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It’s a truth universally known that sunscreen is a nonegotiable, and while people have become more compliant with face sunscreens, body sunscreens are often treated like a summer thing, though you should be using them year-round on any parts of you that are exposed. I get it. The gloopy, greasy stuff hastily purchased from a Target can be unappealing for year-round use but there’s been lots of improvement in the space over the years, with many feeling like straight up lotion or pairing nicely with your moisturizer. Below, my picks for the 17 best body sunscreens at various price points. Every one of them can be used all over, but we’ve categorized them considering other details, including price, ingredients, ease of use, and availability. (For more sunscreens for hyperspecific uses, see our lists of the best ones for lips, face, and kids and babies; we’ve even got some picks for bald men’s heads.)
Update on September 27, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for
SPF Level
Sunscreens tend to be judged on how much protection they offer — which is conveyed by SPF, or sun protection factor. This is the measure of how much sunscreen protects skin against UV rays. SPF acts as a multiplier and extends the time it will take for your skin to burn. So SPF 30 offers 30 times more protection than uncovered skin, and so on. According to our experts, you should be using an SPF of at least 30, which blocks 97 percent of UVB rays. SPF refers specifically to UVB rays, but you should be looking for broad-spectrum formulas, which protect from both UVA and UVB rays. No matter what SPF level you choose, you need to make sure you reapply — more when the sun is at its most intense, but at least every two hours.
Chemical or mineral
Our experts say to look for mineral (also known as physical) sunscreen if you’ve got sensitive skin or heat sensitivities, or if you’re using the sunscreen on babies 6 months or younger because the mineral formulation sits on top of skin to physically block UVA and UVB rays, as opposed to chemical formulations that sink into skin and absorb rays, which can cause irritation in more sensitive skin. Chemical sunscreens use ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octocrylene, and octisalate for sun protection. When applied, it triggers a chemical reaction that absorbs the sun’s rays and turns it into heat before releasing it from the body. This process takes about 15 minutes to get started, so you should wait at least this long post-application before heading into the sun. Mineral formulas, on the other hand, sit on top of the skin and work immediately. Chemical formulas have been under scrutiny as of late, due to the fact that some studies suggest ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate have been shown to bleach coral reefs. Some ingredients have also been linked to endocrine disruption, although it hasn’t been deemed conclusive, and the FDA (which regulates sunscreen formulations generally) continues to allow their use. Mineral sunscreens work by scattering light, using physical blockers like zinc and titanium oxide. Both are often recommended for sensitive skin because they don’t tend to be sensitizing. Zinc oxide is good for hyperpigmentation in particular, and is thus a favorite of dermatologists for patients with melasma. On the flip side, mineral formulas tend to be chunkier and pasty, presenting a challenge for deeper skin tones. Formulas have improved as of late, though, thanks to nano-size zinc- and titanium-oxide particles that rub in and blend more easily. Strategist contributor and longtime beauty writer Hannah Morrill told us that another reason to consider mineral sunscreens is because some chemical ones contain oxybenzone, which research indicates can significantly destroy coral-reef ecosystems.
Contains oxybenzone, homosalate, and octisalate
Chemical sunscreens have been a topic of discussion for the past five years or so, with studies linking ingredients like oxybenzone, homosalate, and octisalate to endocrine disruption. The data isn’t conclusive here, but we’ve mentioned when and if they’re present, along with the concentration of said ingredients.
Consistency
When it comes to sunscreens, consistency can be the difference between an SPF you’ll reach for every day and something you’ll only reach for when you have to begrudgingly apply for the beach. Sunscreens with thicker consistencies can be good for the body, but not so much for the face, which tends to be more sensitive and reactive to heavier, greasier formulations. Thick sunscreens might not be great if you have an oilier skin type, and thus a lightweight, serumlike option could be best for you.
Best sunscreen overall
SPF Level: SPF 50 | Chemical or mineral: Mineral and chemical | Active ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Zinc oxide 7% | Consistency: Lotion
Whenever anyone asks me for a sunscreen recommendation I usually say something from EltaMD, which is beloved for its hybrid formula and cosmetically elegant feel. Its body sunscreen is great, too, and has a slightly thicker consistency than the face SPF. Dermatologist Dr. Melanie Palm is a fan of the formula, noting that it offers some extra moisture and spreads nicely. It’s pricier than most options you’ll find at the drugstore, but there’s a case for the price tag. The brand uses high-quality ingredients and offers the hybrid protection of both physical and chemical blockers. This one can be used on face and body, ideal if you prefer to use one product all over. EltaMD sells two types of body SPF—a standard lotion formula and a sport version, which promises water-resistant protection for up to 80 minutes. Both work, but for the best overall I’m recommending the sport, because it’ll carry you through every imaginable outdoor situation, especially in the summer months. I haven’t worn it on a sweaty day just yet, but the online reviews are promising, with lots of people attesting to its staying power once applied.
