Choosing a Sunscreen You Will Actually Wear

No product in a beauty routine does more over a lifetime than daily sunscreen, and the best one is whichever you will genuinely use.

Mineral and chemical filters

Mineral filters, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, sit on the surface and reflect part of the radiation. Chemical filters absorb UV and convert it to heat. Both are well studied and both work. Mineral formulas tend to suit sensitive or reactive skin; chemical ones usually feel lighter under makeup.

The amount is where most people fall short

Laboratory SPF ratings assume a generous application that almost nobody replicates. For the face, roughly a teaspoon is the usual guidance, reapplied every couple of hours of direct exposure.

The spots everyone misses

Ears, the back of the neck, the parting in your hair, and the lower lip. An SPF lip balm is the cheapest upgrade most routines can make.