Aside from a favorite bright lipstick or a shimmery highlighter, the most important step in your daily routine might just be an invisible one. According to dermatologists, protecting your face from the sun is one of the best things you can do for your complexion.
In order for your sunscreen to be effective, you need to make sure you’re applying enough of it. “For the face, it is recommended to apply a nickel-sized dollop — the equivalent of two finger lengths, which is also equivalent to half a teaspoon — to the face and neck combined,” says board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD.
For those of you already shaking your heads, we know — the last thing you want is for your $40 foundation to come out cakey or oily because you layered it over a sunscreen. But the best facial sunscreens work with your skin and makeup instead of against them. And it’s always worth using one. “Exposing skin to aging UVA rays breaks down the supportive collagen and elastin fibers,” dermatologist Howard Fein, MD, told Allure, and as a result, your skin can become dull, blotchy, and less firm.
Thankfully, there are a ton of best-selling gems that not only guard your face against harmful UV rays but also help control oil, boost moisture, and create a matte finish for your makeup, too. We’ve rounded up the best sunscreens on Amazon to keep your complexion protected.
Forego foundation with a few pumps of Hero Cosmetics Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30, which utilizes a sheer green tint that quickly makes redness go “poof.” And when you do want to wear foundation? In addition to its blurring properties, this lightweight gel-cream provides a grippy finish that transforms your complexion into the perfect canvas for makeup. Think of it as primer and sun protection rolled into one convenient bottle.
If your skin errs on the dry side, you’ll want to snag a bottle of Cosrx Vitamin E SPF 50+ Daily Lightweight Sunscreen due to the hero ingredient of vitamin E. Its fat-soluble composition makes it “readily absorbable in our skin, which is great for people with dry skin,” explains David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. The ingredient list in this sunscreen also boasts cacao and cotton, which reduces redness.
Thousands of reviewers have given Innisfree Daily UV SPF Sunscreen their stamp of approval, with one reviewer claiming that the impressive formula has turned them into a “sunscreen snob.” It’s pill-free, doesn’t leave behind an ashy or white cast on any skin tones, and it’s the perfect in-between when it comes to finish: non-greasy but still promoting a dewy, glowing complexion.