Best overall less expensive body sunscreen
SPF Level: SPF 55 | Chemical or mineral: Chemical | Active ingredients: Homosalate 10%, Octisalate 5% | Consistency: Lightweight lotion
For all its merits, the EltaMD sunscreen is expensive, and isn’t readily available at your local drugstore. This sunscreen from Neutrogena, however, is. It’s a bit thicker than the EltaMD and designed to be used on your body. I slathered it on before sitting poolside and was impressed with how lightweight it feels. Prior to this, I was picking up whatever Target had available, usually Coppertone or Banana Boat, and noticed that this felt nicer on my skin. It’s also a dermatologist favorite. Six experts I spoke to mentioned it — including cosmetic surgeon Kenneth Rothaus; cosmetic dermatologist Sonam Yadav; Kelly; dermatologist Yoram Harth; and dermatologist Kenneth Mark. Yadav and Harth both recommend Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch because of its lightweight, mattifying feel that won’t clog your pores. In addition to a liquid version, it also comes in a stick and spray-on format, which Palep prefers for getting full-body coverage as well as applying sunscreen to kids who can be “moving targets.” She says it spreads easily and is very water resistant, so it’ll stay on when you’re getting in and out of the pool or ocean. And if you want to stay away from chemical blockers altogether, you can also buy a mineral formulation with zinc oxide.
Best sunscreen for sensitive skin
SPF level: SPF 30 | Chemical or mineral: Mineral | Active ingredients: Zinc oxide | Consistency: Rich lotion
When we asked about mineral sunscreens you can buy at any drugstore in a pinch, this one from Blue Lizard was the first thing mentioned by Harth and Kelly (the brand also makes one of our top recommended facial sunscreens, too). Kelly suggests keeping a tube of it in your car, since a lot of people forget to apply when they’re driving. “You get so much sun damage on the driver’s-window side of your face and body. Once you hit 50 or 60 years old and your collagen and the elastin starts breaking down, you’ll start to see that damage a lot more.” He likes Blue Lizard because it doesn’t have any chemicals, fragrance, or commonly known irritants in it. Plus, the bottle turns blue in harmful UV light to remind you to apply. Because it’s a thick mineral sunscreen that doesn’t budge on the skin, Palep loves Blue Lizard for athletes who sweat out in the sun for hours.
Best mineral sunscreen
SPF level: SPF 47 | Chemical or mineral: Mineral | Active ingredients: Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide | Consistency: Rich lotion
Elta MD also makes a fully mineral body sunscreen, which uses zinc and titanium dioxide to protect skin from UV rays. This one is formulated for both face and body and contains vitamin C for additional protection by way of antioxidants. As with lots of mineral sunscreens, there’s a potential for a white cast, so I’d recommend patch testing before slathering it all over.
Best spray-on sunscreen
SPF level: SPF 50 | Chemical or mineral: Chemical | Active ingredients: Homosalate 15%, Octisalate 5% | Consistency: Lightweight spray
Using a sunscreen spray is convenient, especially for hard-to-reach areas. The one downside is getting adequate coverage. Dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal prefers them, though, because they spread easier and cover more surface area. They’re also easy to reapply on the go. Lal also says his patients tend to prefer sprays and mousses, and with the No. 1 concern often being compliance, the best option is the one that you’ll actually use. “They are actually spraying more than they would apply with a lotion,” he says, noting that it also works better for people with tactile issues. Another application note: It might be tempting to spray it and forget it, but it’s important to rub the sunscreen in well to ensure you’re actually getting even coverage on your skin. Lal likes this sunscreen from SunBum, which is reef safe and comes in a range of SPF levels (Lal recommends SPF 50). In addition to being protective, it’s moisturizing and contains nourishing vitamin E, which has anti-inflammatory, skin-soothing properties.
Best sunscreen oil
SPF level: SPF 30 | Chemical or mineral: Chemical | Active ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 10%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 10% | Consistency: Oil
An oil sunscreen might evoke memories of tanning liquids, but it’s one of my favorite consistencies because it makes my skin look hydrated and renewed. I really like this oil from Vacation, which has a pleasant scent that’s both musky and fruity. It smells like the ’80s but as imagined by the creators of Black Monday. As for the texture, the oil is lightweight and immediately soaks into skin. It has an SPF of 30 (the minimum recommended amount), and while I wouldn’t recommend it for a day at the beach (reapplying with sandy hands is less than ideal), I really like it for everyday use.
