I wasn’t always a sunscreen devotee. Like many millennials, I didn’t understand the risks of turning into a lobster on the beach when I was in high school or spending hours in tanning beds before prom. I thought I looked better tanned and sunscreen seemed gross and caused breakouts. I know better now and luckily sunscreens have come a long way in terms of formula and feel and can actually be very pleasant to use. Now I wear it every day, hoping to undo my sins of sun worship, or at least prevent further damage.
“Wearing sunscreen is very important because it protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays that can cause sunburn, premature aging and even skin cancer,” she says. Ellen Marmurcertified dermatologist and founder of MMSkin care. “Because of these risks, I recommend using sunscreen every day. “Whether you are driving your car, going to the beach or simply traveling by plane, sunscreen plays a vital role in protecting your skin.”
Okay, we’ve established that sunscreen is important. But once you commit to using it daily, choosing a sunscreen can be a truly daunting task. There are many options and they are really very different. To help you sort through all the bottles on the shelves, we talked to skincare experts and tested them all summer long. Here’s what you need to know to help you choose the right sunscreen for you and our top picks for the best sunscreens out there right now.
For more skin care, check out our guides on red light therapy masks and the best water filters for shower heads.
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What is the difference between mineral sunscreen and chemical sunscreen?
There are two main ways a sunscreen can provide protection: physically or chemically. Mineral sunscreens create a physical barrier that sits on the skin and reflects UV rays away from you. Chemical sunscreens contain ingredients that penetrate the skin and absorb ultraviolet rays, converting them into heat for the body to release. Some sunscreen formulas use a hybrid of mineral and chemical ingredients.
There are pros and cons to each type of sunscreen. Mineral formulations leave a white cast (unless tinted) and tend to feel thicker and heavier than chemical sunscreens. They tend to be gentler and less likely to cause irritation, making them a good option for people with sensitive skin, says Marmur. They are also safer for the environment and don’t cause as much damage to coral reefs.
Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, don’t leave marks and feel lighter on the skin. Since they sink deeper, they may hold up better during sweaty activities, says Marmur. The disadvantages? Certain ingredients in chemical sunscreens can cause skin irritation in some people.
“Avobenzone is destabilized when exposed to light and is a possible cause of dermatitis,” says Marmur. Some products include stabilizing agents to help prevent this. Two other chemical sunscreens, oxybenzone and octinoxate, have been banned in Key West and Hawaii for their harmful impact on marine life, and there are concerns that these ingredients cause hormonal disruptions in humans, although there is no ample evidence to support this.
Is a higher SPF always better?
SPF stands for sun protection factor and the rating refers specifically to how well a product fights UVB rays. “The difference in percentage protection between SPF 30 and SPF 100 is quite small, and probably much less than you expect,” says Marmur. For example, an SPF 30 ensures that 97 percent of UVB radiation is blocked, while an SPF 50 increases that percentage to 98 and an SPF 100 increases it to 99 percent. So, higher is technically better, but there isn’t a huge difference in the protection you get.
“That said, I would recommend using sunscreen with at least SPF 30, as it generally has a similar percentage of protection compared to SPF up to 100,” says Marmur. Regardless of the SPF rating, you want a product that provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays.
What ingredients should you avoid in sunscreen?
Given what we know about sunscreen and the safety of common ingredients, “the benefits of using it significantly outweigh the risks,” says Marmur. Using sunscreen regularly is not only a matter of safety, but it is also one of the best things you can do to prevent premature aging. “Good sun protection habits are now like money in the bank, protecting us against expensive lasers to remove sun damage or, worse, surgery and scarring from skin cancer,” says Marmur.
Many of the concerns raised about oxybenzone are related to studies conducted in rats, in which the animals were fed oxybenzone. According to an analysis of Dermatological Research ArchivesIt would take a human 277 years of using oxybenzone sunscreen to achieve an equivalent dose of the chemical that caused adverse effects in the rats. Oxybenzone is also present in many products that people use, such as nail polish, hairspray, and plastics. “There have been no reported cases of proven adverse systemic reactions to sunscreens,” says Marmur. “But millions of skin cancers occur every year, directly related to ultraviolet radiation from the sun that damages the DNA of the skin.”
That said, there are certain ingredients you should avoid.
Marmur recommends avoiding added fragrances in sunscreen products, especially for people with sensitive skin. Avobenzone, a common chemical ingredient in sunscreens, can cause skin irritation in some people. Retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A used in some sunscreens, has been postulated to increase the risk of skin cancer when exposed to sunlight. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are particularly harmful to coral reefs. None of the sunscreens on this list contain oxybenzone, octinoxate, or retinyl palmitate.
What to know about terms like “reef safe”
The designations “reef safe” and “reef friendly” are not regulated designations, so brands can use the terms as marketing tools without obtaining any certification, and they do not mean that a product will not cause any damage to the environment. However, there are certain sunscreens that have less impact on marine ecosystems than others. In general, mineral sunscreens are less harmful to corals than chemical ones.