The best sunscreen

• Daily use of a good sunscreen will fend off sunburns today, and help prevent the damage that leads to prematurely aged skin later on in life.
• We primarily recommend mineral-based sunscreens from All Good, La-Roche Posay, and Supergoop!, but for those looking for a chemical-based one, we recommend Coppertone Ultraguard SPF 70.
• Check out our other guides on the best facial sunscreen and best sport sunscreen.

Growing up in Southern California, summertime meant heading to the beach or swimming pool, a bottle of what was then labeled "tanning oil" in hand. SPF wasn't a thing back then. In fact, I often slathered mineral oil on my skin to increase the tanning effects. Of course, I paid a price for that youthful foolishness with sunburns back then, and today, in freckled patches of sun damage along with a greatly increased risk of skin cancer.

Knowledge of the powerful and dangerous effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays has come a long way in the decades since my fruitless attempts at tanning. Today, it's well understood that excessive sun exposure damages skin both on the surface and deep beneath the epidermis, and that damage is cumulative throughout your lifetime. That's why you need to use sunscreen if not daily, then at least when you'll be out in the sun for hours.

After all, no one wants their summer vacation spoiled by a painful sunburn — and certainly, no one wants to hear bad news from their dermatologist. So slather on one of the following skin-saving products and enjoy your fun in the sun, but remember — once your skin starts to turn pink, the damage has already been done. 

Understanding ultraviolet rays: UVA and UVB

There are two types of UV light that contribute to the risk of skin cancer: Ultraviolet A (UVA), which has a longer wavelength and is associated with skin aging, and Ultraviolet B (UVB), which has a shorter wavelength and is associated with skin burning. Here are a few more important facts (although, for the full rundown, you should check out The American Cancer Society's website): 

UVA

• These rays are connected to the "broad spectrum protection" you see on sunscreens. 
• While UVA rays are less intense than UVB rays, they penetrate your skin more deeply. Basically, exposure to UVA rays can cause genetic damage to cells in the top layer of your skin, where most skin cancer occurs. The skin then tries to prevent further damage by darkening (that's a suntan). In other words, tanned skin is damaged skin. 
• While we're on the topic, UVA rays are also present in tanning beds. 
• UVA rays maintain the same level of strength during the daytime throughout the year. In other words, you're not just at risk for exposure during the summer. 
• They can also penetrate windows.

UVB

• UVB rays are connected to the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) on sunscreens. That number tells you how long it would take for the sun's radiation to begin to burn your skin (if you do a little math). So, if your skin normally burns after 10 minutes in the sun, an SPF 30 sunscreen would provide 30 times the protection, or a 300-minute shield. 
• While UVB rays can cause skin damage year-round, their intensity fluctuates depending on the season and the time of day. 
• UVB rays cannot penetrate windows. 

The only compounds that protect us from the full spectrum of both UVA and UVB rays are zinc oxide and Tinosorbs M and S, which remain untested by the FDA and are thus unavailable in the US (although they're common sunscreen ingredients throughout Europe and Asia). 

Scary, huh? We'll keep an eye out for new rulings going forward.

The problems with chemical sunscreens

Last year, we found out once and for all that the active ingredients in chemical-based sunscreens were killing off coral reefs at an alarming rate. This spring, we learned that those chemicals — Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octocrylene, and Ecamsule — are traceable in our blood's plasma, some only after a day's use. What this means is unclear, but both the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Food and Drug Administration agree that more research is needed.

That being said, all of the active ingredients in sunscreen are potentially harmful to us. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (heavy and light metals, respectively), are toxic in certain doses, but they're nowhere near as harmful to the environment (and perhaps us) as the chemicals listed above, according to recent findings by the FDA, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

So, while the FDA takes time to decide what's safe and what's not, they recommend we all continue to use sunscreen, but maybe only physical, or mineral sunscreens, which work to reflect the sun's rays rather than absorb them, like chemical sunscreens.

Collectively, we have over a decade of experience reporting on sunscreen, and more than half a century of wearing it almost daily. We're not scientists, and we're certainly not claiming to be, but we are going to suggest that, whether it's your health or the coral reef's that concerns you more, it's probably a good move to leave the chemical sunscreen on the shelf, at least for now.

Below are physical (a.k.a. mineral-based) sunscreens that many of us at Insider Picks have tried and found to be effective. But first, there are a few things you should know. 

The pros and cons of physical sunscreens

Physical or mineral-based sunscreens are often 100% organic, using either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to deflect UV rays, rather than absorb them like chemical sunscreens. A concentration of about 18% zinc oxide or 14.5% titanium dioxide or a certain combination thereof will do the trick.

You do, however, have a bit more work cut out for you when applying mineral-based sunscreens. Because they take so much effort to rub in, we often make the mistake of leaving skin uncovered, or less covered than it would be with chemical sunscreens.

Here are our top picks for the best sunscreen you can buy:

• Best mineral-based sunscreen overall: All Good Sunscreen Butter
• Best mineral spray-on sunscreen: Supergoop! Mineral Sunscreen Mist
• Best cheap sunscreen: Thinksport SPF 50+ Sunscreen
• Best facial sunscreen: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
• Best for the water: Manda SPF 50 Organic Sun Paste with Thanaka
• Best sunscreen for kids: Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50
• Best chemical sunscreen (if you must): Coppertone Ultraguard SPF 70

Editor's note: Chemical-based sunscreen is effective, but active ingredients within it (namely avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octinoxate) are being identified and reexamined by the US Food and Drug Administration as a potential endocrine disrupter (and carcinogen). These chemicals have also been linked to high mortality among corals, along with a growing list of other aquatic creatures. 

