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A Tried And Tested List Of The 15 Best Face Sunscreens For Sensitive Skin
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If you’re not counting down to sunnier days all year, you’re lying to yourself. There’s something electric about the summer: it means freedom, holidays, frolicking, and picnics.
It’s pretty much perfect, aside from of course the impending doom of hayfever and the fact you need to find the right sunscreen to wear.
Should you be unfortunate enough to be afflicted by sensitive skin like me, you’ll know the struggle of trying to find an SPF that sufficiently protects you from the sun, is easy to apply, won’t pill, or break you out into hives and blemishes every time you use it.
It’s enough to ruin the thrill of sitting in the sun, but this year I was determined to not let a few pesky rays ruin my fun.
To save all of the sensitive skin sufferers out there, I made it my mission to find the best sensitive skin face sunscreens on the market right now.
And good news: I found a range of options from high street to K-beauty, which come in between £5 and £26.
How I tested the best sensitive skin face sunscreens
With some of the sunniest days ahead of us, I tried out 15 of the best face sunscreens for sensitive skin.
To make sure they were up to the mark, I tested them multiple ways, including: on top of my usual skincare, without any skincare at all (à la post-swim skin), underneath makeup, on top of makeup, and as a top up half way through the day.
I also wore them while inside, on my commute, on a long hike, and when going swimming to see if they’d break me out or leave a white cast.
For each sunscreen, I considered value for money, formula, UVA and UVB protection, active ingredients like green tea and hyaluronic acid, bottle type, and volume.
My 15 favourites are outlined below.
The 15 best face sunscreens for sensitive skin to shop now
Should the sun add insult to injury for your dry skin, this Eucerin sunscreen will keep you plenty moisturised under its glare. It’s loaded with hyaluronic acid, which helps to keep your face looking plump and fresh, and won’t leave a white cast. It’s a little thicker than other options, though, so it’s not ideal for those with skin on the oilier side.
Rating:4/5.
Like the Eucerin formula, this scent-free sunscreen applies fairly thick, but it melts into your skin almost immediately. Unlike other pump bottles, this one doesn’t get stuck and has no problem dosing out the perfect amount. As well as being vegan and cruelty-free – and of course filtering out UVA and UVB rays – Green People’s formula also contains key antioxidants to support your skin texture.
Rating:4/5.
As someone who often gets a rash on her face, I’m a big fan of SOS’ face and body serum for cooling and soothing my skin. This sunscreen feels just as gentle on the face, and while it’s quite oily-feeling on first application, it is barely noticeable on the skin within seconds.
Rating: 4.5/5.
Fresh pharmacy brand Avène has been my go-to for dry, rash-prone skin for most of my life. Shoutout to its Cicalfate range for getting me through some rough years of extremely visible neck eczema. So it’s no surprise, really, that this sunscreen leaves your skin feeling nourished and doesn’t break you out. Be warned, though, some reviewers say it has a slight tinted tinge on darker skin tones.
Rating: 4/5.
Honestly, I’m a sucker for anything cute. I love this round pink packaging, which homes a sweet-smelling watermelon sunscreen. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone, and I was at first suspicious of using a scented sunscreen on sensitive skin, but I haven’t had any problems with it. In fact, it leaves my skin looking glowy (as the brand name suggests) and it’s easy to pick up and chuck in my bag.
Rating: 4.5/5.
This tiny stick is in the running for my favourite sunscreen on the list. Not only is it minuscule – it’s only slightly bigger than an AirPods case – but it’s so invisible, you can barely tell you’ve applied something to your face. While that might be a little offputting for some users, I love that I can just do a quick swipe while I’m out and about without having to think about getting my dirty hands all up in my face. I find that it even mattifies my skin a little, which is much needed when I start sweating profusely the second a hint of moisture hits the air. TBC on how much the product stretches, but I’ll definitely be repurchasing.
Rating: 5/5.
If you’re not sure about whether you want a thick or a light formula, this Q&A option is the perfect in between. The pump bottle is small enough to fit in your hand luggage, and it delivers a non-greasy sunscreen that is suitable for combination, oily, and dry skin alike. Should you feel dubious towards face moisturisers that claim to contain SPF, this is an ideal formula to wear under makeup as it also hydrates your face and (supposedly) boost collagen, so you look plump and fresh.
Rating: 4.5/5.
When they say silky, they mean silky. There’s really no other way to describe the texture of this cream, which slips and slides over your skin when it’s first applied, before drying to feel glossy and somehow matte. It won’t pill or leave a white cast, making it great to wearing under makeup. You might end up feeling shiny half way through the day, though.
Rating: 4/5.
Forking out £20 on a face sunscreen isn’t everyone’s prerogative, and that’s okay. I’ve relied on this Boots number to keep me burn-free on holidays for years. It has a nice sheen to it, is small enough to fit in your carry-on and, more importantly, won’t break you out.
Rating:3.5/5.
“Years ago, I went to a dermatologist to find out once and for all which products could save my “problem” skin. She recommended La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios SPF 50, which I’ve never parted from since. It’s super-lightweight, it doesn’t make me break out, it sinks in quickly, and (most importantly) it consistently safeguards my very sun-sensitive skin. Its fragrance-free formula and broad-spectrum coverage means it’s ideal for anyone who wants high-strength protection with zero irritation — and who doesn’t?“ – HuffPost lifestyle writer, Amy Glover.
Rating: 5/5.
For even more of a budget option, this Superdrug ‘face fluid’ is half the price of the Boots formula, for the same volume. It’s slightly more greasy when it hits your skin, but sinks in quickly. It does pill quite easily, though, so may be best reserved for when you’re bare-faced on a beach.
Rating: 3/5.
Call me vain, but I love how my skin looks with this sunscreen on. Plump, hydrated, and glowy as hell. The formula feels creamy when you put it on, so you know the areas you’ve applied it to (that’s none of my business to remember off the top of my head). Fine, K beauty knows its stuff.
Rating: 5/5.
Yet another example of K beauty killing it, this spreadable formula is almost completely transparent. If you tend to get any unwanted redness with SPF, that’ll completely disappear with this sunscreen, which is packed with green tea extract to reduce just that. It’s also blended with PDRN (AKA salmon DNA) to improve your skin elasticity and centella to soothe irritation. Once again, full marks.
Rating: 5/5.
Unfortunately after testing these products I’m going to have to take back my initial suspicion of Korean skincare. This dewy serum is designed to sit under moisturiser, and truly makes my skin look like I’ve had some kind of injectable done immediately after putting it on. Of all the formulas on this list, this one makes the best combo for face makeup.
Rating: 4.5/5.
Maybe I’m lazy, but anything that comes in a stick formula is automatically irresistible. Or maybe it’s just that every time I think about trying to put sunscreen on at the beach, I have a full-body reaction. Attitude has created a mineral sunscreen stick that would be great for kids and adults alike, thanks to providing UVB and UVA protection and going on in less than a few seconds. It feels a little waxy on the skin, but not in an awful way, and it means you can trust it’s there.
Rating: 4.5/5.
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