The best sunscreen options for summer 2023

Did you know dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen every day that you’re out in the sun? Lathering up with a great sunscreen, like the ones featured below, can help protect you — and your skin — from the elements, especially during the super-sunny summer months when you’re out on your patio and UV rays are the most intense.

We’ve rounded up some of the best sunscreen options in 2023, including those by Supergoop, SunBum and CeraVe. There’s a sunscreen option on our list that will work for just about everyone, from outdoor athletes and swimmers, to children and those with sensitive skin. All of these customer-loved sunscreen selections have a four-star rating or higher. Plus, they’re all smart choices for protecting your skin this summer!

Top products in this article:

Supergoop Play Everyday sunscreen lotion, SPF 50 (5.5 oz.), $34

Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50, $39

Tula Protect + Glow, SPF 30 (1.7 oz.), $38

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch, SPF 30 (8.0 oz.), $10

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should aim to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen. That means it offers protection against both skin-wrinkling UVA rays and sunburn-causing UVB rays. The sunscreen should be rated SPF 30 or higher, and be judged water resistant.

FYI — SPF stands for sun protection factor. The more you know!

Tula Protect + Glow, SPF 30

Looking for a non-greasy, sweet-smelling sunscreen? Tula, a skincare brand with a celebrity following that includes Jenna Dewan and Mandy Moore, makes a great broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen in gel form.

It’s perfect for wearing under makeup or alone.

Tula Protect + Glow, SPF 30 (1.7 oz.), $38

Supergoop Play Everyday sunscreen lotion, SPF 50

Looking for a little more coverage? Formulated for all skin types, Supergoop Play Everyday lotion offers broad-spectrum SPF 50 coverage and water resistance. Supergoop Play Everyday is a ray-absorbing chemical sunscreen, albeit one made without two ingredients usually associated with chemical sunscreens — oxybenzone and octinoxate.

The greaseless formula absorbs into and hydrates the skin.

Supergoop Play Everyday sunscreen lotion, SPF 50 (5.5 oz.), $34

Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer/Tinted Daily Defense, SPF 30

If you have sensitive skin or suffer from any skin conditions, namely eczema, you may want to look for a physical or mineral sunscreen. This kind of sunscreen sits on the surface of skin and acts like a shield. Unlike a chemical sunscreen, a physical sunscreen, as previously mentioned, may leave behind a residue.

All of this brings us to this physical, broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen by the beauty brand Drunk Elephant. The sunscreen is formulated for the face, and features ingredients such as marula oil and fruit enzymes, along with zinc oxide (a hallmark of a physical sunscreen).

Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Daily Defense, SPF 30 (3.0 oz.), $34

MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème, SPF 50

Looking for a physical sunscreen that will protect and nourish your skin? This silky-smooth mineral sunscreen boasts 50 SPF protection. It is formulated with zinc oxide to help reduce the risk of photoaging and skin cancer. It’s also made with vitamin C and natural antioxidants to help fight sun damage.

The MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème SPF 50 offers a smooth, lightweight formula that is safe for sensitive skin.

MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème SPF 50, $32

If you want a more radiant glow while out in the sun, consider the MDSolarSciences Gleam + Glow SPF 50. It provides SPF protection along with extra hydration and radiance — aka a little bit of shimmer.

MDSolarSciences Gleam + Glow SPF 50, $35

Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow, SPF 50

Enjoy broad-spectrum 50 SPF protection in a lightweight, glowy gel with this Kopari sunscreen. It’s water-resistant for up to 40 minutes, making it a solid choice for your next beach trip or pool day. The Sun Shield Body Glow sunscreen is made with a blend of superfood oils to hydrate your skin.

Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow SPF 50, $39

There is also a version formulated for your face.

Kopari Sun Shield Soft Glow Face SPF 30, $38

Innisfree Daily UV Defense Invisible broad spectrum sunscreen, SPF 36

This 36 SPF sunscreen from Korean beauty brand Innisfree features a lightweight, hydrating formula that won’t give you the dreaded white-cast look in photos. It’s a favorite of CBS Essentials senior writer Lily Rose.

“I love the fresh scent of this sunscreen and that it plays really well under makeup,” she said.

