19 Dermatologist-Approved Moisturizers With SPF to Protect Your Skin

1/20
19 Dermatologist-Approved Moisturizers With SPF to Protect Your Skin
JUST BECAUSE you're not sweating every time you step out of the house doesn't mean you can pack away the sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen everyday is important regardless of the season or temperature. Sunscreen does more than protect you from getting a sunburn—it can help prevent premature skin aging such as wrinkles and age spots so you can stay looking your best as the years go on.
It only takes a few seconds in the morning to make sunscreen part of your daily routine and give your skin the protection it needs to stay healthy, and if you're already using a moisturizer in the morning, you're halfway there. Some sunscreens are a 2-in-1 moisturizer hybrid so all you have to do is switch out your daily moisturizer with one that has SPF 30 protection or higher. Applying it takes roughly 15 seconds—or less.
How to Find the Right SPF Moisturizer
Moisturizers with sunscreen are exactly what they sound like: products that hydrate and moisturize your skin that also contain either chemical or mineral sunscreens. But before you reach for any old moisturizer that says SPF on the label, be warned that not all of them are created equal. “As a starting place, look for one labeled broad spectrum protection as this indicates that your skin will be protected from harmful UVA and UVB rays, which contribute to skin cancer and skin aging,” says Noelle S. Sherber, dermatologist and Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at George Washinton University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.
Second, there are lots of moisturizers out there that say they contain SPF but it’s low—like 15 or 18. That’s not good. “The American Academy of Dermatology advises using an SPF30 or higher,” says Dr. Sherber. And for men, she says, the third most important thing is texture. If it’s gluey, sticky, filmy, or leaves a white cast, you’re probably not going to use it. “The effectiveness of sunscreen drops significantly if it isn’t applied in a generous quantity,” she says, so the best sunscreen for you is one you will actually wear—and want to wear.
When it comes to moisturizers with sunscreen, don’t get bogged down in semantics. It can be hard to find a moisturizer with enough SPF to adequately protect you. In that case, recommends Sacramento, CA-based dermatologist Jacqueline Calkin, M.D., “find a sunscreen that has enough [moisturizing ingredients] for your skin.” It doesn’t matter so much if the product is supposed to be a moisturizer first; as long as it has enough moisturizing ingredients and sun protection, you can use it every day.
So how do you find those products that fit perfectly in the middle of the moisturizing/sun protection Venn diagram? This list of the top recs from dermatologists is the perfect place to start.
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Hearst Owned
2/20
UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 46
Elta MD
amazon.com
$37.05
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Dermatologists overwhelmingly recommend this broad spectrum sunscreen because in addition to providing broad spectrum UV protection, it’s also packed with skin-healthy ingredients like niacinamide. It’s also oil-free so it won’t clog your pores and cause breakouts, safe for sensitive skin, and rubs in well (even if you have a beard) leaving no white cast behind.
Read more: Best Men's Moisturizers for Dry Skin
Courtesy of retailer
3/20
Urban Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 40
Dr. Loretta
dermstore.com
$50.00
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If you're looking for a great lightweight option, we love the thin texture of this sunscreen. Plus, it's formulated with antioxidants that defends against pollution — a leading cause of lines and age spots — to keep your skin looking healthy.
dermstore.com
4/20
Essential Defense Mineral Shield Broad-Spectrum SPF 35
SkinMedica
dermstore.com
$38.00
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Those with sensitive skin sometimes have trouble finding a sunscreen that doesn't sting their face and eyes. This one is made with green tea and caffeine help to calm and soothe sensitive skin and gives you the highest level of UVA protection available along with UVB coverage to protect you from damaging rays.
dermstore.com
5/20
GetMR The Daily 3-in-1 Face Lotion
Modern Ritual
getmr.com
$45.00
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A few pumps of this multi-tasker gives you nearly an entire skincare routine in just one step. The lightweight yet moisturizing formula is packed with antioxidants, niacinamide, and plant stem cell extracts to not only strengthen and protect your skin but give you anti-aging benefits, too. And even though it has mineral SPF 30 from zinc, it won’t leave your face looking like a ghost or feeling heavy.
Read more: Best Zinc Oxide Sunscreens
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6/20
Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer With Sunscreen SPF 50
Neutrogena
amazon.com
$19.58
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Greensboro, NC-based dermatologist Christina Haverstock, M.D. recommends this fragrance-free gel moisturizer to her male patients because “it’s a hyaluronic acid-based gel so it literally disappears” into the skin while still moisturizing. And even with a high SPF factor, the sunscreen is barely noticeable and doesn’t leave any filmy or sticky feeling.
Read more: Best Anti-Aging Products for Men
Courtesy of retailer
7/20
Oil Absorbing Moisturizer With Sunscreen SPF 30
Differin
amazon.com
$11.97
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If you have oily or acne-prone skin, using an oil-free moisturizer is essential. This moisturizer with sunscreen, however, goes the extra step to actually help absorb excess oil, so you get the hydration and sun protection you need every day without worrying about your face looking shiny—or worse, that it’s going to make you break out.
