Sunscreen shopping is one of the most frustrating experiences in the beauty world. Whether you’re a skincare lover with a shelf full of potions ad lotions, or if you use that tub of Nivea for everything – finding the right sunscreen is hard. Here’s how you can find your very own fave sunscreen – that you like to use. On to my best sunscreen shopping tips!

I’m going to propose an outrageous idea: forget about SPF (within reason, obviously! Don’t go on a beach vacation with an SPF10!!!!1111), PPD, UVA and everything else for a minute. Think about how your perfect sunscreen should be. We’ll go through some questions that’ll help to determine you’re the most important factor of your sunscreen choice.

  1. Maybe your life choices should reflect your sunscreen choice: should it be vegan, cruelty-free, halal? This is the first parameter, and generally easy to check on brands’ website and packaging.
  2. In a similar ballpark: availability. Do you want to buy your SPF in the nearest drugstore to you, or are you comfortable with ordering – maybe from another continent? What should be the price range you’re comfortable with: and remember, you’ll use this every day and will likely empty that 30ml bottle rather quick.
  3. Do you have any skincare beliefs you live by? Is alcohol or essential oils a big no for you? Do you categorically eliminate certain filters?
  4. And lastly, which of those rules are you willing to bend a little?

Here’s what I mean: I’m rather flexible on the first two points, and while I’m usually anti-alcohol and anti-fragrance, I’m willing to give a sunscreen a go that includes alcohol OR fragrance, but never with essential citrus oils.

Wearability is key

how to find the best sunscreen

And that’s because I value WEARABILITY above everything else, and think that maybe you should too. Wearability (whatever that means to you: for me it’s a thin formula that sinks in completely and has a satin finish) makes you apply sunscreen every day without fail, and also makes you use the full amount easily. And that’s important: using less than the recommended amount won’t automatically half the SPF. It might. But it also might not and you’ll end up with a patchy layer and diminished protection. (Hyperpigmentation isn’t fun, and skin cancer is even more un-fun.)

Don’t “make it work”

In a similar vein, you shouldn’t have to suffer for health and/or beauty. Where is the point in wearing a sunscreen with a formula you detest every day? (I’d also argue that if you hate a formula, you’ll automatically use less or find loopholes not wearing it, because “I’m just outside for a few minutes anyway”.)

You also shouldn’t have to “make it work”. My main squeeze here is the infamous blotting down an oily film. Don’t. It may diminish your protection and makes you detest the extra time you’ve to spend with this extra step.

Find the sunscreen you truly like to wear, and use that every day. Don’t worry about PPD, UVA and whatnot so much (stress gives you wrinkles), use your common sense and remember that SPF is only one step of sun protection.