12 Best Sunscreens Safe for Sensitive Skin, According to Dermatologists (2024)

The best sunscreen for you is the one you'll use daily—rain or shine, indoors and out. But if you have sensitive skin, finding that special one can be a challenge because some sunscreens can be irritating to sensitive skin. Your best bet, per dermatologists, is to look for sunscreens whose active ingredients are zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. These are mineral sunscreens, and they're suited for sensitive skin, says board-certified dermatologist Elyse Love, MD. "Mineral sunscreens contain less active chemicals, so they tend to leave less room for irritation," adds board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD. "I find that chemical sunscreen filters are more likely to sting the eyes and inflame the skin."

What to look for in a mineral sunscreen

Your most important move is to find a formula with an SPF 30 or higher. After that, Love recommends searching for additional ingredients that help reduce irritation. "Soothing skincare ingredients like niacinamide and antioxidants help to calm sensitive skin," she says. "Additionally, hydrating ingredients like glycerin help to support the skin barrier." Also keep an eye out for formulas that are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.

Ahead, the best expert-approved sunscreens safe for sensitive skin.

The experts:

• Elyse Love, MD, a board-certified dermatologist
• Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist

Vanicream is a brand known for making products safe for sensitive skin, says Gohara, and this one is very hydrating without being heavy or greasy. It's also non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores, and is free of dyes, fragrance, lanolin, parabens, and gluten. In addition to zinc oxide, it contains ceramides that help to strengthen the skin barrier.

Introducing one of our Oprah Daily sun award winners: a stick that won't be too harsh on sensitive skin. “This is wonderfully gentle and glides on like room-temp butter,” says Oprah Daily beauty director Kate Sandoval Box. "For an all-mineral formula, it's incredibly imperceptible and is the Goldilocks of gleam: not too subtle and not too greasy. Just right."

If you’re prone to irritation, this clean, fragrance-free, all-mineral formula will be the calming presence you need. “It feels and acts like a soothing moisturizer,” says Sandoval Box. "Snow mushroom helps defend against free radicals, while niacinamide and glycerin help to fortify the skin’s barrier."

"This is a wonderful, light, and easy-to-layer mineral product that is great for all skin tones," says Gohara. The texture is like a lightweight serum: liquid-y but creamy enough to moisturize skin. It's a great pick to wear underneath makeup. In addition to broad-spectrum SPF protection from zinc oxide, the formula contains niacinamide to calm skin and is water-resistant for up to 40 minutes.

You can find this dermatologist-recommended pick at your local drugstore. "It's allergy-tested and safe for sensitive skin," says Gohara. "This is a go-to of mine because it's free of potentially irritating preservatives." It combines zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to offer broad-spectrum protection as well as antioxidants to protect the skin from free-radical damage. It's great for oily skin types that need to control excess oil production or those who prefer a matte finish. The formula is oil-free, weightless, non-comedogenic, and water-resistant for up to 40 minutes.

"This lightweight tinted sunscreen gives a beautiful, glowy finish without a white cast," says Love. "It comes in two tints to better match more skin tones." The formula contains adaptogens and licorice root extract to protect against environment aggressors like pollution and blue light (two culprits of premature aging). It also contains argan oil, hyaluronic acid, and aloe to hydrate and nourish skin.

Want a budget-friendly option available at the drugstore? Look no further. Love recommends this allergy-tested, oil-free, and non-comedogenic formula that has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance (that means it's suitable for even the most easily irritated skin types). In addition to broad-spectrum SPF protection, it contains ceramides that help strengthen the skin barrier, hyaluronic acid to hydrate, and niacinamide to calm skin.

Instead of using a chemical propellant, this air-powered spray delivers sheer, 100 percent mineral-based UV protection no matter how you angle it. It's the perfect companion for days outside when you need protection all over, stat, says Love. It's a 2023 Oprah Daily Beauty O-ward winner for its easy application and safe-for-sensitive skin formula that also contains moisturizing vitamin E and vitamin C to protect against environmental aggressors.

You can use this formula on your body and face without worrying about it stinging or burning. It's hypoallergenic, unscented, and water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. The four-ounce bottle should be easy to find at your local drugstore—and easy to tote around so you're always covered.

If you have large pores or textured skin, this weightless formula will help smooth your complexion while absorbing excess oils. It contains zinc oxide to protect from the sun, mineral pigments that deposit an ultra-sheer tint for a blurred effect, and oil-absorbing microspheres to keep sebum production and excess shine in check.

Made with sensitive, acne-prone skin types in mind, this oil-free formula protects and calms. It contains niacinamide and centella asiatica to promote a soothed and clear complexion. And like all Coola SPFs, it protects against blue light, infrared, and other environmental aggressors like pollution. The formula is light and easy to blend.

This tinted formula doubles as a makeup primer or even as a tinted moisturizer. It effortlessly blends into skin and evens out your skin tone. It's hydrating but not oily, and the formula contains antioxidants to protect the skin from free-radical damage. While it may be a bit of a splurge compared to other options on this list, it's worth it for its large bottle size and luxuriously smooth texture.

Our beauty team is dedicated to finding you the best of the best formulas. We spoke with dermatologists to learn about what to look for in a sunscreen for sensitive skin and got their go-to recommendations. We also researched and tested top-rated and brand-new formulas that hit the market to help you find the best products out there.