I'm a Beauty Editor With a Deep Skin Tone—20 Sunscreens That Never Let Me Down

I love any product I can trust both to protect my skin against harmful UV rays and to deliver a good bit of glow to my melanin. Black Girl Sunscreen was the sunscreen brand that followed through with everything it promised to deliver and their Make It Glow Sunscreen Spray is a testament to that legacy.

Customer Review: "BGS does it again...this SPF spray is light and makes my skin glow all day. Convenient smaller size that I can stick in my beach bag or purse, love the continuous spray. Definitely will buy this again and again."

This sunscreen helps play defense against UV rays while using sea moss to support a strong skin barrier, hyaluronic acid to hydrate and visibly firm, and vitamin sea to add unparalleled glow. The mist is lightly fragranced with Cay Skin's signature warm vanilla and amber fragrance and is also ultra-fine, meaning you'll never have to worry about uneven application.

Customer Review: "I love the aesthetic of the bottle and how easy to use this mist is. It goes on easily and is very lightweight. It's not oily and even has a nice smell that doesn't linger. I will be reaching for this daily for my summer skincare especially since it's so affordable."

If you ask any Who What Wear beauty editor which sunscreen spray they swear by, there's a good chance this Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Spray will come up. In addition to being lightweight, fast-absorbing, and a non-aerosol spray; it's completely water resistant and offers UVA/UVB sun protection. The formula also includes a medley of oils to fight free radicals while nourishing the skin.

Customer Review: "This is the best spf 50 I have ever used in my life. The mist is even and light- it does NOT leave a white cast and it smells amazing. Full of organic oils and extracts derived from fruit and flowers, as well as being vegan, gluten free and cruelty free—this is my go to SPF from now on."

Your face needs the same TLC and defense against UVA/UVB rays that your body receives. Spritzing this face sunscreen mist offers the same protection as its body-centered precursor; using everything from a blend of high-performing oils to safflower oleosomes (plant-derived encapsulation technology) to optimize the efficacy of the formula.

Customer Review: "This sunscreen spray is great, and application is easy since it's a spray. It's nice to use products that you know are natural, I enjoy putting this on because it feels nice and doesn't give me that icky chemical feeling of other spray sunscreens."

If you haven't gotten your hands on Soleil Toujours' products, take this as your sign to try one of their best ones. The Clean Conscious Body Sunscreen Mist uses vitamin E to nourish and support the skin barrier against environmental stress while vitamin D brightens and firms the skin; reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Its hero product, aloe leaf juice, deeply hydrates and soothes skin while diminishing any visible redness.

Customer Review: "This is a really nice sunscreen spray. The mist is very fine; perfect to coat the skin and especially hard to reach areas like legs and back. It absorbs easily without leaving a greasy feeling and gives my skin a healthy glow. This will be my spray sunscreen of choice all summer! Highly recommend!"

Here's another find from Black Girl Sunscreen I've loved using over the past few years. Infused with lavender oil to help detox the skin, this paraben free sunscreen stops UV rays from penetrating the skin's surface while helping to lower the risk of sunburns, signs of aging, and skin cancer. It dries sheer, smoothe to the touch, and leaves your skin with a healthy glow.

Customer Review: "Blended in completely on my dark skin without white streaks. Minimal smell so it didn't clash with perfume. My skin felt like I applied really good lotion. Didn't irritate my eye/nose when applied to my face. Will buy the SPF 50 again."

I was introduced to this one a couple months ago and haven't gone a single day without incorporating it into my morning skincare routine. It's an everyday, no-white-cast sunscreen that delivers a fresh, dewy glow using green tea for hydration, sunflower seed oil to promote lightweight moisture, and cica to soothe the skin. I love using this one as a base under my makeup since it doesn't pill when layered with other products.

Customer Review: "This sunscreen offered by Innisfree is perfect for me! So I was expecting the best and I’ve had it with the product. I usually hate using sunscreen but this one wasn’t as thick and didn’t leave residue so it’s a plus. Allows me to take care of my face from the sun and not feel like my skin can’t breathe."

The Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen is one of those products that individuals with darker skin tones can always trust to deliver a white-cast free result for a great price. It's completely invisible, weightless, scent-free and can serve as a makeup-gripping primer while also providing broad-spectrum SPF 40 protection. Its unique, oil-free formula stands out to me because it also helps defend against the blue light I'm exposed to from my computer screen.

Customer Review: "I've always struggled to wear sunscreen every day because any product I've used feels heavy and/or greasy. Just as it says, this product is completely unseen. It goes on like a primer and I can't feel it at all. No longer do my nose and chest get burned every time I go outside during the summer"

Thousands of glowing reviews for Cosrx's Vitamin E Vitalizing Sunscreen SPF 50 are a testament to its high performance. It features lightweight textures that leave no white cast and has a semi-matte finish that helps control sebum; preventing the skin from appearing greasy. Its formula combines vitamin E to strengthen the skin, cacao to fight signs of aging, and cotton extract to alleviate redness.

Customer Review: "This stuff is the best!! Leaves no white cast and plays well with makeup. It smells really good which was unexpected. I have it as part of my daily skincare routine now. And for 50 SPF, the price is more than reasonable compared to others on the market. 10/10."

I can promise you've never tried a water-gel, transparent face sunscreen like this one by Glossier. It's powered by active microcapsules (little spheres packed with UVA/UVB filters) that absorb into skin; offering broad-spectrum sun protection. It truly feels and looks like serum on all skin tones since it doesn't leave a white cast or greasy residue.

Customer Review: "My favorite sunscreen! Love the texture and consistency, and the formula does not make me break out at all. I can also share this with my partner, who has a complexion darker than my own. It's the only facial sunscreen we use!"