Read more: How to Treat Acne
Courtesy of retailer
8/20
Face Moisturizer SPF 30 With Niacinamide And Vitamin E
Mele
walmart.com
$22.63
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The problem with so many sunscreens is that they leave a white cast on your skin, especially on dark skin tones. This lightweight, hydrating sunscreen is specifically designed for darker skin tones and won’t leave any cast of film whatsoever. It’s also packed with niacinamide and vitamin E for UV protection and anti-aging benefits.
Read more: Best Sunscreens for Darker Skin Tones
walmart.com
9/20
Sun Project Water Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++
THANKYOU FARMER
amazon.com
$23.00
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“This South Korean sunscreen is one of the most vanishingly light yet intensely hydrating sunscreens I’ve found,” says Dr. Sherber. “It offers serious sun protection while doubling as a refreshing non-oily moisturizer. As an added bonus, it doesn’t sting post-shaving and doesn't look chalky in facial hair or stubble.”
amazon.com
10/20
Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Moisturizer SPF 45
Peter Thomas Roth
amazon.com
$55.00
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New York City-based dermatologist Estee Williams, M.D. recommends this moisturizer for men because “the hyaluronic acid provides light hydration that is suitable for oily skin, plus it offers substantial sun protection.”
Courtesy of retailer
11/20
AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
CeraVe
amazon.com
$14.62
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This budget-friendly moisturizer with sunscreen is a go-to for Leah Spring, D.O., a dermatologist in Virginia Beach, VA because it “absorbs easily and is great for sensitive skin.” And even though it won’t break the bank, “it probably should be priced higher than what it is for the quality of the product,” she says.
Courtesy of retailer
12/20
Every Day Sun Day Sun Fluid
Dr. Jart
Sephora
$42.00
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It doesn’t get more lightweight than this sunscreen fluid, which is so watery you can barely feel it on your skin. Not only does it provide high grade protection (SPF 50!) but there’s also vitamin E to help keep your skin moisturized and calm.
Courtesy of retailer
13/20
Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen SPF 30
Geologie
geologie.com
$40.00
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As a sunscreen, this stuff is top-notch—easy to rub in and disappears into your skin in seconds. But there’s also niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to help strengthen and hydrate skin all day long.
Courtesy of retailer
14/20
Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30
La Roche-Posay
amazon.com
$20.99
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This sun-protecting moisturizer “is great because it’s non-comedogenic (won’t cause acne breakouts), has anti-inflammatory components such as niacinamide and it has prebiotics to help restore the good bacteria that are important for proper functioning of the skin barrier,” says Riverdale, NY-based dermatologist Shira Wieder, MD.
Courtesy of retailer
15/20
Prevention+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 30
IMAGE Skincare
amazon.com
$42.50
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If you don’t like any sort of sheen or shine to your face, this moisturizing sunscreen is for you. The oil-free formula has a matte finish, which erases any shine you have, and keeps oiliness at bay. It’s the ideal combination for anyone with oily or acne-prone skin.
amazon.com
16/20
Ultra Facial Cream Sunscreen SPF 30
Kiehls
$34.00
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Michigan-based dermatologist Mariana Atanasovski, M.D. recommends this moisturizer for men particularly because it’s non greasy and has a fresh scent while protecting against both UVA and UVB rays.
Courtesy of retailer
17/20
Complete UV365 Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
Olay
amazon.com
$25.98
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This daily moisturizer is so moisturizing and lightweight that even Texas-based dermatologist Samantha Carter, M.D.’s dad is a fan (and he’s super picky).
Courtesy of retailer
18/20
Eryfotona Actinica Ultralight Emulsion SPF 50
ISDIN
amazon.com
$60.00
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San Diego-based dermatologist Jessica Riley, D.O.’s male patients love this lightweight, barely-detectable sunscreen because the formulation has micronized zinc, so it spreads effortlessly, and you can wear it from the beach or to the office (or Zoom).
Courtesy of retailer
19/20
Mineral Creme SPF 50
MDSolarSciences
dermstore.com
$30.00
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This moisturizer with sunscreen “is very lightweight yet hydrating and goes on smooth, so it doesn't need time to absorb,” says New York City-based dermatologist Ritu Saini, M.D. “It also has powerhouse antioxidants like Vitamin C, green tea and pomegranate which is an added bonus for defense.”
Courtesy of retailer
20/20
Hydrating Mineral Suncreen Sheer Face Tint SPF 30
CeraVe
ulta.com
$16.99
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Peter Chien, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City, recommends this hydrating sunscreen to his patients with darker skin tones because it rubs in easily and the tint doesn’t leave a white cast on skin. Plus, it has “niacinamide, which is a high impact thing you can do for anti-aging,” he says.
Read more: Best Reef Safe Sunscreen
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