It’s sunny days ahead for SPF products.
The category, which grew during the pandemic despite housebound consumers, has become a medicine cabinet mainstay. Beauty shoppers see it now as a daily essential, not a seasonal one. To discover the top products in the category, WWD Beauty Inc polled shy of 400 executives, founders, editors, financiers, retailers, chemists and influencers on their favorite skin care products across each key category.
Promised secrecy (the full list of those willing to be identified as electors appears in this story, though the content of their ballots remains confidential), the sunscreen results are bifurcated between skin care multitaskers and a slew of sheer, light, barely-there formulas. Among them, the first chemical SPF to eschew oxybenzone; another has sold enough to cover an NBA basketball court. Here, in alphabetical order, the 20 most iconic SPF products in beauty, as voted on by industry insiders.
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Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Sunscreen Multi Protection Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Launched: 2015
Formula: In addition to traditional UV filters, UV Plus also includes a natural anti-pollution complex to mitigate damage from environmental stressors. It comes in four shades as an alternative to light-coverage makeup — sheer brilliance, indeed.
Results oriented: Clarins’ most awarded sunscreen is also its top seller in the category.
Clinique Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen Face Cream
Launched: 2006
Formula: At Clinique, good things come in yellow packaging. The brand’s universal sunscreen has Clinique’s SolarSmart technology, which also features antioxidants activated by the sun. No wonder its appeal endures almost two decades after launch.
Results oriented: One unit is sold every five minutes.
Clinique Superdefense City Block Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily Energy + Face Protector
Launched: 2020
Formula: Part primer, part protector, Superdefense City Block’s appeal is as cosmetic as it is efficacious. This oil-free formula protects against a broad spectrum of aggressors, including UVA/UVB rays, infrared and blue light thanks to Clinique’s Stop Signs proprietary technology, and was designed to be layered under or on top of makeup.
Results oriented: One tube of Superdefense City Block is sold every two minutes.
Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-on
Launched: 2017
Formula: Patents, antioxidants and hyaluronic acid, oh my. This brush-on boasts patented technology to prevent free radical transformation, and is the only brush-on to earn the Skin Cancer Foundation’s seal of recommendation for active use.
Results oriented: This sunscreen is the brand’s bestseller in a powdered SPF.
Coola Refreshing Water Cream SPF 50
Launched: 2021
Formula: 70 percent organic and light enough for everyday use, Refreshing Water Cream also protects against infrared and blue light. It steeps skin in moisture, too, with hyaluronic acid and coconut water.
Results oriented: Coola had to delay the water cream’s launch by a year to grow enough organic safflower extract to meet its own “clean” guidelines — and guarantee sufficient quantities for production.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Sun Drops
Launched: 2016
Formula: Half serum, half sunscreen, Dr. Barbara Sturm’s sun drops combine purslane, beta-glucan and hyaluronic acid in conjunction with UVA and UVB filters for an equally soothing and protective dose.
Results oriented: A favorite of recent investor Oprah Winfrey and consumers alike, Sun Drops are one of the brand’s top 10 bestsellers.
Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 50+
Launched: 2020
Formula: At a time when Korean sunscreens are taking off on TikTok with more than 100 million views, this mainstay combines mineral filters for a matte, lightweight finish.
Results oriented: Every Sun Day Mineral Sunscreen is Dr. Jart+’s best selling sunscreen on its website.
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46
Launched: 2019
Formula: This brand has many fans from the Kardashians, Hailey Bieber and Drew Barrymore, but not just megawatt names. EltaMD, which purports to be the top dermatologist-recommended brand, has built a formidable business thanks to a non-comedogenic formulation with 9 percent zinc oxide, vitamin E, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
Results oriented: UV Clear SPF 46 is EltaMD’s top-selling product.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50
Launched: 2022
Formula: Glow Recipe was early to combine skin care benefits with the cosmetic effects of makeup, and its sunscreen is no exception. This glow-inducing foray into the category combines chemical and mineral UV filters for a high SPF without causing a white cast.
Results oriented: At launch, the product’s landing page at Sephora was the top-visited skin care page on Sephora.com.
La Mer The Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Protecting Fluid
Launched: 2014
Formula: True to the brand’s ultra-reparative and cult-favorite ethos, La Mer’s sun block rewinds past damage as much as it prevents future aging. Meant to renew cells as well as protect them, La Mer’s only SPF combines sunscreen with the brand’s hero ingredient, Miracle Broth.
Results oriented: In just over a month, La Mer sells enough tubes of Protecting Fluid to reach the top of the Empire State Building.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen SPF 60
Launched: 2009
Formula: One of the engines behind L’Oréal’s Dermatological Beauty division, La Roche-Posay has found breakout success. For those in the know, though, its sunscreens have always been worth the hype. The velvety Melt-in Milk Sunscreen adds glycerin to the brand’s proprietary Cell-Ox Shield technology: a cocktail of UVA and UVB filters, as well as antioxidants.
