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Best Body Sunscreen
What's the Best Body Sunscreen that you've tried?
I usually use Neutrogena or Aveeno products for all-over! I don’t have a particular that I go-to, though!
— Christine
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My favorite is the Sun Bum sunscreen for intense sun exposure. It smells amazing and I usually get SPF 50-70 and have never experienced a burn with these. Stays on really well when swimming and doesn’t sting my eyes if I accidentally rub them.
For everyday with minimal sun exposure, I use the Neutrogena mineral sunscreen for kids.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50+ for children. It’s thin (not gooey or sticky, more like a milk than a cream), but has good coverage. Works really well on my super light skin for everyday use in the city. I also appreciate that it doesn’t have a noticeable scent. I hate it that so many sunscreens smell so strongly of coconut oil or whatnot. I suppose it’s nice if you like that sort of thing or if you’re at the beach, but if you’re just looking to protect yourself while you go to work or school it can be a little weird.
I haven’t used it for sunbathing as I don’t do that, so I can’t say how well it works in that context, but for music festivals it’s great.
My favorite is the Nivea Water Gel (it’s japanese), it’s amazing! The best I’ve ever used!
I like Neutrogena, too. Particularly their aerosol spray bottle because it’s just easier to use and dries quickly. Doesn’t have the greasy feel of most sprays.
Shiseido and Kiehls; my legs are super sensitive to products, so I stick mainly to dry oils for moisturizing so my contact dermatitis (catch all for itchy skin) doesn’t act up – particularly in areas I shave daily. Shiseido and Kiehls provide high coverage without irritating my skin at all. Win-win!
CVS brand Beach Guard Sunstick SPF 50 — no mess, no fuss and cheap!
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance SPF 30. It has a subtle gold-pink shimmer, which helps my pale skin look not-ghostly in the sun, lightly moisturizing, and most importantly has kept my skin from burning. I just wish they made an SPF 50 version.
Blue Lizard sensitive or baby formulas, which are zinc/titanium formulas. If you have an allergy or sensitivity to chemical sunscreens, check the sensitive and baby formulas first. Not all brands keep the ‘chems’ out of the sensitive and baby formulas, but many brands do. Most adult formulas are chock full of the big 4 or 5, which is not a problem for the majority of people. Idk which is the primary offender, but don’t see the point in trying process of elimination to find out.
Banana Boat Hydrating Sunscreen. Or something along those lines. It comes in a pale green bottle with a blue cap.
Coppertone Sport is my go-to for long beach days or long runs (I’m a distance runner) outdoors, because it will not rub off if sand gets on it, it’s legit waterproof for at least two hours, in both salt and chlorine, and you can’t sweat it off nor will it run into your eyes and burn. When it is on, it is ON. I lifeguarded for 8 years and wore this constantly, and still depend on it. And it’s cheap for a big bottle so you can really slather it on, and it isn’t greasy.
I did try Sun Bum for the first time last summer, and really loved the products – but I’m always going back to Coppertone sport.
I like using a dry spray for the convenience and buy whatever is on sale at the drugstore. Typically Neutrogena or Coppertone. I have used expensive mineral sunscreen and honestly, I just tend to use it on face, neck, chest and shoulders and grab the cheap stuff for the rest.
For body sunscreen I’ve used the Hawaiian Tropic “Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance Lotion Sunscreen” (wow what a mouthful) in SPF 50 for a few years now. It smells sooooo nice and isn’t too greasy. They also have a really nice “Silk Hydration After Sun Lotion” that has aloe in it and also smells nice. I use it after a day at the beach or even just after really hot days as while I haven’t gotten a sunburn in ages, I tend to get drier skin if I’m out in the sun.
Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch, SPF 45. My go-to for the past few years.
I’ve been using Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion with Sunscreen SPF 15. Or pure coconut oil. They both prevent me from picking up much, if any, color. As I don’t burn easily, nor do I lay out in the sun, this level of protection seems adequate enough for me. Of note, though; I am not fair or light, but medium bordering tan. I still do NOT want the aging effects of uvb/uva rays! If I go swimming or am going to be outdoors for more than just catching buses around town, I go to a higher SPF.
I’m not fussed about what I use on my body. Right now, we’ve got 2 big bottles of Ombrelle SPF 60 and also 2 tubes of LRP that I bought in a “buy one/get one” thinking it was their facial sunscreen but it’s not – it’s their cream. I like a high SPF and if it’s heavy and greasy, that’s not a deal breaker on my body. I’d actually like to find something a bit on the moister side to use as a hand cream but so many sunscreens these days are formulated not to be oily or greasy that I’ve not found anything yet. I need to pick up something inexpensive like good ol’ Coppertone but with a high SPF.
I like Cera Ve and La Roche Posay. High SPF and not greasy or reactive on my skin.
For the region I’m in, the Avon Skin So Soft plus Bug Repellent is so perfect.. I cannot figure out why they’re aren’t tons to dual purpose products like this on the market.
I haven’t tried much outside of the drug store, but I love Sun Bum products (the smell reminds me of banana Popsicles) and the Tommy Bahama line by Coola (there are a few great scents). I find both formulas to feel more like lotion applied instead of thick, sticky sunscreen.
I just go with whatever is has the highest SPF, then I go for the cheapest price. Banana Boat, NO-AD, and last year Target Up & Up.
Solbar zinc bc it absorbs quickly, is non-greasy, and has at least 6% zinc oxide. I prefer a mineral spf bc i always forget to reapply, it is a better choice for me. Chemical SPF loses its SPF protection in a couple hours after applying bc it relies on chemical reactions to protect from sunlight–once the spf has been completely converted chemically, you no longer have sun protection so you must reapply. With mineral spf, you only re-apply bc you sweat or rub off the spf, not bc the zinc oxide loses effectiveness over time. But to be honest, I have a whole shelf for spf, if I know I will be out in the sun all day for activity, I bring the spray kind and just set a timer to reapply every couple hours.
I am extremely fair and burn like crazy and my favorite sunscreen is Supergoop! I use it daily on any part of my body that’s visible.
I use the Banana Boat Protect & Hydrate SPF50, it’s not too heavy and nicely hydrating. It’s also rated 5 stars on beautypedia (well the SPF30 is)
Coola Sport SPF 50 in Mango. Fair redhead in the sunshine state here, so I need the high SPF. This one absorbs like a luxury lotion, and smells addictive! I use it on my face as well. The only downside is the price tag. 🙁
Ombrelle is amazing, got this freckled girl through Jamaica in July for a wedding. The only part on me that burnt was a patch on my chest that I missed!!!
Trader Joe’s Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is first-rate: very protective and not a bit greasy. It’s also very water-resistant, which can be both good and bad, because you really have to scrub to get it off. And at $6 for 6 ounces, it’s a phenomenal bargain.