The Best Sunscreen Sticks for Effortless Sun Protection

How To Find a High-Quality Sunscreen Stick: A Buyer's Guide

When heading to the beach for fun or while basking in your yard or pool at home, you need to protect yourself from the sun. It is easy to underestimate the power of the sun’s rays, so take the cautious route and always apply sunscreen when you’ll be outdoors. Now, it isn’t smart to just purchase any random kind of sunscreen— you may need to do a bit of research. That’s why we’re here to help. We have already gone through our top recommendations, but below we have detailed some key features you should keep in mind during your shop. If you think about these factors, you’ll be able to find the perfect sunscreen for you.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

When selecting a sunscreen, you should ensure that it has an SPF rating of 15 or higher. The SPF value determines how much of the sun’s rays get blocked, which in turn determines how long the sunscreen can protect your skin from sunburn before the need for reapplication. This protection varies on whether the sunscreen was applied appropriately, was used while swimming, and whether it has been washed off in any way. In any case, sunscreen should be reapplied every 90-120 minutes, or even sooner if you are swimming.

The lowest recommended SPF is 15, but sunscreens with an SPF of 50 will work better. We advise that you start with SPF 30 and afterward, go as high as 50 or 70. These higher SPFs will provide you with better protection and will decrease the risk of sunburn.

Broad-Spectrum Coverage

The “broad-spectrum coverage” simply means that sunscreen has at least an SPF 15 and protects against both UVA and UVB rays, which are the two harmful kinds of ultraviolet light from the sun that can damage the skin or cause skin cancer. It is usually indicated on the label of the Sunscreen,  so look out for it.

Water-Resistant Protection

Sunscreens do not say “waterproof” or “sweatproof” because they are neither. They rather say water-resistant and state how long they will remain water-resistant. Most sunscreens usually remain water-resistant for 40-80 minutes depending on the brand. Non-water-resistant sunscreens will not stand up well to intense exercise or swimming.

Sunscreen’s Key Ingredients

It is important to have a glance through the ingredients list to make sure that the sunscreen can give you the quality and coverage you need. Check to see if it has both UVA and UVB protection by looking out for the term “broad spectrum” in the label to see if it is mineral or chemical sunscreen. Most mineral (or physical) sunscreens work using zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to reflect the sun’s rays from your skin. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, use chemical compounds like bemotrizinol, avobenzone, and biscotizole to provide broad-spectrum protection. These compounds are safe but you may want to avoid ingredients like oxybenzone, as it can cause allergic skin reactions and may even disrupt hormones.

Skin Type

There are sunscreens made specifically to help with dry, oily, or sensitive skin. If your skin falls into any of these categories, you might want to put that into consideration while choosing your sunscreen. For dry skin, one should look out for ingredients like glycerin, lanolin, oils, silicones, and aloe, and should also avoid sunscreen using sprays or gels with alcohol because they may further dehydrate your skin.

Gel or lightweight lotions with ingredients like silica or isododecane are best for oily skin. You won’t want a greasy sunscreen formula on top of oily skin.

The best bets for sensitive skin are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. Mineral sunscreens with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are also great options. To prevent skin irritation, avoid sunscreen with alcohol and preservatives.

Alcohol

We advise that those with rosacea, acne, or are prone to allergies avoid sunscreens with alcohol. Alcohol can dry out the skin, which could lead to worsening conditions. If you have any of these common skin problems, sunscreen with alcohol can irritate the skin even further.

The hard part is that alcohol is a common ingredient, thanks to the fact that it makes sunscreen lotion easier to apply. If this is too challenging to fully avoid, pair the sunscreen with a soothing, moisturizing cream to balance the drying effect of alcohol and/or skin treatment medications.

Frequency of Use

If you don’t apply enough sunscreen or reapply at the appropriate times, you won’t be able to get all the protection your sunscreen has to offer. Sunscreens should be applied in intervals of at least two hours. To get adequate coverage, you need to apply, at the barest minimum,  one ounce (about the amount that you can hold in your palm) of sunscreen. Sunscreens usually expire after two to three years, so it’s not worth being conservative with how much you use.

Sunscreen Type

Gels, creams, and lotion sunscreen are the best, but using sunscreen sprays is a no-no. You should avoid using sprays because they cause a lot of product waste and there are high chances of you inhaling the mist. They go on quite easily, but it is difficult to quantify how much you’ve actually applied. However, if you already have sunscreen spray stocked up at home, you can apply enough sunscreen lotion or cream at home and use the spray for frequent reapplications.

Personal Preference

Like any purchase, it is best to choose a sunscreen you’ll actually enjoy. The better you like it, the more likely you are to keep applying it. Be sure to check other perks of sunscreen, like shimmers, tints, or scents, that could make the product more enjoyable for you. Also, think about how you prefer to apply your sunscreen— would you rather rub it on like a lotion, or do you prefer one of the handy sunscreen sticks for mess-free application? Whatever your preference, make sure the sunscreen you use ticks all the boxes, both the practical and important protection qualities and the added bonuses like scents.