12 best body sunscreens for UV protection, tested by a beauty editor

Ultrasun is up there with one of my most loved and trusted suncare brands, and this SPF50 cream is one of the brand’s best. Designed for “intense conditions” (a day around the pool counts as an intense condition, right?), I found the white cream to be lightweight, and it absorbs really quickly and beautifully into the skin, offering high, broad-spectrum protection.

While the brand says one application is usually enough, I still topped it up throughout the day and found that it didn’t pill. One bottle lasted me through a 10-day holiday when it was applied every day.

When you use this, you’ll probably wonder the same thing as I did: How can something this good be this affordable? Truly, Hawaiian Tropic’s hydrating protection sunscreen ticked every single one of our boxes, and it’s such a pleasure to use.

The nostalgic smell is combined with 12-hour moisturisation promises, and the dual formula is powered by both cocoa and shea butter to deeply hydrate your skin while protecting it against the sun’s harmful rays. It’s not sticky or greasy; it sinks in quickly and leaves the skin feeling supple and nourished. There really isn’t anything not to love about this, and once you’ve tried it, you’ll probably never go back.

Another firm favourite, I actually repurchased this one after loving it so much on my holiday last year. More like a moisturiser than a sunscreen, it’s nice to apply, thanks to its buttery soft – but not oily – texture. Fragrance-free, it’s suitable for all skin types (including sensitive), and I loved the lit-from-within glow it gave my sun-kissed skin after application. I found the formula to be lightweight yet hydrating on the skin.

A true favourite among my group of friends, Sun Bum’s sunscreen spray is a true easy-to-use, no-excuse formula that really delivers on its promises. Not only does it smell like coconuts, but it’s also ideal for even the pickiest of sunscreen wearers. It’s invisible when sprayed onto skin, isn’t sticky and the nozzle makes it easy to apply in hard-to-reach areas.

I also loved how easy it was to re-apply throughout the day, so if you struggle with applying lotions and creams or hate the feel of anything too thick or heavy, try this.

E45 has upped its skincare game over the last few years, and its sun care lineup is strong. This hydrating, gentle cream was a firm favourite among my whole group, and we were all really sad when we squeezed out the very last drop.

Non-greasy, it doesn’t leave a white cast and it moisturises the skin alongside high-factor protection suitable for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. It didn’t block pores and absorbed into the skin really nicely. Even better, it is fragrance-free and didn’t pill when I layered it up throughout the day, and the added vitamin E offered protection against pollution and other environmental aggressors.

The combination of the ultra-light formula, the perfect summery scent and the fact that it’s suitable for both face and body make for a seriously great, luxe-but-effective product. While I’d really only recommend using it on your face while you’re around a pool or at the beach, it’s great to know that it can be used all over if necessary.

It feels incredibly lightweight, and the spray nozzle made application really quick and easy. I didn’t find that it left any residue, instead, my skin felt immediately soft and hydrated – but just be aware that it doesn’t have any water-resistant properties, so you’ll need to make sure that you’re super strict on reapplication if you swim or sweat.

Of all the body sunscreens I tried, this one is on par with Sol de Janerio’s offering in terms of scent – it’s a zesty combination of lime, geranium and mint, which is perfect for the summer months without being traditionally coconutty.

The formula itself is incredibly lightweight and absorbs like a dream, plus it contains ingredients that’ll protect against blue light and pollution as well as the sun’s UV rays. The added hyaluronic acid makes it feel nourishing and hydrating, leaving my skin feeling silky-soft.

You can’t go wrong with La Roche-Posay when it comes to sunscreen (and skincare in general), and I love how reliable it is as a brand.

The milky formula is easy to spray out of the bottle and rub into the skin, and as with all of the brand’s products, it’s infused with the signature thermal spring water, which works to help restore hydration in the skin.

The sunscreen itself is non-greasy, absorbs well and doesn’t leave any residue or chalky cast behind. If you’re somebody who suffers from sensitivity, irritation, or inflammation, then consider this to be a good choice for you.

Mineral SPFs block the sun’s harmful rays with a physical barrier, while chemical SPFs absorb the UVA and UVB and turn them into heat. Though mineral SPFs can cause a white cast on darker skin, they’re well-suited to sensitive skin because they sit on the surface rather than permeating the epidermis.

I tested Coola’s mineral spray at the beach, including a dip in the sea, more than four hours of wear and multiple reapplications. As you can see above, the formula had a lightening effect on my skin, and took a bit of elbow grease to rub in. While this wasn’t ideal, I was seriously impressed by the spray’s staying power and could still see it on my skin even after 20 minutes of swimming.

I didn’t burn after a day of full sun and, though the whitecast develops with continued application, it didn’t feel uncomfortable or claustrophobic. What’s more, I often suffer accelerated sun damage to the delicate skin around my décolletage, but I felt neither redness nor stinging when using this spray, and would certainly reach for the formula to spot apply on any sensitive areas. This powerful SPF is ideal if you’re particularly pale or sensitive to the sun, but it might not work for dark skin.

Infused with kakadu plum, a hardworking ingredient that works to help target skin concerns, including hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone, I was surprised at how lightweight and nourishing this cream felt.

It has a subtle floral scent that isn’t overpowering at all, and I loved how easy it was to apply. The only downside is that it is quite a small bottle – at 100ml, it’s among the smallest tubes that I tested – which means one tube wouldn’t last very long on holiday, so instead I think it’d be a good one to have at home to apply as and when it is needed.

The delicious almond scent of this deserves a shout-out because it really does smell incredible, but the formula itself is also great. As well as being invisible on application, it’s not sticky or greasy and doesn’t leave any residue in its wake.

I liked that it was formulated with a blend of kind-to-skin ingredients, so it works to hydrate while protecting against the sun’s rays. Plus, it’s suitable for both face and body so you can apply it directly over make-up for extra added protection when needed. I found it great for using as an afternoon top-up as I preferred to initially use SPF50 protection each morning rather than a 30.

This sunscreen divided my group, but I was a big fan. The fact it smells like the brand’s cult favourite Rio radiance scent – a blend of vanilla, tuberose and coconut milk – is what makes this stand out. The formula is invisible, non-greasy and really nice to apply. I did find it pilled a little bit when layered on top of a lotion, but once I was aware of that, I just stuck to using the same product all day.