Innisfree Daily UV Defense Invisible broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 36, $16

Tower 28 Sunny Days tinted sunscreen, SPF 30

Most tinted sunscreens only offer a slight tint to prevent the white residue that physical or mineral formulas traditionally tend to leave behind on your skin. However, Tower 28 Sunny Days eliminates the need for you to cover up with foundation.

The tinted sunscreen comes in 14 shades for a variety of skin tones. Designed for those with sensitive skin, Sunny Days has been endorsed by the National Eczema Association as gentle enough for those with eczema.

Tower 28 Sunny Days tinted sunscreen, SPF 30 (1.0 oz.), $32

Vacation Classic Spray, SPF 30

Not a fan of the scent of the traditional titanium-zinc sunscreen? Vacation offers ample sun protection with a tropical scent so amazing that the brand bottled it, and made it into a perfume.

The skin-hydrating, SPF 30 formulation remains water resistant up to 80 minutes. Its ingredients won’t harm coral reefs. It’s also vegan!

Vacation Classic Spray, SPF 30 (6.0 oz.), $19

Elta MD UV Clear broad spectrum, SPF 46

Elta MD’s UV Clear sunscreen is one of the most highly rated mineral-based sunscreens on Amazon — and the top-selling facial sunscreen overall. The zinc oxide, broad-spectrum sunscreen offers extra gentle protection for sensitive, oily or acne-prone skin.

Elta MD UV Clear broad spectrum, SPF 46 (1.7 oz.), $41

Elta MD UV Clear tinted broad spectrum, SPF 46 (1.7 oz.), $43

CeraVe Tinted Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30

Looking for a great, tinted facial sunscreen on a budget? CeraVe makes one with lightweight, greaseless protection. It boasts thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon. Per CeraVe, its products were developed with the help of dermatologists.

CeraVe Tinted Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30 (1.7 oz.), $14

Wander Beauty Pack Up and Glow priming mineral sunscreen, SPF 40

This Wander Beauty Pack Up and Glow mineral sunscreen protects against sun damage with 40 SPF protection while moisturizing and priming your skin. It can be worn under makeup, but it also provides a beautiful glow when worn on its own.

Wander Beauty Pack Up and Glow priming mineral sunscreen, $36

Banana Boat Sport Cool Zone, SPF 30

A water-resistant, reef-friendly, chemical sunscreen, Banana Boat Sport Cool Zone boasts SPF 30 protection and water resistance for up to 80 minutes. On Amazon, the lightweight, greaseless spray boasts an average 4.7-star rating with more than 24,000 reviews.

Banana Boat Sport Cool Zone, SPF 30 (two pack, 12 oz. total), $16 (reduced from $26)

SunBum Mineral spray sunscreen, SPF 30

If you don’t mind the white residue usually associated with a physical sunscreen, then SunBum Mineral should be in your beach bag. A mineral sunscreen that smells like summer, it sprays on with a matte finish, offering SPF 30 protection with the active ingredient zinc oxide.

SunBum Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30 (6.0 oz.), $20

Blue Lizard sensitive mineral sunscreen, SPF 50+

Amazon reviewers love this unscented mineral sunscreen formulated for sensitive skin. Not only does it offer ample, SPF 50+, sweat- and water-resistant protection for up to 80 minutes, it does so without using ingredients that can be harmful to coral reefs.

Blue Lizard sensitive mineral sunscreen, SPF 50 (5.0 oz.), $15

Bask non-aerosol spray, SPF 30 and 50

This non-oil, non-aerosol, vegan sunscreen smells like summer in a bottle and offers continuous spray (even upside down!) to effortlessly cover your body with quick drying protection. It comes in SPF 30 and SPF 50 formulas.

Bask non-aerosol spray, SPF 30 (5.5 oz.), $24

Bask non-aerosol spray, SPF 50 (5.5 oz.), $24

Project Reef mineral sunscreen, SPF 30 or 50

Project Reef is another reef-friendly sunscreen brand that’s committed to making products as safe for the environment as it is for humans. It makes sunscreens in SPF 30 and SPF 50 varieties. Both are infused with hydrating and soothing botanical ingredients including organic aloe vera, coconut, sea-buckthorn oil, green tea, pomegranate and raspberry extract, along with non-nano zinc oxide.

Project Reef mineral sunscreen, SPF 30 (4.22 oz.), $24

Project Reef mineral sunscreen, SPF 50 (4.22 oz.), $26