While a sun-kissed complexion may be appealing, extended sun exposure can significantly heighten the risk of developing melanoma, the most fatal type of skin cancer. In the United Kingdom alone, over 13,000 new cases of melanoma are reported annually, leading to approximately 2,148 fatalities. Furthermore, non-melanoma skin cancer accounts for over 250,000 newly diagnosed cases each year. Consequently, it becomes imperative for us to prioritize daily sun protection measures.
To select the best sunscreen for the face UK, one needs to understand its features, effectiveness, suitability, skin type, SPF level, and the use of chemicals in it. This article aims to reduce the effort by giving a rundown of the best sunscreen for the face UK and helping readers filter a long list of available products to separate the best ones.
Top Sunscreens For Face In The United Kingdom
1. Calypso Sensitive Skin Face Sun Lotion
The product comes in a tube form and is designed for kids and adults. It allows brilliant protection against harmful sunlight and is water resistant. In addition to protection from sunlight, it helps in preventing premature aging.
Furthermore, one can use it under makeup without affecting its performance. For an elevated user experience, it has a non-greasy nature, which doesn’t feel unappealing upon application. It’s adivised to conduct a patch test before applying on the face. It’s specially designed for use on the facial region.
- SPF 50+
- Made for sensitive skin.
- Suited for kids.
- Price: £5.49 (50 ml)
2. Garnier Ambre Solaire
The sunscreen comes in the form of a cream spray without fragrance. It’s Clear by the cruelty-free international and offers excellent protection against UVA and UVB. The solution is water-resistant and non-greasy, known for offering very high protection.
This solution leaves no white marks on the skin, remains non-sticky, and gives a nude skin feel, hence it’s comfortable to use. While it’s meant for all skin types, some may not find it perfectly compatible with their sensitive skin. It comes in a recyclable bottle.
- SPF 50+
- For all skin types.
- Not friendly with the kids.
- Price: £14.95 (150 ml)
3. La Roche Posay Facial Sun Cream
This one of the top ten sunscreens for the face is a facial skincare sunscreen that features a milk fragrance. In addition to sun protection, it helps in delaying aging to a certain extent. Furthermore, the product is anti-oxidant and allows skin hydration while keeping it safe from the sun.
This sunscreen comes in a cream tube form and resists water and sweat without creating a foul odour. Additionally, it can stay on the skin for a long time without irritating. The fragrance may not last for a long time, though.
- Designed for normal skin only.
- Not meant for kids.
- SPF 50+
- A quality product from France.
- Price: £20.98 (50 ml)
4. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen
It comes in a tube form and is a dry-touch sunscreen. The product can resist water for up to 80 minutes while offering a light feel. It’s a clean and lightweight lotion with an SPF value of 30. It is dermatologically tested but needs to be applied only after a successful patch test.
The sunscreen remains fragrance-free and may not be combined with the makeup to keep its effectiveness alive. It may not be used on sensitive skin because the results are not guaranteed. The sunscreen is recommended for beginners who want to experience the feel and results of a sunscreen with a good start.
- SPF 30
- Not designed for kids.
- Meant for normal skin only.
- Not for sensitive skin.
- Price: £28.99 (88 ml x 3 tubes)
5. Shiseido Expert Sun Protector Lotion
It’s designed for those looking for sunscreen with a very high protection potential. Not only it protect the face from harmful sun rays, but it also acts as a lotion for the face and body to keep it fresh and hydrated to some extent.
The product showcases excellent resistance against water for a long time without disturbing the results. It comes in a cute bottle with a unique design to aid visual aesthetics. It’s termed as an expert sunscreen lotion due to its high-level effectiveness. Certain users reported that even though it’s primarily meant for use on the face, it goes well with the other parts of the body too.
- SPF 50+
- Not for sensitive skin.
- Meant for adult use only.
- Price: £58.00 (150 ml)
6. NIVEA SUN Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion
This sunscreen is enriched with vitamins, which not only keep the skin safe from sunlight but also keep it hydrated. The product is capable of sealing moisture for up to 48 hours and the exact duration ranges widely upon practical use.
The sun lotion includes active ingredients such as glycerin and vitamin E to ensure hydrated skin. It may not work well with heavy makeup, though. Furthermore, the lotion can resist water enough to be used and worn in a pool or on a beach.
It’s a sustainable product free from UV filters Octinoxate, Oxybenzone, and Octocrylene. The bottle it comes in can be recycled for up to 95%.
- It may not work nicely enough on the kids.
- SPF 20 sunscreen.
- Suited for normal skin type only.
- Price: £6.00
7. Avene Sun Cream
This sunscreen is designed to keep the skin safe from sunlight for a short duration upon application. Manufacturers suggest avoiding direct sunlight for too long even after putting a sunscreen. It’s meant for dry and sensitive skin and can help surface any skin-trapped facial hair.
This product is meant for use on adults only. One needs to refrain from being used on babies and children. Furthermore, it comes in an easy squeeze bottle form and leaves an invisible finish upon use. The duration of its effect is limited and needs to be reapplied to extend the duration. This sunscreen is free from fragrance and may not essentially be a good water resistant.
- SPF 50+
- Not for children.
- Meant for sensitive and dry skin only.
- Helps cure ingrown facial hair to some extent.
