I’m a “sea vampire.” At least that's what my friend Ben called me when he saw me in the water in Santa Marta, Colombia, clad in an oversized hat and shades, doing everything in my power to avoid even a shred of sunlight hitting my skin. Yes, my pals laughed at how often I reapplied sunscreen — until I was the only one of us on this trip who went back to the States without a burn.
I’ve got plenty of long-time faves (CeraVe Moisturizing Facial Lotion AM SPF 30 is great for every day; members of the Neutrogena fam regularly come with me to the beach). But because sea vampires know a thing or two about SPF, we stay up on the new formulas. Here, some of the latest sun-care products for every skin tone. Get excited about slathering them on.
The Product: Dr. Jart's Every Sun Day Illuminating Sunscreen
Good For: Glow girls, this one's for you. It seamlessly takes the place of an illuminating primer both under foundation and on its own.
Why It Made Our List: I could write sonnets to Dr. Jart’s BB Beauty Balms — they have that great no-makeup sheerness with skin-evening makeup coverage. The brand’s new illuminating sunscreen/primer has micro opal pearls to give you a sun-kissed glow without the sun-kissed part. It’s also got antioxidants, so your daytime skin-care needs are well met.
Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day UV Illuminating Sunscreen SPF 36, $34, available at Sephora.
The Product: Alba Botanica Very Emollient Mineral Sunscreen
Good For: Crunchy types who want paraben-free sun care and easy application.
Why It Made Our List : The “very emollient” brag holds up. The skin-softening mineral spray doesn’t look greasy or chalky (as mineral sunscreen can, especially on dark skin). It comes in fragrance-free and herbal-fresh options; the former smells like nothing, the latter like subtle eucalyptus (the scent is stronger when you first put it on, but dissipates as it dries). Bonus: The aerosol top has a twistable cap that blocks the sprayer, so that it can’t go off in your beach bag.
Alba Botanica Very Emollient Mineral Sunscreen SPF 35, $15.99, available at Whole Foods Market in May.
The Product: ZO Skin Health Oclipse Smart Tone SPF 50 and ZO Skin Health Oclipse Sunscreen + Primer SPF 30
Good For: Ladies and gents with fancy outdoor places to go — and who need their makeup to stay on when they get there. In other words, the facial sunscreens that you wear to a classy winery wedding.
Why It Made Our List: The Smart Tone has a touch of color (thanks to iron oxides and mica) that matches many skin tones and finishes matte and dry. The Sunscreen + Primer combo also has a universal tint to avoid white streaks; it feels silky on your skin and keeps your foundation from sliding off your face like melty pizza cheese.
ZO Skin Health Oclipse Smart Tone SPF 50, $70, available at ZO Skin Health; ZO Skin Health Oclipse Sunscreen + Primer SPF 30, $65, available at ZO Skin Health.
The Product: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream with SPF 30
Good For: Those who want the skin-care trifecta of sun protection, zit prevention, and fine-line prevention.
Why It Made Our List: It’s an anti-aging cream with peptides, a dose of sun protection, and an almost perfume-y smell (definitely not a sunscreen-y one). It’s another great daily under-makeup option, especially for those of us who are still dealing with acne (it’s non-comedogenic, science talk for Captain Won’t-Give-You-Zits) but are also concerned with deepening smile lines or the "11" that can pop up between the eyebrows.
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream with SPF 30, $23.99, available at Target.
The Product: Alterna Haircare Bamboo Beach BB Beach Balm
Good For: When your post-beach waves look less Little Mermaid and more Ursula.
Why It Made Our List: This hair balm has UV protection, helps hold your style, and adds a little shine and moisture back into sun-fried hair. It has a fruit-salad, melon-like scent, in a good way; a clean sweetness. Great to pack for a vacation when your hair is being punished by the sun for a few days in a row.
Alterna Haircare Bamboo Beach BB Beach Balm for Hair, $22, available at Sephora.
