Top sunscreen recommendations

One of my most read blog pages is “Top 5 sunscreen recommendations,” that focuses mainly on sunscreens available in India.

Since then, I have written close to one hundred blogs just on sunscreens and looked at hundreds of sunscreen labels. I hope you’ll agree that my “top sunscreen list” needs an upgrade.

Also, I am an independent, non-affiliated skincare blogger and I have realised that not being influenced by anyone or any product, allows me to give you the unfiltered, honest truth about products.

That makes my value-add to you, priceless.

My sunscreen philosophy

Sunscreen is a way of life for me. I try and use it every day for two reasons. First, prevention against the following damages from over-exposure to UV radiation.

Second, I don’t want to spend the national GDP equivalent on skincare or in the future, cosmetic procedures. I don’t.

Therefore, all the sunscreens that make this list provide formidable protection against UVA radiation to delay the onslaught of ageing skin.  

Your sunscreen should reach for the stars or the Chandrasekhar limit. Whichever floats your boat.

Ultrasun Face Anti-Pigmentation SPF 50+

• This is my every day sunscreen and it is the “Gucci” of sunscreens according to me.
• It leaves no whitecast and blends easily.
• It has limited availability globally.
• Price: GBP 32 for 50ml (although prices vary)
• Read my review of this product HERE

Bioderma sunscreens

• Used both sunscreens as my every day sunscreen (pre Ultrasun). I used the SPF 30 when the Photoderm SPF50+ was unavailable.
• Neither leaves a whitecast and blends easily.
• Not available in the USA.
• Price:
  • SPF 30 is GBP 15 (UK), ₹1,550 (India)
  • SPF 50+ is GBP 15 (UK), ₹1,345 (India).
• Read my review of the Bioderma AKN SPF 30 fluid.

Avene emulsion SPF 50+

• Offers better protection against UVA radiation then Bioderma above.
• Is drying and does leave a slight whitecast if you don’t spend time blending it in.
• Not available in the USA.
• Price: ₹1,750 for 50ml (India), GBP 18 for 50ml (UK)
• Read my review of Avene emulsion SPF 50

Lakme SPF 50 PA++ Ultra Matte

• Offers good UVA protection, which so few Indian sunscreens do
• The smell is chalky and takes some getting used to
• This is the cheapest sunscreen I would suggest
• Generally unavailable outside India.
• Price: ₹280 for 50ml
• Read my review of Lakme Sun Expert SPF 50 PA+++ Ultra Matte

RoC Soleil

• Offers good UVA protection and is one of the few cheap sunscreens in India that do so.
• Is currently unavaible online in India.
• Price: ₹625 for 50ml on Flipkart
• Read my review of RoC Soleil-Protect Mattifying fluid SPF SPF 30

La Roche Anthelios Ultra Light SPF 30

• Both SPF 30 (PPD 46) and SPF 50+ (PPD 46) provide extremely effective protection against UVA radiation (see below).
• I have used this product intermittently in the past but I find it drying (the second ingredient is Alcohol), but that shouldn’t concern you if you don’t have dry/normal skin
• Price: £17.50 in the UK. Is available in India, but pricing varies too much!
• Read blog What is PA+++? for more information on PPD rating.

Forest Essentials’ sunscreen fluid SPF 50

• In the past two months, my review of this product is my most read blog. It would appear that all of my readers are rushing out to buy this! I can understand why this is the case – its under 1,000 and it leaves no white cast. It also smells extremely pleasant and feels light on the skin. It lets your skin breathe, which is absolutely vital in the crushing heat of an Indian summer.
• I don’t use this product and I won’t be using it because there are products in the market that offer formidably better protection against UVA radiation than this sunscreen. Period.
• Available for sale at Forest Essentials, that does worldwide shipping.
• Price is Rs 975 for 50ml
• Read my review of this product HERE

Innisfree Intensive Anti Pollution Sunscreen SPF50+

• Recently I tried Innisfree’s SPF 35 sunscreen during the lockdown. I ran out of sunscreen. And on the third day, I loved it. The SPF 35 has a strong citrus smell and I stand by my view that it offers moderate protection against UVA radiation.
• BUT its completely fine to wear indoors especially because it blends in so well. I wouldn’t use this if I were outside, preferring instead the SPF 50 version. The SPF 50 version does provide very good protection against UVA radiation.
• Price: ₹1250 for 50 ml
• Read my review of SPF 50 and SPF 35

SunBum Mineral Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50

• This is the only Zinc Oxide sunscreen that I could use every day.
• It has a faint coconut fragrance and even though it has Zinc Oxide at 20% its moisturising and does not leave a white cast.
• Limited availability outside the USA.
• Price: USD 15 for 88ml
• Read all about Zinc Oxide benefits at this blog

Supergoop! Unseen sunscreen SPF 40

• Ordinarily, I wouldn’t even bother with this sunscreen, but there are so few American sunscreens that do not contain Oxybenzone AND do not leave a whitecast, that this has to make my list. And I’ll be the first one to admit this does not provide the best protection against UVA radiation compared to most other sunscreens on this list…
• Price: USD 34 for 50ml. Available also on cultbeauty.com with worldwide shipping.
• Read my review of this sunscreen here.

And finally, last but not least….Altruist SPF 50

• This is what all sunscreens should be: cheap.
• It is the number bestseller on Amazon UK, so the brand really does not need me to promote it.
• The sunscreens of this brand provide very good protection against UV radiation. Read my review here.
• I have not personally used this product and it gets a lot of mixed reviews because of its texture and application. However, it is cheap enough for everyone to try. The 100 ml tube is available for sale on Amazon UK at £4. This is US$ 5 or INR 375.

Copyright 2020

I wish to remind some of you that I am a non-affiliated skincare blogger. I invest my time, money, blood, sweat, and tears in creating content for my blog. My blog is read in multiple countries and according to my lawyers, each of those countries protects my content and rights under copyright law. If you would like to use my content, do the right thing, and write to me at email@happyskindays.com. Don’t be that person who steals content, because it’s arrogant, disrespectful, and ultimately, a crime.