Best Sunscreens for Face Summer 2023

What is the best sunscreen for face? This is a great question to ask. Summer is just around the corner! Sunlight, as beautiful as she is, is proven to cause signs of aging and skin cancer[1]. It's super important to protect your skin from damaging UV rays with the best sun blocker you can find. We've got 8 suggestions for you here plus more on the best sunscreen ingredients to look for on the label. Read all the way to the end to learn our tip for extra protection this summer: why you need to pair your sunscreen with an antioxidant. 


Empyri Top 3 Best Sunscreen For Face Summer 2023

Top Overall

ThinkSport Everyday Face SPF 30

A vegan, reef-friendly sunscreen that's fast absorbing with a natural tint. It's one of the best mineral sunscreens on the market.  

 
 
2 oz for $12.99
Top Budget

 

Neutrogena Sport Face Oil-Free SPF 70

Broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection and 80 minutes of water resistance from a trusted, dermatologist-recommended brand. This is definitely one of the best drugstore sunscreens available. 


2.5 oz for $9.59
Top Lux

Colorscience Brush-On Sunscreen Mineral Powder

Allure award-winning makeup sunscreen that's suitable for sensitive skin and a chosen sunscreen for acne-prone skin. 


6.2 g for $69.00

 

 

Empyri Top 8 Sunscreens for Face 

#1 ThinkSport Everyday Face SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen

Why You'll Love It:

Here's a mineral sunscreen without white cast. Finally! The natural tint reduces the cast so it is suitable for most skin tones. And it doesn't end there. This sunscreen boasts SPF 30, vitamin E hydration and vitamin C for a boost of antioxidant protection. ThinkSport formulas are super clean, a great fit for any organic skin care routine.

#2 Neutrogena Sport Face Oil-Free SPF 70

This is one of the best drugstore sunscreens, period. "Sporting" a 70 SPF (see what we did there?!), this oil-free formula is great for active days, from bike riding to beach-going. Just remember to reapply after you go in the water or sweat heavily. 

#3 Colorscience Brush-On Sunscreen Mineral Powder

This brush-on from Colorscience is a popular choice for a powder sunscreen for face. Opting for a powder SPF shouldn't be your first choice if you're heading to the beach for the day; you'll need something with more coverage that is long-lasting and possibly water resistant. But for everyday, especially a day at the office or a night out, this facial sunscreen powder is your friend. Because yes, you do need to wear sunscreen even when indoors. A powder sunscreen is also a best pick for those with oily skin and acne prone skin. 


#4 CeraVe Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30

Buy Now for $15.99 (1.7 oz)

This one covers all the basics: reasonably priced, minimum SPF 30 and it's a tinted sunscreen. Plus we love that its a non-irritating mineral formula. CeraVe is already a super trusted drugstore brand for cleansers and moisturizers; this is your sign to try their sunscreens for face too! The only drawback is that it only comes in one shade so it will not work for all skin tones. 

 

 #5 EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 Face Sunscreen

Buy Now for $38.95 (1.5 oz)

OK this facial sunscreen gets a lot of hype. And for good reason! It's superlight and applies almost like a serum or a facial moisturizing lotion. The SPF is 46 and the thin texture makes it perfect for layering underneath makeup. A little goes a long way for your face, neck and chest. 

#6 La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50

Buy Now for $34.99 (1.7 oz)

La Roche Posay Anthelios sunscreens are a bit of a cult classic. This face sunscreen has good coverage (the texture is thicker than others) and a heavy tint (not suitable for very fair complexions or darker skin tones). 

#7 Supergoop! Mineral Sheerscreen SPF 30

Buy Now for $38.00 (1.5 oz)

Almost every supergoop sunscreen review is the same: the texture is amazing. There are several really good formulas. For us, the best supergoop sunscreen for face is the mineral version. Simply because, we'll always choose mineral sunscreen over chemical sunscreen. But keep scrolling, there are so many good supergoop products that this brand hits the list again. 

If you hear about a supergoop sale, message us OK? 

 #8 Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40

Buy Now for $38.00 (1.7 oz)

We know that some folks may be more concerned about ingredients, opting for mineral sunscreen options like zinc oxide. But our friends with more melanin might stick with chemical sunscreens to avoid the white or grey cast that they can sometimes cause. This SPF 40 Unseen Sunscreen from Supergoop! is a game-changer. It's completely invisible and suitable for all skin types, including oily skin. 

 

Why You Should Pair Vitamin C with SPF

Fight free radicals

UVA rays and UVB rays produce free radicals, which damage your skin on a cellular level. That’s why we know that UV damages all skin: it’s the short term for fair complexions that are quick to burn and it’s a long game for those with a melanin-rich skin tone who are naturally bronzed by mid-summer. Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, is proven to neutralize free radicals[2] and therefore protect from the damages they cause like fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

 

Layer it on

Vitamin C is not a sunscreen itself, but its ability to prevent skin damage caused by UV exposure makes including it in your sun prep a smart move for your skincare routine. adding a highly active boost of antioxidants to your sun protection. To clean, dry skin, apply 5-10 pumps of vitamin C toner every morning before applying your daily SPF.

 

Conclusion

Sunscreen is a critical step in every skin care routine. UVA/UVB radiation from the sun exposes our skin to free radicals that cause damage at a cellular level. Without broad spectrum protection, daily exposure leads to premature signs of aging and risks of cancer. It's important to choose a sunscreen that you love. That way, it will be easy for you to wear it every single day.

Level up your sun protection by using your favourite vitamin C serum in the morning, underneath the SPF. Vitamin C's antioxidant power will help to neutralize free radicals and prevent signs of sun damage - like fine lines and hyperpigmentation. 

Just like the sunshine, 

You are loved. 

 

 

 

Jennifer Grant with Hemp Roots

 

Author Bio: Jennifer is the president and founder of empyri.  Jennifer’s passion for formulation and product development was set ablaze in 2019, when she incorporated the healing power of cannabis roots into her long-standing three-step skin care system. Armed with scientific evidence on the actives in cannabis roots and seeds, a clean and conscious brand was born. Using her masters degree in bio-chemical engineering, Jennifer is forging a path to ...READ FULL BIO

 

[1] https://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/reduce-cancer-risk/make-healthy-choices/be-sun-safe/?region=on

 [2] https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-C