Whether you spend long days under the sun or just have a bit of exposure while going to and from work, wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen is important to skin health. “Sun damage is cumulative, so whether you plan to be outdoors for hours or minutes, wearing a broad-spectrum body sunscreen every day is key when it comes to protecting yourself from sun damage and skin cancer,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. Whether you’re a lifeguard or an avid hiker in search of a water- and sweat-resistant sunscreen, or you need an easy-to-apply option to keep you covered on your daily commute, we’ve rounded up some of the best body sunscreens for everyday use.
6 of the best body sunscreens for everyday use
If you’ll be spending all day outside and expect to sweat or be in water, this sport formula is a top choice for a body sunscreen for everyday use. This water-resistant formula stands up to sweat and moisture for up to eighty minutes, helping keep your skin protected against photodamage and sunburn with a combination of chemical and mineral sunscreen ingredients (zinc oxide, octinoxate and octisalate). Dr. Schlessinger recommends the 7-ounce pump bottle of this product, as it’s a great value and lasts long enough for a full vacation in the sun. “The smaller, 3-ounce size is perfect as a carry-on for plane travel, but if you have the ability to pack the 7-ounce, you will feel more comfortable using larger quantities, which will please your skin and your dermatologist!” he says.
If you’re bothered by sunscreens that feel moist or sticky after applying, this formula from La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios sun protection collection could be your best option for a body sunscreen for everyday use. With a super-lightweight milky texture, this formula from La Roche-Posay soaks into skin quickly and dries to a non-greasy finish. It also helps protect skin with a collection of broad-spectrum chemical blockers—avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and oxybenzone—and can be used from head to toe, on the body as well as face.
Want sun protection and a body moisturizer in one? This sunscreen from SkinCeuticals could be the best body sunscreen for you. The sheer lotion-like formula is oil-free and fast-absorbing, infusing your skin with much-needed moisture but also weightlessly drying to a grease-free finish thanks to quick-dry technology. Designed to be water-resistant for up to forty minutes, this sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection with a combination of avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene.
If you’re looking for lightweight but long-lasting coverage with a beachy scent that will transport you to the tropics, try the Mango-Guava version of this COOLA sunscreen. It features a lightweight, creamy texture that feels great going on and is formulated to provide eighty minutes of water-resistant sun protection with a blend of homosalate, avobenzone, octisalate and octocrylene. Organic aloe and glycerin help hydrate skin so it’s left feeling soft and smooth, while a blend of antioxidant-rich ingredients—raspberry seed oil, prickly pear extract, buriti oil and meadowfoam oil—help strengthen the skin barrier and fight against damaging from free radicals. If you could do without the scent, there’s also a fragrance-free version.
Prefer an all-mineral sunscreen? This zinc oxide-powered formula from TiZO has a lightweight cream texture that works well for all skin types, including post-procedure skin. It’s also free of preservatives, water-resistant for up to forty minutes and contains vitamins C and E to help provide additional antioxidant protection. It comes in tinted and non-tinted versions, and both are formulated to absorb into the skin without leaving a white cast, even on deep skin tones.
This broad-spectrum sunscreen from Colorescience rounds out our list of the best body sunscreens for daily use. Also an all-mineral option, this sunscreen is designed to provide eighty minutes of water- and sweat-resistant protection with zinc oxide, and it also works to defend your skin against infrared rays and blue light. If you’d like to give your skin a bit of faux sun-kissed glow, choose the Bronze Tint, which will give your skin a touch of golden shimmer. For totally invisible coverage, the Universal Tint is the way to go.
Now that you’re all set with the best body sunscreens for everyday use, get beach-ready with our list of the best sunless tanning lotions on the LovelySkin Blog.