Best Type of Sunscreen for Face & Body

The research is clear: Everyone should wear sunscreen every day, rain or shine, to prevent both skin cancer and premature aging of skin.

But what if you don’t like wearing sunscreen, even though you know you should? Perhaps, in the past, your sunscreen products have caused breakouts, irritated your skin, or left an unpleasant look or feel on your face and body. Those are all valid concerns, but the solution isn’t to ditch your sun protection. In fact, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman MD recommends “using an SPF 30 (sunscreen) every day even on a rainy day as UV light penetrates the clouds”.

The key is to find a formula that works for your skin type as it guards against the insidious, cumulative damage of unprotected sun exposure. This could take some experimentation, so it may be helpful to understand the differences between sunscreen ingredients—what they are, how they work, and how they feel on your face and body.

The two types of sunscreen ingredients are mineral and synthetic, and when properly formulated, both are equally protective. Further reassuring is that each can be included in formulas created for every skin type. For example, if you have normal to oily acne-prone skin, there are weightless, non-greasy options; if you have normal to dry skin, it’s possible to find skin-smoothing, hydrating SPF products for your face and body.

What’s the difference between mineral and synthetic sunscreen ingredients?

Contrary to popular belief in Singapore, the differences aren't about which type is more effective; rather, it comes down to personal preference and how sensitive your skin is. Mineral sunscreens are considered the gentlest options.

• Mineral sunscreens: There are only two mineral sunscreen ingredients: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. They work in the skin's uppermost layers to absorb and, to a smaller extent, deflect and scatter the sun’s harmful rays. These mineral ingredients are sometimes referred to as physical sunscreens or physical blockers, although that’s not a factual representation of how they work.
• Synthetic sunscreens: There are over 30 synthetic sunscreen ingredients, all of which are absorbed into the top layers of skin, where they work similarly to mineral sunscreens – by scattering and deflecting harmful UV rays, converting them into heat, and “deactivating” them. (Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing on your face or body.) Common synthetic sunscreen ingredients include oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, and avobenzone. These are sometimes labelled “chemical sunscreens,” which is both misleading and false. All skincare ingredients, even water, are chemicals.

Interesting fact: In the world of skincare, mineral sunscreen ingredients are referred to as organic, but they aren’t. In science, mineral sunscreen ingredients are actually inorganic chemicals. Don’t let these marketing terms influence your decisions on how you protect your face and body from sun damage.

It’s important to know that there’s nothing inherently better or worse about formulas containing either mineral or synthetic sunscreen ingredients (or a blend of both types). What matters is that they protect your face and body from sun damage. Yes, one or the other may be a better choice for your skin, but the ingredients themselves (not the vocabulary used to sell them) should be the determining factor when it comes to combatting sunburn.

Which sunscreen is best?

The right sunscreen for you is the one you’ll look forward to applying daily. It should be rated SPF 30 or higher and provide broad-spectrum protection to prevent damage to your face and body from the sun’s killer UVA and UVB rays. Beyond that, to make an informed choice, you need to know how your skin type responds to different sunscreen ingredients and textures – those containing mineral actives, synthetic actives, or a combination of both.

Mineral sunscreens:

• Start working immediately on application but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
• Have almost no risk of irritating skin.
• May leave a white cast, especially on darker skin tones, but the best pure mineral sunscreens go on almost sheer or have a subtle tint to offset the white cast.
• May need more careful, liberal application because of the way they work in formulas. So, go ahead, slather these on for brilliant protection against sunburn!
• Do not penetrate past the skin's uppermost layers.

Synthetic sunscreens:

• Start working immediately on application but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
• Generally found in products with thinner textures.
• Tend to be preferred for water-resistant formulas because they don’t turn milky-looking when you sweat or get wet. But, as with any sunscreen, you must reapply them often when outdoors.
• Can be sensitising for those with extra-sensitive skin.
• Can penetrate the skin and be absorbed in small amounts that are not shown to have health risks.

Whichever sunscreen you choose, it’s crucial to use it for your face and body year-round. Even if you think you’re not at risk of sunburn, daylight—even through clouds—will age skin and increase the risk of skin cancer. Scary but true: The sun’s UVA rays come through windows. You won’t feel the damage, but it’s happening.

Which Paula’s Choice SPF products are best for my skin?

We can’t stress enough the importance of protecting skin daily with a moisturizer, primer, or foundation (better yet, all three) rated SPF 30 or higher. As such, we’ve created a range of light-feeling, skin-nourishing sunscreen products for every skin type—all designed to help maintain your skin’s healthy appearance. It may take a bit of experimenting to find the formula you prefer for your face and body, but the results will be well worth the effort.

If you’re prone to breakouts or tend toward redness, try one of our lightweight mineral moisturizers with SPF, created for oily, dry, and aging skin. If a mineral sunscreen doesn’t seem like the best choice for your skin type, one of our chemical/synthetic formulas will absolutely fit the bill. For those with signs of aging who prefer an even higher SPF rating and synthetic sunscreen ingredients to protect their face and body, we recommend either our RESIST Skin Restoring Moisturizer SPF 50 or RESIST Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50.

Shop Paula’s Choice sunscreens to protect your skin today.

References for this information

• American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, November 2021, pages 819–828
• International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, January 2021, pages 28–44
• Science, February 2015, pages 842–847
• Annals of Internal Medicine, June 2013, pages 781–790
• Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, January 2013, pages 16–26
• British Journal of Dermatology, February 2010, pages 415–419; and April 2007, pages 716–719
• Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, volume 73, number 2, 2007, pages 80–85