Combining broad spectrum sun protection with the skincare benefits of Le Prunier’s cult-favorite Plum Beauty Oil; their Plumscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 31 face sunscreen uses an antioxidant rich plum superfruit complex to shelter skin from environmental stressors and collagen from pollution. It also uses a silky sheer formula that allows for zero white residue and is Hawaii Reef Compliant (Act 104).

Customer Review: "The best facial sunscreen I’ve experienced. Amazingly silky smooth, and feels like a light moisturizer. The packaging is genius. Easy to carry everyday. This is my favorite—I’m a dedicated fan, who will use Plumscreen for life."

Apply this clear sunscreen stick by Shiseido anything, anywhere you need it for SPF 50+ protection and an invisible, hydrating finish. Ideal for use on all skin types and tones (as well as use over and under makeup), this easy-to-use product employs licorice root extract and soy lecithin to soothe the skin, target problem areas, and even the tone. Plus, at 0.7 oz, it's the perfect size to fit in even the smallest bags.

Customer Review: "This portable sunscreen is divine for oily skin! It sits really well on top of makeup and doesn't diminish your makeup coverage throughout the day. It is clear with no white cast for darker skin tones either! This is now my staple product for sunscreen reapplication."

Jaxon Lane's 2-in-1 sunscreen + moisturizer that goes on smooth and dries clear with UVA and UVB protection to prevent the formation of wrinkles and other signs of aging. Suitable for all skin types, it Improves skin with Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid, Green Tea, Licorice Root, Ginseng without leaving a white film, a greasy texture, or clogged pores in its wake.

Customer Review: "I was very impressed at how light this product is for a sunscreen! It didn’t leave a greasy residue and no white cast like most and it can double as skin care at that! Which is great for hot days when you don’t want to layer a bunch of products on."

No one likes heavy, greasy sunscreen that you're constantly aware of wearing. Paula's Choice Ultra Sheer Daily Defense is a super lightweight, oil-free hydrating moisturizer with SPF 30 that works to impart essential hydration without weighing on the skin or giving excessive shine. With green tea & willow bark extracts calm signs of sensitivity and redness for a more even-toned complexion; a little of this product goes a long way.

Customer Review: "This is by far the best face sunscreen I have ever used; it is the literally the only one I’ve tried that doesn’t leave my face excessively oily. It goes perfectly under my primer and foundation, [I] can't recommend it highly enough."

If you've kept up with my stories, you know I absolutely swear by EltaMD's line of products featuring skin-loving ingredients that are guaranteed to work on all skin types, textures, and tones. Their UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 is a sheer, water and sweat-resistant mineral sunscreen that absorbs quickly into the skin. Its formula has antioxidant protection to combat skin-aging free radicals and high-energy visible (HEV) light protection..

Customer Review: "Usually the water resistant sunscreens I've tried are very hard to blend and leave a white cast, this one does not! It feels a bit more oily than their more cosmetically elegant sunscreens but this is not an everyday sunscreen. This is perfect for those beach days or if you're someone that likes to exercise outdoors. You will not sweat it off!

Nécessaire's mineral sunscreen is infused with skincare actives like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, panthenol hydrate, and algae to protect against sun damage and premature aging. It also uses non-nano Zinc-Oxide which can leave some cast on deep skin tones. If this is you, be mindful of how much product is being applied to the skin, spend a good time working it in until it soaks in, and you're golden!

Customer Review: "Love this sunscreen! It feels like skincare and not like a heavy greasy sunscreen. The product is white initially but I actually like that I can see where I am putting it—once applied there is no white cast. When I run out I am purchasing the larger size!"

I don't hear enough people talking about this one. Lion Pose Ghost-Buster is a powerful 100% mineral SPF that grips makeup and looks dewy with no white cast. It uses a mineral and reef-safe formula packed with glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, and moisture boosting squalane. Since it's completely invisible and non-greasy, the sunscreen also doubles as a great makeup primer.

Customer Review: "I’m obsessed with how this product looks on my skin! It’s the perfect sheer tint and it makes my skin glowy but not too shiny. It also has a really nice fresh, subtle scent. It looks great on its own or under makeup. LOVE!"

NeoStrata's Sheer Hydration Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 (formerly known as "Sheer Hydration SPF 40") uses a sheer formula that provides SPF 40 broad-spectrum protection; shielding the skin from UVB ray exposure. I love how this sunscreen also has NeoGlucosamine and grapeseed extract to stop signs of aging in its tracks and prevent sunburn.

Customer Review: "I really love this product because it is so hard to find good facial moisturizer with SPF. Most of them do not have enough hydration for me or they irritate my skin. This one works well and I haven't had any skin irritation from it."

Tatcha's The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 has a new look! The weightless mineral face sunscreen provides powerful photoaging protection and neutralizes damaging environmental stressors while working to firm, plumps, and evens the skin tone over time. What's more, it blends out to reveal a sheer, radiant finish that doesn't pill when layered with other skincare favorites. 

Customer Review: "I have very sensitive skin. Sunscreen always goes on oily only to give me dry patches. This is actually amazing, though! It’s quite watery but absorbs beautifully and plays well with other skincare and makeup. Worth the price in my opinion."

This is my most expensive pick, but it's certainly worth the cost. Murad's Invisiblur Perfecting Face Sunscreen is a must for anyone wanting sun protection and a velvet-soft base for their makeup. It's a three-in-one product formulated with mushroom peptides, soft-focus complex, and sunflower and cucumber extracts to fight visible signs of aging, restore the look of firmness, and enhance your skin's moisture retention all while priming the skin for 12 hours of flawless makeup wear.

Customer Review: "Amazing! I used this sunscreen alone, with no make up. It made my face look like I had spent hours putting on make up and my skin looked flawless. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that wants a primer and sunscreen in one."