The Best New Sunscreens to Wear Under Foundation

Here comes the sun...screen.

By Danielle Fontana Dooley, Senior Digital Editor and Elise Minton Tabin · Feb 26, 2020

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Brands

It goes without saying that layering on SPF every day is a must. Venture outside with unprotected skin and you can pretty much kiss a wrinkle-, line- and discoloration-free visage goodbye. Only 29 percent of women wear sunscreen daily, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). One reason abstaining from using the product could come down formulation because no one likes a sticky formula or white residue that shows though makeup. These new SPFs are just the opposite and layer perfectly under even the sheerest of foundation.

1 / 10

Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense SPF 30 ($54)

This all-physical sunscreen dries down quickly with zero stick or white cast and, thanks to a bioactive mushroom complex, helps calm any sensitivity. Available to add to cart March 5.

2 / 10

CōTZ Sport SPF 45 ($27)

Ideal for the active among us, this plant-based, water-resistant (for up to 80 minutes!) and totally mineral sunscreen was created by a plastic surgeon to keep your skin in its best condition.

3 / 10

ISDIN Ageless Ultralight Tinted Emulsion SPF 50 ($66)

100-percent mineral sun protection and a skin-perfecting tint makes this SPF a great before-makeup step—or the shining star of your best no-makeup look.

4 / 10

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen ($34)

It’s clear, totally weightless formula makes this SPF 40 a winner in our book. Doubling as a makeup primer , the oil-free product protects against UVA and UVB rays as well as blue light, the latest skin avenger.

5 / 10

Arbonne RE9 Prepword Soft Focus Veil Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen ($44)

As the name of this product suggests, all that’s left behind on the skin after a swift application of this sunscreen is a perfect-looking complexion.

6 / 10

C’est Moi Gentle Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 ($15)

Designed specifically for delicate, sensitive skin, this fragrance-free, mineral-based version goes on like a light lotion—it’s so sheer that it can be used as moisturizer, too—and doesn’t show through makeup.

7 / 10

Love Sun Body SPF 30 Fragrance-Free ($36)

This totally natural, reef-safe and vegan mineral sunscreen—it counts on zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to filter out harmful UV rays—is the one to reach for when serious skin and environmental protection, and perfect-looking skin, are top of mind.

8 / 10

Skinnies Sungel SPF 30 ($35)

A sunscreen staple in New Zealand, this fragrance-free clear finish SPF is not diluted with water—a little bit of product goes a long way—and leaves skin feeling soft and fresh, never greasy.

9 / 10

Vive Sana Daily Protezione ($55)

As luxury as sunscreen gets, this organic, antioxidant-rich cream—it counts argan oil, green tea and raspberry seed, among others, as key ingredients—melts perfectly into skin without leaving a trace of visible product behind.

10 / 10

Guinot Sun Logic ($45)

Protecting skin from blue light damage from smart phones, computers and overhead light is as important as protecting skin from UV damage. This sunscreen—it comes in SPF 20 and SPF 30—also packs powerful anti-aging ingredients into the quick-to-absorb formula.