Updated on 3/11/2020 by Remi Rosmarin: Included up-to-date prices and links. We are currently researching and testing new options for a future update.

The best sunscreen overall

Amazon/All Good

All Good sunscreens are all waterproof and made with a small selection of high-quality, all-organic inactive ingredients on top of a generous (but not gloppy) 25% concentration of zinc oxide.

All Good is clean, inoffensive-smelling (no strawberry daiquiri scents here), and has a short list of high-quality, easy-to-pronounce inactive ingredients in addition to the (active) zinc oxide. Not too gloppy, not too dry, this is a mineral sunscreen that doesn't take much effort to apply, and leaves a minimal cast. As an outdoors enthusiast outside of the office, I tend to rely on All Good most often.

Apart from blending well, it has a minimal ingredient list, and a healthy helping of zinc oxide (25%) to ensure that you get full coverage (about 20% is the recommended amount according to The Sunscreen Doc, but a bit more doesn't hurt).

Except for All Good's kids' spray sunscreens, the brand receives a top rating from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) based on their ingredient list. While it's important to note that the EWG doesn't test sunscreens for consistency or easy application, they do account for every ingredient listed, rating them based on scientific research findings (from within and outside of the organization) relating to toxicity and other potential health and environmental hazards. We use this as a guideline, but not a definitive recommendation.

The secondary concern we have as consumers is, of course, whether or not a sunscreen will make us look like Casper the Friendly Ghost, or the proverbial zinc-oxide-clad snout of a lifeguard on their tower. (For a truly cosmetic-friendly sunscreen, you might consider Beautycounter's Countersun sunscreen, which we reviewed.)

Apart from its EWG endorsement, All Good also receives praise from Goop, Mother Jones and Organic Authority, with the latter emphasizing that it's long-lasting and works exceptionally well on little ones, though it does leave a slight cast.

While all mineral sunscreens are going to leave a little trace, at least at first, some blend in better than others. The issue we find over and over again in our research is that many products are too quick to set, and almost impossible to rub in; All Good has, even after incessant exposure to elements, held consistency and remained highly applicable in our experience. Our favorite is the Organic Sunscreen Butter, which doesn't quite rub in as well (at least not as immediately) as All Good's Tinted SPF 30, but includes a healthy 25% concentration of zinc oxide as opposed to 12%, and comes in a compact one-ounce (plastic-free) tin. — Owen Burke, Senior Reporter

Pros: Wide variety of sunscreens, many come in eco-friendly/non-plastic containers

Cons: None, but we wish that all of All Good's products came in eco-friendly containers

The best spray-on sunscreen

Facebook/Supergoop!

Supergoop's Mineral Sunscreen Mist isn't the best protection you'll get with mineral sunscreen, but it's the best spray-on one we've found yet. It goes on cleanly, smoothly, and evenly.

Generally speaking, spray-on sunscreens aren't the best because we tend to spray them on too thinly and miss spots entirely. Mineral sunscreens are even more troublesome because they don't tend to spray well in the first place, and often dry out to the point of becoming impossible to use.

Supergoop's Mineral Sunscreen Mist works fairly well, but it's light-duty, and while it rubs in with hardly any residue, it only contains 12% zinc oxide, which falls short of the recommended 18% (or more). Still, it's the best we've found.

Our previous pick, from Bare Republic, had a combination of 15% zinc oxide and 4.3% titanium dioxide, which seems just right, and spreads evenly, but still left a white cast. Then, over time, our sample suddenly began to thicken to the point of nearly solidifying, and we couldn't get it to spread or rub in.

What you can do with Supergoop's Mineral Sunscreen Mist is vigilantly apply it frequently (maybe every hour) to make up for the lower SPF rating.

In the end, most of us aren't trying to look pasty on the plage, and we get that. Supergoop strikes a happy medium between how much people care about protecting their skin and putting themselves at risk for skin cancer, how much they don't want that white cast. The Huffington Post, The Strategist, and Glamour all love Supergoop for this reason. Give Supergoop a go, but make sure to reapply often.

Editor's note: We're in the process of testing and reviewing Supergoop's Play sunscreen lotion, which comes with ample zinc oxide and a touch of titanium dioxide. We like it so far, and will report back soon. Read more about our findings so far at the bottom of this page.

Pros: Applies easily and cleanly, works fairly well

Cons: Expensive, not quite the recommended amount of active ingredients in most sunscreens

The best cheap sunscreen

Thinksport

Thinksport's SPF 50+ Sunscreen offers optimal but affordable protection without any potentially harmful chemicals.

Zinc oxide and purified water are the main ingredients in Thinksport's Sunscreen, which is a great option for hypoallergenic and eco-conscious buyers alike. Although it can leave you a bit pasty — as practically all mineral-based sunblocks do — it does eventually blend while still managing to offer superior UVA and UVB protection.

Amazon buyers complimented it on everything from its ability to blend and its high rating from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to its affordable price per ounce. Some complain that it dries their skin out too much, which zinc oxide tends to do, and many others had trouble rubbing it in.

If you find blending zinc oxide into your skin to be a nuisance, you might go for Thinksport's Everyday Face, which comes with a natural tint and blends with most complexions. Just take care around clothes, car seats, or anything else you want to avoid staining. To that end, it probably won't do too well in water.

We're also a big fan of Badger's array of sunscreens, especially for watersports — and the SPF 34 Anti Bug Sunscreen is my personal favorite, though I have no qualms about going outside looking like a streaky white mess.

Badger's sunscreen becomes especially handy where tropical, disease-ridden mosquitoes abound, but it's probably not for everyone. We're looking into other options, but this is a wonderful, industrial-strength option for deeper, buggier expeditions.

Pros: Affordable, superior protection, plastic-free container

Cons: Requires some effort to rub in

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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