Results oriented: Anthelios Melt-in Milk is the top-selling face and body sunscreen, according to the brand.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen SPF 60
Launched: 2009
Formula: A high SPF rating with a dry-down that is barely perceptible, no wonder Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen has been going strong since 2009. Tested extensively for sensitive skin types, it combines a slew of UV filters with antioxidants and silica for a mattifying effect.
Results oriented: One tube of Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen is sold every two minutes in the U.S.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 55
Launched: 2006
Formula: Neutrogena is a mass market leader in sun care, and this is the stock keeping unit that started it all. Noncomedogenic and soft to the touch, Neutrogena’s hero product relies on the brand’s Helioplex technology — which now has expanded to include a bestselling range of face and body SPFs.
Results oriented: Three units of Ultra Sheer Dry Touch are sold every minute.
Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+
Launched: 2018
Formula: In few other products is Shiseido’s innovation prowess better showcased. While many sunscreens tout resistance to water and heat, Shiseido’s sunscreen stick is activated by it. Its HeatForce and WetForce technologies provide a one-two punch, all in a gel-like texture.
Results oriented: Clear Sunscreen Stick is the top sunscreen stick in the U.S.
SkinCeuticals Daily Brightening U.V. Defense Sunscreen SPF 30
Launched: 2021
Formula: SkinCeuticals has built its credibility — and market leadership — off of time-tested antioxidants, so it’s no wonder its sunscreen includes the best of them. Buzzy skin care ingredients like tranexamic acid and niacinamide, as well as UV filters, give this formula — which took more than 60 iterations to perfect — its equally brightening and protective claims.
Results oriented: To date, the brand’s sold enough units to cover the surface area of an NBA basketball court — more than 100,000 units.
Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Launched: 2022
Formula: With a name like Summer Fridays, a world-class SPF was only a matter of time. True to the breezy lifestyle vision cofounders Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland have brought to beauty, ShadeDrops is vegan, reef-safe, and certified Clean at Sephora with a natural finish on all skin types.
Results oriented: Shade Drops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is one of the fastest growing sunscreens at Sephora, according to the brand.
Supergoop Glowscreen SPF 40
Launched: 2020
Formula: Meant to build on an SPF wardrobe, Glowscreen includes sea lavender, cocoa peptides, vitamin B3 and hyaluronic acid for its shimmery finish — which has since expanded into four different shades.
Results oriented: Glowscreen is the brand’s third bestseller on its website.
Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 with Sunflower Extract
Launched: 2007
Formula: Play Everyday Lotion was Supergoop’s first product, as well as the first chemical sunscreen to eschew oxybenzone in the U.S., and it also claims to be water- and sweat-resistant for 80 minutes. No wonder Maria Sharapova became an early investor.
Results oriented: This sunscreen is the brand’s second-bestselling product across channels.
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
Launched: 2018
Formula: Frankincense, red algae and a meadowfoam oil complex give Unseen Sunscreen its moisturizing and soothing properties — and weightless sheer gel texture. It’s a hit with all ages, too, having been launched in elementary schools to teach children the importance of daily sun protection.
Results oriented: In 2022, the brand sold one tube of Unseen Sunscreen every 14 seconds.
Unsun Cosmetics Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 30
Launched: 2016
Formula: Unsun Cosmetics was a pioneer of making mineral-based sunscreens accessible to richer skin tones, adding beet root, bitter orange and shea butter to the vegan formula.
Results oriented: Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen is Unsun Cosmetics’ bestselling product.
The voters
Voters were asked to submit ballots with their top skin care choices. While the products they voted for are confidential, participants were given the option to remain anonymous or be identified as part of the overall electorate. The majority of voters opted for confidentiality, but here, listed alphabetically by first name, are those who agreed to be identified.
Ada Polla
Alicia Sontag
Alicia Yoon
Andrea Mennella
Dr. Anthony Nakhla
April Uchitel
Bee Shapiro
Charles Rosier
Cristina Nuñez
D’Andre Michael
Emily Dougherty
Emily Parr
Francesco Clark
Gwen Flamberg
Holly Thaggard
Ian Michael Crum
Jane Lauder
Jasmina Aganovic
Jessica Richards
Jill Kargman
Dr. Joyce Park
Kelly McPhilliamy
Leslie Blodgett
Lily Garfield
Linda Wells
Marianna Hewitt
Marla Beck
Nyakio Grieco
Oliver Garfield
Penny Coy
Rich Gersten
Robin Coe Hutshing
Romain Gaillard
Ron Robinson
Sarah Brown
Sarah Lee
Stephanie Morimoto
Susan Biegacz
Suzie Wokabi
Tarang Amin
Tera Peterson
Troy Surratt
Vennette Ho
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