angelo-pantazis-h0AnGGgseio-unsplash_2_f21de.jpg

The BUST Guide To Choosing The Right SPF For Your Skin This Summer

by Marie Lodi

 

How to choose the right SPF for your skin

Sun care is a year-round skin essential, but summer’s ultra-strong rays and ample outdoors time calls for a full-body overhaul of your sunscreen game plan. First things first: There’s no one-SPF-fits-all option. “Sunscreen use is such a personal preference,” says Dr. Sheila Farhang, MD, a Tuscon-based dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon.

A key differentiating factor is whether to opt for a physical (aka mineral-based) versus chemical sunscreen. “Physical sunscreens formulated with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide have been known to leave a white cast,” Dr. Farhang explains, though newer formulas avoid the chalky finish. Chemical sunscreens can be more sheer and quick-absorbing, but often contain ingredients like oxybenzone, which can be irritating and sensitizing.

Here are Dr. Farhang’s SPF picks for five major needs that will keep you comfortably protected all summer long (and beyond). –Alexandra Ilyashov

Sunscreen for Melanated Skin

ELEVEN_Serum_silotif_2ca70.jpg

Eleven by Venus Williams Unrivaled Sun SerumSPF 35, $50

For deeper complexions, Dr. Farhang loves this lightweight serum “that doesn’t leave a white cast” from Venus Williams’ sun-care line. Test your knowledge on little sis Serena

When You’re Prone to Breakouts

ELTA_af0d4.jpg

EltaMD UV Sheer Broad-SpectrumSPF 50+, $30

“Actual sunscreen ingredients don’t cause acne, but rather the formulation, so look for ‘oil-free’ and ‘non-comedogenic’” options with thinner consistencies (i.e., sheer or serum) when shopping for sun-care options, suggests Dr. Farhang.

Sensitive Skin SPF

vanicream__638d9.jpg

 

Vanicream Sunscreen: SPF 50, $18

Sensitive skin types should avoid chemical formulas, as well as fragrance and preservatives like parabens. “Vanicream is a brand typically known for those with sensitive skin or contact allergies, and I love that this is a sunscreen, free of ingredients that can irritate the skin,” she explains.

Makeup-Friendly Protection

Supergoop_eecdb.jpg

Supergoop Mineral Mattescreen: SPF 40, $38

Since zinc- and titanium-based sunscreens can make your face look powdery in photos, she recommends “a light or tinted sunscreen, which can function as your foundation,” like this Supergoop option, which creates a “soft mattifying finish, similar to what a primer would do.”

For the Sweat-ers

BLUE-LIZARD_2_cd664.jpg

Blue Lizard Active Mineral Based Sunscreen: SPF 50, $20

Whether you’re headed on a long hike, a snorkeling adventure, or are perspiration-prone, she recommends reaching for “a largely physical sunscreen formulation to avoid irritation or sensitivity, especially while sweating,” with an SPF of 50, like this Blue Lizard pick.

Top photo Angelo Pantazis on Unsplash

This article originally appeared in BUST’s Summer 2022 print edition. Subscribe today!

You may also like

Get the print magazine.

The best of BUST in your inbox!

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

About Us

Founded in 1993, BUST is the inclusive feminist lifestyle trailblazer offering a unique mix of humor, female-focused entertainment, uncensored personal stories, and candid reporting that tells the truth about women’s lives.

©2023 Street Media LLC.  All Right Reserved.