' crowd. It's technically a mineral sunscreen but doesn’t leave a cast. Feels more like a serum than SPF. Gives a dewy look so not great for oily skin but ideal for dry skin or dull texture.

• Skin Type: All
• Texture: Loose powder
• Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide, iron oxides
• Price Range: Around $70

This is a powder sunscreen. Works best as a reapplication tool over makeup. Not great as your only SPF in the morning, but perfect for topping up protection without messing with your skin or base. Also has a tinted version.

• Skin Type: Sensitive, pregnancy-safe
• Texture: Cream
• Active Ingredients: Zinc oxide
• Price Range: Around $15

Originally made for babies, but adults with reactive skin use it too. No fragrance, no parabens, no chemical filters. It’s thick, so takes effort to rub in. But if your skin reacts to everything, this is one of the safest bets. Also good for pregnant people avoiding certain ingredients.

• Best sunscreen for face doesn’t mean best for everyone
• Know your skin type first
• Reapply every 2 hours if you’re outside
• Chemical sunscreens blend in easier but may irritate some skin
• Mineral sunscreens are better for sensitive types but can leave a white cast

If you're only using sunscreen once in the morning and skipping reapplication, even the best formula won't protect you fully. Sunscreen is one of those things where how you use it matters more than the brand.