Now that we’ve gotten the facts out of the way, we want to acknowledge that finding the right sunscreen for your skin tone and type can be tricky. Like any other skin-care product, personal preferences run the gamut. Those with sensitive skin may prefer mineral or physical sunscreens, which are always formulated with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide and “reflect ultraviolet rays off of them before the rays penetrate into skin cells,” as Loretta Ciraldo, MD, a Miami-based board-certified dermatologist, previously explained.
On the other hand, those who prefer their SPF to feel more like a lightweight serum or moisturizer (that’s also more likely to induce zero white/grey cast) will turn to chemical sunscreens, which “use chemicals that absorb damaging UV rays and convert them to non-damaging heat,” Sejal Shah, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist told Allure. And FYI: Common chemical UV filters include avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate, and ensulizole. (Oxybenzone and octinoxate are two other chemical filters that are banned in Hawaii, and therefore many companies have followed suit to keep them out of their ingredient lists.)
Nevertheless, to help you out on your daily sunscreen-wearing journey, we’ve rounded up 20 of the best face sunscreens, as recommended by Allure editors and board-certified dermatologists. These formulas glide on like a dream, never disrupt makeup, work well on all skin types, and most importantly, prevent sunburns and UV-induced damage with proper application.
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