Best Sunscreens for Men

Okay, so you’ve switched to an organic shampoo and cruelty-free skin care, your diet is absent of any junky fast food, and any sugary cereal in your cupboards has been dutifully replaced with steel-cut oats. Yet, somehow, you’re still stuck to the heavy-duty sunscreens full of chemicals you really only recognize thanks to news about states such as Hawaii banning them. RELATED: Best Face Sunscreens for Men Yes, it may feel like the more chemicals in the sunscreen, the more you’re able to block out potential sun damage. However, consider this: sunscreen is something you slather all over your body (and hopefully on your face daily) and your skin subsequently absorbs that sunscreen into your body. In other words, your skin is directly absorbing all these chemicals into your bloodstream. That should make you start to consider a sunscreen with fewer chemicals, right? Luckily, there are some organic sunscreens out on the market right now that are free of toxic chemicals and powerful enough to protect your skin from the sun’s rays. Now that we’re approaching the hottest season of the year, we’ve lined up our favorite organic sunscreens to help you prep for the dog days of summer. What Is Sunscreen? According to SkinCancer.org, sunscreen is a product that combines several ingredients that help prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. It’s available in several forms: cream, lotion, spray, gel, foam or stick. In order to qualify as Broad Spectrum, the gold standard in sunscreen, it must block both UVA and UVB rays. Since the market is flooded with options, choosing one proves to be a difficult challenge, especially since numerous sunscreens contain potentially harmful chemicals. Your best best is to limit or stay away altogether from sunscreens that boast the following ingredients: Oxybenzone: A chemical used by skincare brands to help the lotion further penetrate the skin, Oxybenzone is known to be a hugely common skin allergen and shown to damage or kill delicate coral reefs. Octinoxate: Another common ingredient in sunscreen, Octinoxate acts as a known hormone disruptor, meaning it can send your estrogen and testosterone levels into hyperdrive. Both of these chemicals are often used in daily face sunscreens due to its ability to protect while leaving no white residue.  Parabens: Thanks to the media, parabens have become the pariah of the skincare world, and for good reason — in large doses, parabens have proven links to breast cancer. How to Use Sunscreen If you think slathering on in the morning is good enough for a day at the beach, think again. There are steps to using sunscreen properly that will keep your skin protected as long as you need. To get the most out of your UV shield, start by making it part of your daily grooming routine. Here are the basic steps using sunscreen, which we’ve kept brief and simple: Step 1: Always apply sunscreen before going outside Step 2: Use a tablespoon of sunscreen on your face and two ounces on your body (about as much as a full shot glass) Step 3: Apply sunscreen as the final step in your skin care routine Step 4: Reapply sunscreen every 90-120 minutes It’s important to understand that with recent government study showing that certain chemicals in common sunscreens can potentially absorb into your bloodstream — avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule — we focused primarily on natural, physical sunscreen options to keep you, and the coral reefs, safe. Dr. Dennis Gross Lightweight Wrinkle Defense, SPF 30 With a transparent zinc oxide base and fortified with antioxidants, this oil-free, fragrance-free sunscreen provides superior skin protection without leaving you feel like you're covered in cake batter. And because of its emphasis on natural ingredients, it's reef-safe and ideal for people with sensitive skin. Best sunscreen I've ever used!" – Chloe-Ana B. $42 at DrDennisGross.com Badger Active Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30 Badger’s unscented sunscreen is an all-around performer designed for balance and simplicity. It’s a reef-safe alternative made from 98% certified-organic ingredients such as zinc oxide and Vitamin E, blocking the sun’s harmful rays for full UV protection. You can also sport it for up to 40 minutes in the water. Adding to the eco- and body-friendly vibe, Badger sells all of its sunscreens in eco-friendly packaging and this one happens to be rated the best by EWG with a rating of one. Still need more? This is one of the top rated sunscreen of the year according to the highly anticipated annual sunscreen report from Consumer Reports.  $17.99 at Amazon.com Vacation Mineral Lotion, SPF 30 If you’re looking for an invisible grab-and-go type of sunscreen, this is it — literally. It’s so light you won’t even know you have it on, yet it’s packed with the highest concentration of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on our list at 45%. It not only provides UVA and UVB protection, but also defends skin from pollution and both blue and infrared light. All that combined with how little you need means one of these bad boys will last you quite some time.   $20 at Vacation.inc Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense Sunscreen, SPF 30 Are you someone who refuses to put on sunscreen because you hate or are embarrassed by the residue it often leaves on your skin? Dermalogica's Invisible Physical Defense Sunscreen lives up to its name by blending seamlessly into all skin tones. It also incorporates zinc oxide into its formula, for added protection against blue light and pollution. $49 at Amazon.com Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50 Fortified with aloe and antioxidants, this spray sunscreen has a super subtle scent and goes on easily. Using both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to provide superior, broad-spectrum protection that stands up to its cream lotion counterparts. $14.99 at Amazon.com All Good Sunstick, SPF 30 We all have those easy-to-forget places that, no matter how much sunscreen you apply, they always seem to get burnt. Whether it’s your nose, shoulders or the top of your head for bald guys, All Good has created a product to help those problem spots and combat sun damage. With an SPF of 30, the all-natural sunscreen (the ingredient list only boasts five items) will provide your skin with up to 80 minutes of protection. $19.99 for 2 at Amazon.com COOLA Suncare Sport Face Classic Sunscreen, SPF 50 For the guy who is always dressed in layers and never protects his face when stepping outside, Coola offers one of the best portable sunscreens that money can buy. This one is crafted from certified organic ingredients and rich in antioxidants that balance moisture and reduce redness. The white tea scent is pleasant on the nose, killing the myth that all sunscreens have to smell bad. $32 at Amazon.com Supergoop 100% Mineral Sunscreen Mist, SPF 30 Sunscreen shouldn’t act only as a barrier to the sun – since the product is going directly onto your skin, shouldn’t it have some healing properties as well? That’s exactly what Supergoop had in mind when they concocted their sunscreen mist. Infused with antioxidants (like Vitamin C), the spray will leave your skin feeling noticeably more refreshed and hydrated. With an SPF 50 formula, your body will be well-guarded from any sun damage. $36 at Supergoop.com Jack Black Water-Resistant Sunscreen, SPF 45 Jack Black’s sunscreen products are designed with outdoor summer activities in mind. This water- and sweat-resistant formula will withstand any sunny-day soccer game or romp at the beach. In addition, the oil-resistant formula won’t leave any greasy residue on your skin. Its fast-absorption rate is another bonus, moisturizing and protecting skin instantly. $24 at Amazon.com Coppertone Sport Mineral, SPF 30 Playing sports outdoors under the scorching sun can pose a serious problem, and most sunscreens aren't up to the challenge. Thankfully, Coppertone Sport is specially formulated to stay on your skin despite your perspiration working overdrive to keep you cool. It's also infused with moisturizers and vitamin E, to maximize your skin's antioxidant defense against UV rays. $7.99 at Amazon.com La Roche-Posay Anthelios, SPF 50 A lightweight, mineral-based formula loaded with UVA and UVB protection, this lightweight sunscreen liquid does a solid job of safeguarding skin from sun damage. It absorbs quickly and spreads smoothly across skin, leaving no white streaks behind. The SPF 50 rating ensures an adequately high level of protection from the sun. $37.99 at Amazon.com EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum, SPF 46 Acne and sunscreen may not always play well together in a grooming routine, but even for the trickiest of skin, The Skin Cancer Foundation even recommended EltaMD has been shown to improve breakouts, rosacea and discoloration. This mineral-based daily face sunscreen uses 9% transparent zinc oxide to protect and niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and lactic acid to keep skin clear and healthy. $45 at Amazon.com ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica Sun Damage Protection, SPF 50 A little of this lightweight liquid goes a long way. Formulated with DNA repairsomes to help repair previous sun-induced damage and vitamin E to protect against environmental damage, apply the equivalent of 2 finger-lengths, according to the directions on their website to provide all the coverage you’ll need. $70 at Amazon.com Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer Broad Spectrum, SPF 30 No, this is not makeup. This is actually one of the best tinted sunscreens for men who don’t want to wear makeup. Using titanium dioxide to provide an SPF of 30, this universal tint goes on so smooth you only know you’re wearing it because you skin looks just about perfect. Think of it like an Instagram filter for your face, but in real life. $47.40 at Amazon.com Colorescience Brush-On Sunscreen Mineral Powder, SPF 50 If you’re looking for an invisible grab-and-go type of sunscreen, this is it — literally. It’s so light you won’t even know you have it on, yet it’s packed with the highest concentration of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on our list at 45%. It not only provides UVA and UVB protection, but also defends skin from pollution and both blue and infrared light. All that combined with how little you need means one of these bad boys will last you quite some time.   $69 at Amazon.com Bear in mind that not every situation calls for sunscreen. According to Skincancer.org, sitting in the sun for 10-15 minutes without any protection can provide the body more than enough Vitamin D. This can also cause some DNA damage, so consider slathering some on your arms and legs before stepping out in scorching conditions. 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