The 11 best sunscreens for every need – from solid to mineral, body to face | Beauty

We are bad at engaging with sun protection unless there’s a heatwave, or we’re venturing on holiday – and the gunky, greasy, spot-causing and staining sunscreens of yore, which stained clothes and couldn’t be shifted, are partly to blame.

The most important aspect of suncare is that people use it. The elegance of a modern sunscreen formula, the texture on fingertips and the comfort on skin, the smell, the packaging, the price, the finish and its ability to play nicely with other skincare and makeup products – these are, in my view, often the difference between someone’s decision to protect themselves or not. What follows are 50 user-friendly sunscreens I’ve enjoyed trying in recent years, all of which have proved popular with those to whom I’ve recommended them and none of which make sun protection a bind. I would gladly use any of them on my own family.

I have included tinted sunscreens because they’re a great way of adding additional protection, but are insufficient alone. It’s not that the SPF is in any way inferior to that of a dedicated sunscreen (all have to meet the same stringent cosmetic regulations), but it’s simply not possible to apply a sufficient amount of tinted sunscreen without looking caked in makeup.

You should be applying around half a teaspoon (or two adult finger lengths) of product to your face and neck each morning, regardless of whether you’ll spend time outdoors (skin-ageing UVA comes through closed windows). Synthetic filters need 15-20 minutes to absorb before exposure, while mineral filters (which use zinc and/or titanium and usually leave a slightly white cast) are effective upon application (which looks best done in two thin layers). Protection of either kind should then be reapplied every couple of hours, which few people do in everyday life, so I’ve included some SPF top-up sprays to make this more practical.