Summer select: The best sunscreens on the market right now

Give your skin some summer loving…

Sun’s out, sun protection’s out. That’s how it must be. Experts have suggested that sun protection is not just reserved for the outdoors. So crucial is shielding your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, that one must wear SPF indoors as well, where sunlight can reach you through the windows. Needless to say, SPF is to be one of the most important parts of any skincare routine.

What’s great about SPF now is that advancements in dermatology technology have given rise to white-case free, lightweight, moisturising options that are less clown-face, more dew and glow. With such chronic usage in the UAE’s fierce, brutal summers, we only need the best for long wear. These are our top picks for you this season.

La Roche-Posay

This French skincare specialist brand has one of the most coveted SPFs of all time. The La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Invisible Fluid is an innovation, unlike anything else on the market right now, and truly worth the high price. With SPF50+ protection, it’s the best in terms of long wear comfort, owing to the fact that it lives up to it’s name – literally watery in texture. Besides being basically weightless and ultra-high protection, the product is also ultra-resistant and broad spectrum, and tolerates wonderfully well with all skin types – even for the acne-prone girlies.

Price: Dhs148

Pro: You’ll forget you’re wearing sunscreen

Con: High bottle turnover 

@larocheposay

Supergoop

If chemical sunscreens are not your thing, then mineral sunscreens might be, and the Supergoop Mineral Unseen Sunscreen with SPF 40 is the pick for you. Formulated keeping in mind all the reasons one may dislike wearing SPF, it combats all that by being weightless, scentless, non-greasy, free of a white-cast and a cloud-like formula that blends into your skin seamlessly. The Unseen Sunscreen is a great, safe option if your skin in sensitive or acne-prone, since it’s also non-comodegenic. It’s has a lotion-like texture and also doubles as a makeup-gripping primer, so you can safely layer products on top of it. You get two uses for one product.

Price: Dhs147

Pro: You’ll look like a dewy summer queen

Con: Might be a tad bit shiny for gals with oily skin

@supergoop

Dr. Barbara Sturm

The best part about the Dr. Barbara Sturm Sun Drops is that it doubles as a skincare ingredients. The sunscreen contains hyaluronic acid, as well as an active complex of cassia extract, vitamin E and beta-glucan, which protects the skin from oxidative damage, and purslane, a powerhouse for anti-aging. Besides the skincare, it has all the usual hero features of being incredibly lightweight, gentle on sensitive skin and more liquid in texture. With SPF 50 and broad spectrum protection, this is perfect for that harsh UAE sun. The only downside perhaps is the hefty price tag, which might not be the most sustainable given our heavy usage.

Price: Dhs653

Pro: Doubles as skincare 

Con: Your wallet might cry

@drbarbarasturm

Beauty of Joseon

How can we have a lineup of the best sunscreens without adding the Korean varieties. Korean skincare is the breakthrough of this era, a revelation for revolutionary technology and a penchant for skin types across the board. Majority of the Korean sunscreens are impeccable for all the reasons we’ve discussed so far, with affordability included – they’ve hacked the sunscreen game. Our pick here, tried and tested, is the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics. This bad boy is the perfect combination of everything – it’s super lightweight, with no white cast, blends into your skin within seconds and has a cloudy, lotion-like texture that will give you that dewy finish that everyone is loving these days. The sunscreen is organic, so it’s gentle and harmless, and adapts well to all skin types, even acne-prone. A total win, through and through.

Price: Dhs66

Pro: A bang for your buck on every front 

Con: Pills when layered with too many products 

@beautyofjoseon_official

Shiseido

It’s no secret you can’t do a one-and-done with sunscreen. Reapplication throughout the day is necessary to maintain the upkeep of the protection, which is where sunsticks come in. These handy tools are great for reapplication on the go, when you can’t find a place to wash your hands or need to touch up super quickly. The Shiseido Clear Stick UV Protector WetForce Sunscreen has been making waves in the skincare community as one of the best. The SPF 50+ formula is lightweight and has clear finish, but the best bit is that it’s activated by heat and water, which means it’s great for humid climates like ours.

Price: Dhs232

Pro: Speedy sun protection 

Con: Not super reliable on it’s own 

@shiseidomiddleeast

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