The Product: Big Cloud Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen SPF 25
Good For: Couples who share their shine-free skin care.
Why It Made Our List: I’m a big fan of Dollar Shave Club’s commercials and razors. (Truth: I was such an early customer that I’m considered “an original member” — I have a special pin.) Its new SPF-infused moisturizer is lightweight, so it doesn’t give you that “Am I wearing a sweater on my face?” feel. It’s matte, and like the razors, it can be delivered to your house because you’re lazy. Thank Zeus.
Big Cloud Daily Moisturizer with SPF 25, $9, available at Dollar Shave Club.
The Product: Sun Bum Baby Bum Face Stick SPF 30
Good For: Those with sand hands who need to reapply without scratching their face.
Why It Made Our List: A natural sunscreen solid that you swipe on like a stick of deodorant, this Australian product is paraben- and cruelty-free, and formulated for sensitive skin (the brand has a body lotion, too). It smells kind of like a Jolly Rancher and feels a bit like lip balm at first application, but the smell disappears and the balm absorbs into the skin well and doesn't feel greasy.
Sun Bum Baby Bum Premium Natural Stick, $12.99, available at Sun Bum.
The Product: Coppertone Sport High Performance SPF 15, 30, 50 in spray or lotion
Good For: Sporty types who need full-body coverage.
Why It Made Our List: When you want to get your beach volleyball on, you can’t beat this sweat-proof drugstore classic, recently reformulated to feel more “breathable.” The spray has a twisty-top so that it can’t go off in your bag (really loving these cap innovations, gang!). The price point also makes it shareable without resentment. Related: Coppertone also introduced two After Sun products this year, the Coppertone Sport High Performance After Sun Moisturizer and the Clearly Sheer After Sun Moisturizer (both $6.99).
Coppertone Sport High Performance AccuSpray Sunscreen, $7.99, available at Drugstore.com.
The Product: Elta MD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46, in tinted and untinted
Good For: Those whose skin breaks out if they so much as look at a sunscreen.
Why It Made Our List: The dermatologist-beloved brand uses zinc oxide, a physical sunscreen,which is gentler on acne-prone skin, and contains the blemish-soothing ingredient niacinamide, which studies have shown can significantly reduce inflammatory acne.
Elta MD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46, available at physicians' offices.
The Product: Korres Yoghurt Nourishing Fluid Veil Face Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Good For: Those who think heavy creams belong exclusively in baked goods.
Why It Made Our List: Why should Fage be your only Greek yogurt? Studies suggest probiotics can soothe irritation-prone skin — read this for the full scoop. This thin, liquid sunscreen contains yogurt and has a light, sweet-cream scent. The finish has a subtle shine.
Korres Suncare Yoghurt Nourishing Fluid Veil Face Sunscreen SPF 30, $35, available at Sephora.
The Product: Nuance Salma Hayek Oil-Free Sheer Liquid Veil SPF 50
Good For: Makeup artistes who need their sunscreen to feel barely there — and want to mix it into their foundation.
Why It Made Our List: A true liquid sunscreen in the same vein as the Korres and La Roche-Posay formulas, it’s surprisingly moisturizing for such a thin liquid. It gives your skin a little bit of a shine (without the disco-ball effect) and, more importantly, it feels good under foundation.
Nuance Salma Hayek Oil-Free Sheer Liquid Veil SPF 50, $9.99, available at CVS.
The Product: La Roche-Posay My UV Patch
Good For: Sunscreen skeptics who don’t quite know how much sun they’re getting day-to-day.
Why It Made Our List: The waiting list for this June release started in January. The transparent adhesive square’s photosensitive dyes detect changes in your skin tone caused by UV exposure. Scan a pic of your square and upload it to the My UV Patch app, and find out just how much UV exposure you’ve had — an enlightening science experiment, especially for folks who spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer.
La Roche-Posay My UV Patch, free, available in June at dermatologists' offices, and eventually through select e-retailers.
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