Summer is here, and after a full year in the house our skin (and sanity) could use some sun. It might be tempting to hit the beach with just the newest trending seltzer, a good book, and oversized shades—-but don’t you dare forget your sunscreen. The skin is the largest organ of the human body, yet somehow we don’t remember to take care of it like we should. There are multiple benefits to wearing sunscreen, but the critical one is that it decreases the risk of skin cancers. Additionally, it prevents discoloration and sun spots, sunburn, wrinkles, and leathery skin. The market is inundated with sunscreens, and it may be intimidating to know where to start, but you know we got you, so let’s dig in!

Common brands like Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone, and Banana Boat are seen everywhere and carried by every retailer and gas station from here to Timbuktu. But, never buy those. Like ever. There are two types of sunscreens, chemical sunscreens, and physical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing into your skin, in order to then absorb the UV rays. Physical sunscreens on the other hand, act as a barrier on top of your skin, and filters out the UV rays that way.

Chemical sunscreens which include,oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone

are touted by even the most popular and exclusive brands like Supergoop, and the ones mentioned above. They seem super enticing because of their super clear finishes, and fun packaging. Problem is, the ingredients in chemical sunscreens are all hormone disruptors, and since they get absorbed into the skin, they can cause some nasty reactions inside your body. Now, as we talked about before in our skin care article, the reason these harmful chemicals are still supported by the FDA is because the beauty industry remains unregulated, and the FDA is still basing their findings on tests done over 30 years ago. So yeah, that’s gonna be a no for us dog! These chemicals can weaken estrogen levels, mess up the reproductive system, and even cause skin allergies and irritations. Simply put, they should be avoided at all cost, especially when there are better alternatives out there.

Case and point—physical sunscreens!

zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the ingredients found in physical sunscreens. they protect against UVA and UVB rays, and in some cases even blue light and infrared light.

Back in the day, physical sunscreens used to get a bad rap because they’d leave that dreaded white cast on the skin, and for black and brown people specifically that was a huge issue! Luckily though, there are a lot of physical sunscreens on the market now that are not only white cast free, but also double as skin care and makeup primers. So without further adieu, here are the sunscreens that we’ve tested ourselves, and reach for on a daily basis. They are perfect for women of all ages, skin tones, and skin types. I know, we’re amazing, feel free to thank us later!