Sunscreens are meant to protect your skin from damage caused by ultraviolet radiation. To help you avoid said radiation (while picking the right type for you) we’re rounding up the seven best sunscreens for men’s faces in this article.
Men’s skin differs from women: it’s generally thicker and oilier, with larger pores, and a bit rougher than the average woman’s skin. And yes, even with these differences, the skin on your face is more sensitive than the skin on the rest of your body.
Problem is, not all sunscreens are made equal. If it isn’t strong enough, it may not sufficiently protect you, and depending on the ingredients and your skin type, might do more harm than good.
7 of the Best Sunscreens for Men’s Faces
Here’s the best part. You like convenience? You don’t want to run around town looking for these sunscreens? Perfect! They’re all available on Amazon! So let’s get to it.
Best Overall
Supergoop! Glowscreen is a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 40 that helps filter blue light and keeps your skin dewy and hydrated without feeling greasy or oily. It doesn't leave that sparkly, glittery finish lots of sunscreens have.
This wide spectrum sunscreen has an SPF of 40, which guarantees that your face is effectively protected from both UVA and UVB radiation while outside.
Basically, this means that Supergoop! prevents the sun from aging your face prematurely, and counters sunburns too.
Hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, and niacinamide are among the moisturizing components included here, all of which work together to keep your skin naturally supple. B5 even helps with chronic skin conditions.
But, as one reviewer noted, the moisturizing component works best if you apply serum beforehand. Keep that in mind when implementing your daily skincare routine.
What’s more, the combination of hydrating ingredients helps boost your skin’s ability to retain moisture, resulting in nourishment and softness long after application.
Best For Dry Skin
CETAPHIL Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 50+ is lightweight and absorbs quickly into the skin, without leaving any filmy white residue.
This dermatologically-formulated facial moisturizer offers a whopping SPF 50+, with a dual-action formula that’ll shield your face from the damaging effects of the sun while also keeping it moisturized for up to eight hours.
Some of the doctor-selected ingredients include 7.5% octinoxate, which stops the sun from burning the top layers of your skin, and vitamin E which creates a natural moisture barrier. It’s also an antioxidant and protects from cell damage.
Conveniently, the non-greasy formula absorbs quickly into the skin and doesn’t leave any filmy white residue on the surface of the skin.
It also works well for a variety of skin types, including sensitive and combination skin. Still, reviews point out that Cetaphil is too creamy for oily skin. If your face is naturally oily, go for the Sunbum or Geologie options coming up on this list!
Best For Acne-Prone skin
This morning cream supports the moisture your skin naturally produces, which prevents drying while smoothing it out and giving it an even tone.
The Geologie Vital Facial Cream is perfect for you if your face is prone to acne, because it’s designed to maintain the moisture that your skin naturally generates.
This allows your face to stay moisturized using its own tools, instead of adding any extra lotions that don’t need to be there and might cause you to break out.
This also prevents your skin from drying out, which a lot of acne-maintenance products tend to do. This product is both a facial sunscreen and a morning cream, which is impressive but unsurprising since Geologie is an excellent brand for skin care basics.
It contains sodium hyaluronate, which fights against the visible signs of aging by retaining water on the surface of your skin.
When your skin is healthy, plump, and well-hydrated, you lower the likelihood of it breaking and developing fine wrinkles.
Best For Oily Skin
Some of us like to go au naturel. Sun Bum's tinted, zinc-based mineral sunscreen face lotion glides on like butter and acts as a primer, leaving a matte finish with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 protection.
This zinc-based sunscreen boasts a chemical-free formula, making it ideal for those who want a more natural approach to sun protection. It serves as a primer and gives a matte appearance to your face, tempering over-oiliness.
Plus, zinc naturally has anti-inflammatory properties, a common need for people with greasy or broken-out skin. It can also help reduce acne scarring.
The mineral-based formula is fully vegan and reef friendly, which also makes it cruelty-free. Did we mention it’s hypoallergenic and glides on like butter?
More importantly, it provides 30 SPF protection with a lightweight formula that feels smooth to the touch.
Drugstore Pick
Broad Spectrum SPF 70+ provides superior sun protection against aging UVA and burning UVB rays to prevent sunburn. Sport Face sunscreen is ideal for outdoor sport activity and resists wear off from water, rubbing, sweating or wiping. Designed to be sweat-resistant and water-resistant.
This bang-for-buck sunscreen is non-comedogenic, ideal for anyone with oily or sensitive skin.
It doesn’t contain any oils in its ingredients list and is instead made with Helioplex, a breakthrough sunscreen technology that provides excellent broad-spectrum protection against skin-aging UVA radiation, as well as skin-burning UVB rays.
The moisturizing aspect of this cream is perfect for guys who lead an active lifestyle, while the sweatproof and waterproof electrolyte compound is incredibly nourishing and hydrating for your face.
High-end Pick
This light, fast-absorbing men's face lotion with SPF has been reforumulated and is packed with potent natural ingredients to hydrate and protect your face, without clogging pores or leaving white marks on your face.
This light and quick-absorbing men’s face lotion from Brickell is filled with effective organic ingredients that moisturize and protect your skin without blocking pores or leaving white spots behind.
It’s filled to the brim with certified organic ingredients. The aloe vera gets deep into your skin to moisturize the dermal tissue system on your face. All-natural zinc provides the SPF protection.
Meanwhile, green tea partners with vitamin E to provide age-reversing antioxidants and fight free radicals that create fine lines.
Completely oil free, this product works for all skin types and ages. Overall, this Brickell moisturizer is pretty comprehensive.
Alternative High-End Option
This moisturizer works triple duty to keep your skin hydrated all day long, protect you from the sun with SPF 37 and defend your skin against signs of aging.
Armed with octocrylene and zinc oxide which provides broad spectrum SPF 37 protection, this moisturizer does triple duty. It keeps your skin moisturized all day, protects you from the sun’s rays, and keeps the symptoms of aging at bay.
You’ll essentially be able to protect your skin against UVA and UVB radiation, without having a million steps in your
And if the reviews are anything to go by, this is a really hydrating sunscreen thanks to its moisturizing hyaluronic acid.
Also, check out our Oars + Alps post, where we review other products from the brand!
Frequently Asked Questions
Aim for SPF 30 or higher, and choose a sunscreen that offers wide spectrum protection. It should shield the skin from both UVA and UVB radiation.
This will protect your face from damaging UV rays that cause early aging and even help reverse symptoms of damage by eliminating dark spots and enhancing texture.
Yes, you should apply sunscreen daily to reduce your risk of premature aging, skin cancer, and other problems. You’re exposed to ultraviolet rays daily, and over time, the effects of the sun’s rays begin to accumulate.
SPF 50 may be effective for 40 to 80 minutes, depending on the kind of sunscreen used. This is why you want to reapply your sunscreen lotion every 2 hours. When applied correctly, SPF 50 sunscreen really does protect the skin by blocking up to 98% of UVB radiation.
We Hope That Was Helpful!
Finding the best sunscreen for men’s face isn’t the easiest thing these days because of all the available options. Hopefully, this list will alleviate all the decision fatigue and help you pick out a sunscreen lotion that works for your skin type and environmental conditions.
Which sunscreen are you going to get? Have you used any of the ones on our list?
If you have any questions about sunscreen or skincare in general, feel free to DM us on Instagram anytime!
