12 Best Sunscreens Under Makeup, According to Beauty Editors & Dermatologists

This face sunscreen may have a green color, but there’s an important reason behind it: The hue is specifically designed to help cancel out any redness associated with irritated or acne-prone skin. It also has a gel-cream consistency that feels nice and cool as it settles into the skin—great for soothing angry, breakout-prone skin.

“I have olive skin that’s combination and prone to breakouts,” says Glamour contributor Deanna Pai. “Most sunscreens feel cloying or prove hard to blend out invisibly.” This lightweight SPF is different, though, she says.

Danielle Sinay, Glamour’s associate beauty editor, agrees: “It’s so lightweight and breathable that it’s perfect for layering or using as a makeup primer, and it doesn’t irritate my skin or break me out at all.”

Type: Mineral / SPF: 30

• What we love: Lightweight; nongreasy; great for redness and rosacea
• What could improve: Can be drying

A Glamour editor favorite, this affordable SPF serves as the perfect primer, says senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle, who has combination skin. She tells us it’s clear, lightweight, and absorbs in mere seconds. A little bit goes a long way, extending the life of the small bottle. And it’s this consistency that’s exactly what makes it such a great SPF for layering under makeup.

Just note: Unlike your average sunscreen, this pick is a clear lightweight gel. One tester told us it feels a lot like a dry oil at first, but once it dries, it doesn’t leave skin oily at all. “It didn’t bother my sensitive skin in the slightest, and after a minute or two, that oil sensation was totally gone,” she said.

Type: Chemical / SPF: 35

• What we love: Doubles as a primer for makeup; completely clear gel formula; lightweight; absorbs quickly; leaves a glow
• What could improve: Small bottle

Supergoop heard our prayers for a mineral sunscreen formula of their famous Unseen Sunscreen and delivered just in time for this year’s spring and summer seasons. And unlike most other mineral sunscreens, this one is so smooth and easy to apply, witha natural white-cast-free finish.

“You’ll find yourself second-guessing whether you even put anything on,” says Anna Moeslein, Glamour deputy editor. “Because of that, it works well as a primer under your makeup or on its own as a mattifying finish after your daily moisturizer.” We love that it’s reef-safe and cruelty-free, too.

Type: Mineral / SPF: 40

• What we love: Lightweight; silky smooth; no white cast
• What could improve: Finish feels a bit like dry oil at first

Those with dry skin may benefit more from a tinted moisturizer with SPF rather than a dedicated sunscreen. Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in NYC, recommends this one, because it contains skin-benefitging ingredients such as “hyaluronic acid to hydrate and licorice root to brighten.” It’s also easy to apply, she tells us.

Testers love it because of the fresh, dewy finish. “I use this regularly, because it works well on my dry, flaky skin,” says Glamour contributor Shanna Shipin.

Type: Mineral / SPF: 35

• What we love: Great for dry skin; higher SPF than most tinted moisturizers; mineral-based sunscreen
• What could improve: More expensive than most

Like the name suggests, Glossier’s daily sunscreen is completely clear. The gel-like formula is more serum than lotion—it’s silky smooth and sinks into skin upon application. It’s also vegan and noncomedogenic, and boasts a special antioxidant complex that works to give skin some TLC while protecting it from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.

“I love that this sunscreen doesn’t have your typical sunscreen smell,” says Earley. “It feels more like a skin care product, which makes me more likely to apply it each day as part of my morning routine.”

Type: Chemical / SPF: 35

• What we love: Lightweight; smooth, gel-like formulation; completely clear; noncomedogenic
• What could improve: Small bottle

If you want as much protection as possible, reach for this drugstore pick, which has a high SPF 70. Dermatologists love it, because “it’s water-resistant and has broad-spectrum protection,” says Gretchen Frieling, MD, a triple-board-certified dermatopathologist in Boston.

“It’s a little bit runny, but because of that, it applies like a dream,” one tester says. “At first it looks pretty white, but it rubs in clear in mere seconds, with absolutely no greasy or sticky residue in its wake.” And for mineral SPF devotees, the brand recently launched a mineral iteration—the only downside is it only offers SPF 30 protection.

Type: Chemical / SPF: 70

• What we love: Water-resistant for up to 80 minutes; absorbs quickly; no sticky or greasy residue
• What could improve: Mineral sunscreen only comes in SPF 30

It’s hard to go wrong with this editor favorite and 2022 Glamour Beauty Award–winner. “I didn’t expect to fall in love with Tower 28’s tinted sunscreen foundation, mainly because most tinted sunscreens soak right into my skin and offer no real coverage,” says Glamour senior West Coast editor Jessica Radloff. “But my skin looks airbrushed and smooth, making it easier to apply bronzer and blush, and it lasts all day.”

It comes in an impressive 17 shades, too, so you’re more likely to find the perfect match for your skin tone. You’ll reap all kinds of skin benefits as well, including protection from blue light and free radicals, thanks to prickly pear and white sage. The formula is also fragrance-free and alcohol-free—perfectly suitable for those with sensitive skin.

Type: Mineral / SPF: 30

• What we love: Lightweight but still offers coverage; primes skin for bronzer and blush; offers skin benefits
• What could improve: Might not be suitable for combo or oily skin

The brand bills this sunscreen as “luxuriously lightweight,” and our testers told us they’re not wrong. “The tinted sunscreen is super thin but not as runny as other options,” one tester says. “It absorbed so fast and made my skin feel like pure silk, but wasn’t at all oily.”

That’s because the ingredients list includes oil-absorbing microspheres that actually absorb surface oils in effort to reduce any excess shine. If your skin skews oily, you know how necessary that is in the depths of the summer.

Type: Mineral / SPF: 30

• What we love: Lightly tinted; leaves skin silky soft; helps reduce shine
• What could improve: Small bottle

On the hunt for another great drugstore option? This one is worthy, especially if you have sensitive skin, says Dr. Garshick, who recommends this mineral one for all skin types. In addition to broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection, the formula contains hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid to help moisturize the skin barrier.

It’s lightweight, noncomedogenic, and a favorite of Glamour’s Calle. “The consistency is thick, but after some rubbing, it settles in nicely and leaves a gorgeous glow,” she says. It’s also available in a tinted sunscreen.

Type: Mineral / SPF: 30

• What we love: Adds glow; lightweight; skin-boosting ingredients
• What could improve: Small bottle

More like a serum than a sunscreen—truly, it applies via a dropper—this formula is a real treat for skin. The brand calls the formula a “pillowy” milk, and that’s exactly what our tester experienced. “It’s a splurge, but one I’m willing to make, based on how soft it makes my skin,” they said. “Plus, I love that I’m getting so many other benefits in addition to sun protection.”

The SPF has a higher SPF 50 than most, plus includes peptides to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, antioxidants and adaptogens to protect against environmental stressors, and CoQ10 and niacinamide to nourish the skin barrier. Did we mention it’s gentle enough for sensitive, acne-prone, and rosacea-prone skin?

Type: Mineral / SPF: 50

• What we love: Lightweight; tons of additional beauty benefits; silky soft
• What could improve: Expensive