SUN

[Sahar1370]

Hi,

My concern is to find the best SUN screen.I really appreciate it if you can help me.

[WinglessOne]

Hi @Sahar1370 ! "The best" sunscreen is very subjective. Most dermatologists say "the best sunscreen is whichever one you'll actually wear every day." 🙂 It depends a lot on your personal preferences: 

• Type of sunscreen: chemical, mineral, or hybrid (chemical + mineral)? Note that all 3 types are safe and effective. Don't fall for any "all chemical sunscreens are bad/dangerous/unhealthy" fear mongering. Some people are skin-sensitive to certain chemical sunblock ingredients, and a few people are sensitive to zinc oxide (the main mineral sunblock ingredient). 
  
  
• Tint/cast: do you want something 100% invisible? Or are you okay with a white/grey/purple cast? (Some folks are, especially if they plan to apply foundation over sunscreen.) Or, do you want a tinted sunscreen? 
  
  
• Finish and texture: matte, natural/radiant, dewy/glowy, super shiny/"glass skin"...? Does a silicone gel texture bother you? What about a kinda thick greasy feel? (Some people with very dry skin love mineral sunscreens that feel kinda greasy and give a very dewy shiny finish.) 
  
  
• Known skin irritants and allergies: are there any specific ingredients you know your skin reacts badly to? Example: my skin hates lavender extract and lavender oil with a red bumpy burning passion, so I avoid skincare products—including any sunscreens—that contain lavender. 

The only general must-haves for sunscreen: 

• At least SPF 30 for UVB protection 
• Broad spectrum for UVA protection (bonus points for a "PA[1 to 4 plus signs]" UVA protection rating) 
• Apply to ALL exposed skin: eyelids (bring it right up and down to your top and bottom lash lines), hairline, ears, back of neck if it's exposed, hands, feet, ankles, any exposed scalp (a hat or scarf also helps there), etc. 
• Reapply every couple hours throughout the day, no matter how high the SPF rating is 
• Use EVERY DAY, regardless of weather or season, even if you're indoors in a sunlit room, driving/riding in a car, etc. 

A reliable and popular chemical option is Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA +++ 1.7 oz/ 50 mL which has a very silicone-y feel but is 100% invisible (as any chemical sunscreen should be) and can act as a primer. That's the sunscreen I usually travel with, and I almost always use it around my eyes—even if I use a different sunscreen on the rest of my face—because it doesn't irritate my eyeballs. But there are plenty of other options, including those at your local drugstore. CeraVe and La Roche-Posay sunscreens, for instance, are worth considering, among others. You can also look at some foreign sunscreens... another of my favorite chemical sunscreens is OMI Verdio UV Moisture Essence, which is white in the tube but applies clear and gives a dewy finish. OMI and other Japanese brands use newer chemical sunblock ingredients we can't get in US-made sunscreens (because the FDA is sloooooow to approve nearly anything). 

I'd recommend the annual Sephora Favorites Sun Safety Kit (can't tag the current one, but I think this is it: https://www.sephora.com/product/sephora-favorites-sun-safety-kit-P470250) but it's currently sold out, and I don't know if it'll be restocked. If your local Sephora store has any of that kit left, it's a good way to test a variety of sunscreens.