It may already be August, but summer isn’t over yet! That sun is still going strong, and while you should protect your skin year-round, it’s especially important during this sweltering heat wave.
But don’t just slather on any old sunscreen when you step outside. For the best skin safety, use only the highest rated, dermatologist-approved sunscreens for your scientifically-supported fun in the sun.
Here’s some top of the line products you might want to try:
1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Melt-in Sunscreen Milk
In 2019, for the fifth year in a row, this lotion sunscreen has received a perfect score of 100 from experts at Consumer Reports.
The sunscreen is formulated with La Roche-Posay’s exclusive Cell-Ox Shield® technology, which uses antioxidants to provide broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection, while still being free of oils, fragrance, and parabens. It’s also water resistant for up to 80 minutes. No wonder the La Roche-Posay brand is recommended by 90,000 dermatologists worldwide.
2. Trader Joe’s Spray Sunscreen SPF 50+
If lotions aren’t your thing, then Trader Joe’s has got you covered with a spray sunscreen that’s almost identical to La Roche-Posay.
This skin saver also earned perfect ratings from Consumer Reports for four years in a row in 2019. While also providing broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection, other ingredients include aloe, vitamin E, and coconut oil for added skin nourishment and hydration. There are no parabens in this easy-to-apply product, and it’s also water resistant for up to 80 minutes.
3. Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40
This 2018 Allure Best of Beauty award winner is suitable for all skin tones, but particularly people of color. This lightweight and oil free sunscreen is impressively invisible and dries clearly, without a white streak left behind.
Because ingredients include red algae and Meadowform seed, as well as loads of antioxidants and some Frankincense for a soothing effect, Supergoop! protects against both UVA and UVB rays from the sun and blue light emitted by our cell phones and computers. This lotion is certified clean at Sephora, which means it’s formulated without a list of over 50 ingredients, including parabens and sulfates. As a bonus, this sunscreen is also vegan, cruelty free, and gluten free.
Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, loves how Supergoop! blends into her brown skin. “This brand is cosmetically elegant, easy to layer, and great on oily, combination, or dry skin.:
4. Colorescience Sunforgettable Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen Brush
Another alternative to lotions and sprays is sunscreen powder.
Another award-winning sunscreen provides protection to both UVA and UVB rays, as well as blue light and infrared, all while hydrating and moisturizing skin with natural sodium hyaluronate and antioxidants. It’s also free of all the bad stuff – parabens, sulfates, oils, gluten; to top it off, the powder is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.
“You can wear it all day, even to the beach, and it looks polished and provides excellent protection,” says Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, dermatologist and associate professor of dermatology at George Washington University Medical Center. “I was at a bike-outing with three fellow dermatologists in Southern California and we each had a Colorscience powder stick in our bag.”
Defend yourself from damage to your epidermis this summer with direction and data from dermatologists themselves.
Reflect & Refresh 