Tested and reviewed hydrating and lightweight options.
No lectures needed on the importance of sunscreen. We all know we should be wearing it every single day to prevent premature skin aging and skin cancer. SPF is an absolute necessity in your skincare routine. Your skin needs protection from the UVA and UVB rays that peek through the overcast clouds, as well as environmental stressors like free radicals and pollution.
Ask any dermatologist or skin expert and they’ll tell you that sunscreen is the single most important product to use each and every day. There are two main types of UV rays: UVA is responsible for ageing skin and can penetrate clouds and windows, while UVB rays are the ones that burn skin. “It’s vital to wear sunscreen daily because skin damage is a year-round concern,” says facial aestheticians, Venecia Hacker.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Fluid SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen
Really, my favorite sunscreen, I’ve been using this for years now. This is the SPF I use as a benchmark for all new ones I try. It has a lightweight lotion texture that is super hydrating. It’s perfect for all skin tones and there is zero white cast. It’s the sunscreen you forget you’re wearing thanks to its invisible finish and non-sticky, non-greasy texture.
Price: $30 | Type: Chemical | Size: 1.7 oz.
Kosas DreamBeam Silicone-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40 with Ceramides and Peptides
A clean, silicone-free, comfy mineral sunscreen packed with Hyaluronic Acid + Allantoin; ceramides and peptides to moisturize, visibly smooth and brighten, and create the dreamiest makeup base. Skincare meets makeup prep, this mineral sunscreen melts into skin so makeup applies smoothly and seamlessly. It visibly brightens, defends against signs of aging, and hydrates and soothes for softer, more supple skin. It is water-resistant, safe for sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, and non-acnegenic. Formulated with 21.7% non nano-zinc oxide to provide an optimal physical SPF barrier, it has a peachy-pink hue to help neutralize zinc oxide’s natural bluish-white color.
Price: $40 | Type: Mineral | Size: 1.3 oz.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
So much hype around this sunscreen. This is a chemical invisible, weightless, scentless, and makeup-gripping daily primer with SPF 40. It has a gel texture. It has no fragrance, natural finish and absence of any white cast make it practically invisible. It glides silky smoothly and makes for a fantastic base under makeup. However, it can leave a slight oily residue on the skin.
Price: $38 | Type: Chemical | Size: 1.7 oz.
Sunscreen made by women of color for people of color. Black Girl Sunscreen dries completely clear so it’s perfect to use before any outdoor activity or even under your favorite makeup products. It contains a multitude of skin-benefiting ingredients, like avocado oil, jojoba oil, and carrot juice. This chemical sunscreen absorbs quickly without a white cast. It’s affordable and absorbs quickly. It may be too shiny for oily skin types.
Price: $19 | Type: Chemical | Size: 3 oz.
Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen
This is a lightweight, reef-friendly, SPF 30 mineral sunscreen that helps shield skin from UV rays and leaves skin with a soft, natural-looking finish. This has a thin runny milky consistency that blends into the skin easily and doesn’t leave a residue. It’s formulated with Zinc Oxide, Squalane and Antioxidant Complex (Vitamin E and Ethyl Ferulate) and nourishes dry skin without leaving a greasy residue on oily skin types.
Price: $36 | Type: Mineral | Size: 1.7 oz.
Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 36
A lightweight sunscreen delivering invisible sun protection while hydrating and soothing skin. This sunscreen is infused with a blend of green tea, cica, and sunflower seed oil for three-in-one benefits; it hydrates, soothes, and protects. It has no-cast formula that leaves a slight glow
Price: $16 | Type: Chemical | Size: 1.7 oz.
Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50
A perfect daytime primer for all your glowy needs. It’s an SPF primer infused with hyaluronic acid and SPF 50+ to protect, hydrate and perfectly prime your skin. This is such a multitasking product for creating poreless looking canvas for makeup, while providing hydration and essential daily sun-defense with SPF 50.
Price: $55 | Type: Mineral | Size: 1 oz.
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Face Moisturizer SPF 30
An invisible SPF 30 moisturizer that locks in fresh hydration, fades the look of dark spots, smooths the look of pores and defends against pollution. It has Kalahari Melon, Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe. This lightweight moisturizer applies invisibly on all skin tones and works with makeup. This SPF moisturizer was made in mind for fellow melanin-rich people would actually look forward to applying.
Price: $39 | Type: Chemical | Size: 1.7 oz.
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