Whatever the weather decides to throw at us, effective sunscreen is a daily essential during the summer months. Experts recommend you apply SPF as part of your skincare routine before adding make-up and then top up your coverage every couple of hours.
Not all sunscreens are created equal, and not all are suited to sensitive skin. For the best sun care you’ll want a broad spectrum product that blocks UVA rays (the ones responsible for making you look older) and UVB rays (the more obvious culprits behind that lobster-red look).
Finding an SPF that works with sensitive skin can take some trial and error, and the wrong formula can cause redness, irritation and breakouts. The sunscreen you use on your body might not be right for your face, either.
To help you choose, we’ve waded through the best sun creams, lotions, and sprays to find the SPFs that play nice, even with sensitive skin. Whether you’re after a daily shield for your face or something to slather on from top to toe, read on for our top SPF picks at all price points.
How we tested
Our tester has sensitive skin, and the included SPFs are a list of favourites they’ve been using for years, as well as newer finds sampled over several weeks. The texture, absorption rate and the skin finish they created were all examined during testing. To make the list, all products had to offer broad-spectrum sun protection too.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Helen Wilson-Beevers is a beauty expert and has written The Independent’s guides to the best eye creams, the best tinted moisturisers and the best moisturisers for dry skin. She knows what to look out for when testing the best sunscreens for sensitive skin, and what to avoid.
The best sunscreens for sensitive skin for 2025 are:
- Best sunscreen for sensitive skin overall – Murad city skin age defence broad spectrum sensitive skin SPF50: £49.68, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget sunscreen for sensitive skin – Soltan sensitive skin lotion SPF30: £8, Boots.com
- Best sunscreen for the face and body – Paula’s Choice extra care non-greasy sunscreen broad spectrum sensitive skin SPF50: £34, Cultbeauty.co.uk
- Best sunscreen for wearing under make-up – Katherine Daniels daily DNA defence SPF30 for sensitive skin: £65, Katherinedanielscosmetics.com