- Price: £19.43 (50 ml)
8. Beauty of Joseon Matte sun stick
This sunscreen comes in a stick form for an interesting way of application. It’s free from essential oil and fragrance, is totally vegan, and cruelty-free. Furthermore, it may not work well on children and sensitive skin. Users need to restrict its use to normal skin only.
Applying it under the makeup may hinder its effectiveness. Additionally, the duration of its effectiveness must be considered short to medium, resulting in reapplication occasionally. This sunscreen comes in an interesting and unique pack, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. The product doesn’t offer many skin benefits but does help keep it moisturised.
The sunscreen has a matte finish and doesn’t feel oily or sticky. Users will find it highly convenient to carry it and apply it on the go due to its stick form. Certain users reported its value for money, while some confirmed its functionality on sensitive skin and under makeup.
- SPF 50+
- Not for children.
- Meant for normal skin types.
- Price: £15.79
9. Dr. T'S Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen
This sunscreen comes in a tube cream form and features a very high level of protection against UVA, UVB, and IRA rays. It’s a very lightweight and comfortable solution that doesn’t feel irritating. There’s no sticky feel or white caste residue on the skin upon application. Furthermore, it leaves a light and refreshing scent that may not be memorable but smells pleasant.
The product offers moisturising effects to the skin apart from sun protection. It uses active ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid and Avobenzone. The sunscreen will get absorbed in the skin, letting it breathe and sweat as needed. The duration of its effectiveness depends on the way it's used. A thick layer of sunscreen may not feel much comfortable. Additionally, it's meant for normal skin types only and may not be very safe for small children and babies.
- SPF 50+
- Not for sensitive skin.
- Meant for normal skin only.
- Designed for adults.
- Price: £23.37
10. ALTRUIST. Dermatologist Sunscreen
It comes in a tube form in a pack of 2. The sunscreen remains unscented but is dermatologically tested for safe use on the skin to protect against harmful sun rays. It absorbs quickly in the skin and leaves a feel of a moisturiser. This sunscreen gives moisturising effects offers dark spot correction, and gives a fine line treatment.
It’s designed for use on sensitive skin and may be applied safely on all body parts including facial regions. it was created in the United Kingdom and is listed under the category of premium products. The degree of resistance against water remains questionable. Therefore, one may refrain from going under the water after putting this sunscreen on for a long time.
- Designed for normal skin type.
- Meant for adult use.
- SPF 50.
- Price: £10.50
11. Piz Buin Allergy Sun Sensitive Skin Lotion
This sunscreen comes in a squeeze bottle with interesting security against harmful sun rays. Along with that, it offers excellent hydrating properties to the skin. It’s designed for dry skin in particular, so there’s no guarantee of high effectiveness on other skin types. The product comes in an appealing bottle pack with an aesthetic appeal.
It needs to be reapplied once every 2 hours but resists water and sweat to a high degree. There’s no risk of foul smell if the wearer gets sweaty in excess.
- SPF 30.
- Designed for adult use only.
- Needs to be reapplied after a short duration.
- Works well on dry skin.
- Price: £7.00 (200 ml)
12. Eucerin Sun Cream
This sunscreen has an interesting protection against sun allergies and comes in a gel form. It gets absorbed under the skin quickly, allowing immediate results after application. One may use it on their face and body while getting the same results without much side effects.
There’s no guarantee of resistance from water or sweat, so the user needs to keep the application to dry use only. It doesn’t work well on children and may cause skin issues on their sensitive skin.
- SPF 50
- Gel-based product.
- Meant for adult use only.
- Not for sensitive skin.
- Designed for normal skin only.
- Price: £17.45 (150 ml)
13. Heliocare 360 Oil-Free Gel
This sunscreen leaves a matte finish and offers numerous benefits to the skin. It’s designed for daily use on oily and normal skin types. One may achieve anti-aging sun protection from it along with a minute hydrating effect. It can be used on every skin tone safely and promotes skin health. One doesn’t have to worry about the weather to use this product as the cream works even on cloudy days.
The product becomes an essential part of the lives of people who need to remain under direct sunlight for a long time daily and require a trusted sunscreen that can work well on oily, combination, and dry skin types.
It may not show enough water resistance properties, which is why it becomes ideal for dry use only. Children may not see great effects since it’s meant for adult usage.
- SPF 50.
- Not for sensitive skin.
- Restricted for adult use only.
- Price: £20.36 (50 ml)
14. Ultra Violette UK CLEAN SCREEN
The last contender of the best SPF sunscreen for the face is this ultra-lightweight sunscreen that can work well on several skin types. It is safe for use on acne-prone skin along with normal or combination types. The product comes in a gel form with no fragrance and leaves a mess-free finish upon application. It may not work well on children but can resist water to some degree, expecting a reapplication after a while depending on the usage.
- SPF 30.
- No fragrance.
- Meant for adults.
- Works with sensitive skin.
- Price: £32.00 (50 ml)
Conclusion
Sunscreens are important, especially with the growing trend of heat waves across the country. Using sunscreen is a must, mainly for those with sensitive skin. Furthermore, one may choose a sunscreen suited for use under the makeup or suitability for kids.
Before making a choice, one must have a very clear idea of what they expect from the sunscreen and whom they’re buying for.