Best sunscreen mousse
SPF level: SPF 50 | Chemical or mineral: Chemical | Active ingredients: Homosalate 15.0%, Octisalate 5.0%, Avobenzone 3.0% | Consistency: Mousse
Mousse is a relatively new sunscreen variation and has a very similar consistency to the hair product. It’s as protective as any other formulation but has the benefit of being more fun to apply. Whether you need a sunscreen mousse or not largely comes down to preference. Lal likes the Supergoop! Play mousse, which has the same formula as the lotion and spray varieties, that we’ve written about many times before. Its main ingredients are moisturizing coconut oil and olive-fruit extract and blue sea kale, which helps to reduce the effects of free radicals. On the SPF front, it offers broad-spectrum protection and is water-resistant up to 80 minutes, which is around the time you should be reapplying anyway.
Best powder sunscreen
SPF level: SPF 50 | Chemical or mineral: Mineral | Consistency: Powder
If you’re looking for a purely physical sunscreen that isn’t a thick cream, Palep recommends Colorescience’s brush-on sunscreen powder. It won’t leave a white cast, and with four different shades, you can choose one that best matches your skin tone. We’ve previously named Colorescience the best powder sunscreen after eight additional dermatologists raved about it — and it’s a must-have for Dr. Pimple Popper. Karen Fernandez, the aesthetics department manager for SkinSpxirit med spas, is a fan, too. She likes that it doubles as makeup, is good for oily or acne-prone skin, and is easy to reapply on the go. “I love using it as the finishing touch of powder to my morning routine and then reapplying as needed throughout the day,” she says. “It is small enough to fit in a pocket or makeup bag and totally mess-free.” It’s also water resistant up to 80 minutes, and Fernandez says, “It doesn’t run into your eyes when you sweat, and stays on in the water.”
Best sunscreen for kids and babies
SPF level: SPF 50 | Chemical or mineral: Mineral | Active ingredients: Zinc oxide | Consistency: Lotion
All of our experts agree that babies should exclusively use mineral sunscreens that are hypoallergenic and have been tested for efficacy. When we wrote about sunscreen for kids and babies , Lindsey Bordone, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Columbia University Medical Center, and three other dermatologists recommended this specific brand from Neutrogena, which is formulated for babies, features a broad-spectrum SPF 50 shield against UVA and UVB rays, and is dermatologist-tested, water resistant, and hypoallergenic. This specific product was also recommended by Mark.
Best sunscreen for melanated skin
SPF level: SPF 30 | Chemical or mineral: Hybrid | Consistency: Lotion
As I said previously in my piece about the best sunscreens for dark skin, “Although dark skin does have some built-in sun protection (SPF 13.4, to be exact), it’s still imperative to use SPF to protect it.” In addition to preventing skin cancer (which, while less common, is often caught at a more advanced stage in people with darker skin tones), sunscreen helps prevent hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage. My go-to is Black Girl Sunscreen, a hybrid formula that goes on white but dries down clear. It feels and smells like your traditional Coppertone (for me, it’s delightfully nostalgic), but unlike those OG formulas, it leaves behind a noticeable glow. I have a normal skin type that sometimes leans dry, and while it works well for me, my friends with oilier skin have reported that it can leave them feeling a bit greasy.
Best sunscreen for dry skin
SPF level: SPF 60 | Chemical or mineral: Chemical | Consistency: Lotion
For ultradry skin, a moisturizer with SPF is ideal. This one from Aveeno offers broad-spectrum protection, has an SPF of 60, and contains prebiotic oat, an ingredient known for its soothing ingredients. We’ve previously recommended it for eczema (it’s approved by the National Eczema Association), with dermatologist Dr. Fayne Frey saying it’s so gentle you can even use it on your face without worrying about it breaking you out. While I haven’t tested this one just yet, I’ve been consistently using the brand’s basic moisturizer, which I’ve loved for its lightweight but moisturizing feel. Generally I’ve found Aveeno lotions to be consistent in their textures, so I imagine this will be close to my already-beloved body lotion. Reviews are also enthusiastic, with fans noting that it doesn’t have that same sticky, greasy sunscreen-y feel.
Some more sunscreens we’ve written about
Our experts
• Natalie Aguilar, dermatological nurse
• Lindsey Bordone, assistant professor of dermatology at the Columbia University Medical Center
• Kaleigh Fasanella, writer
• Karen Fernandez, aesthetics department manager for SkinSpirit med spas • Dr. Fayne Frey, dermatologist
• Yoram Harth, dermatologist
• Andrew Kelly, aesthetician and founder of Skin by ASK
• Adeline Kikam, founder of @brownskinderm
• Karan Lal, dermatologist
• Rita Linkner, dermatologist and founder of RVL Skincare
• Kenneth Mark, dermatologist
• Dr. Anna Karp, dermatologist at the Skin Institute New York
• Hannah Morrill, freelance writer and editor
• Sapna Palep, founder of Spring Street Dermatology
• Dr. Melanie Palm, dermatologist at Art of Skin
• Kenneth Rothaus, founder of Rothaus Plastic Surgery
• Sonam Yadav, cosmetic dermatologist
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