The best face moisturizers with SPF, according to dermatologists
You can skip adding an extra layer of sunscreen if your moisturizer has an SPF rating of 30 and above, experts told us.
Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 50
$undefined
$20.99
When shopping for a moisturizer with SPF, our experts recommend keeping in mind the following characteristics:
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
Below, I gathered expert-recommended moisturizers with SPF. I also included some NBC Select staff favorites and highly rated options that I think you should know about, which also align with the guidance I got from our board-certified dermatologists.
This moisturizer is recommended by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kiran Mian, who says she loves how easily it blends into the skin. It has thermal spring water that rebalances the skin’s microbiome and is well tolerated by all skin types, according to Mian.
As someone who regularly uses the non-SPF version of this moisturizer, I was worried that using a tweaked formula with SPF would remove the elements I love, but I was wrong. It’s still lightweight, fast-absorbing and non-greasy, which is especially important to me in the summer. These qualities are also what NBC Select associate reporter Ashley Morris loves about this La Roche-Posay moisturizer, too. “It doesn’t leave a white cast (which I was initially afraid of), and also doesn’t get runny or drippy when I start to sweat, which is a huge plus,” says Morris, who uses this on her dark, acne-prone skin in the mornings before going to the gym.
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: ceramides, niacinamide and glycerin | Noncomedogenic: yes
This lightweight lotion combines chemical and physical sunscreen ingredients to give you broad-spectrum protection. You can also easily blend into various skin tones without leaving a white cast, according to Mian. Aside from protecting against UV rays, secondary benefits include giving your skin a plump appearance and improving your skin barrier, according to Cerave.
Sunscreen type: hybrid | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid | Noncomedogenic: Yes
This SPF helps protect skin from damage, improve skin tone and texture, and reduce pigmentation and discoloration caused by UV exposure, according to the brand. While this is primarily a sunscreen, it can double as a moisturizer because it has hydrating ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide). If you have very dry skin, it’s best to incorporate an additional moisturizer to your routine, according to Skinceuticals.
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: tranexamic acid, niacinamide and glycerin | Noncomedogenic: n/a
This moisturizer is lightweight and hydrating, and its formula is full of ceramides and prebiotics that are safe for sensitive skin, according to Dr. Connie Yang, a board-certified dermatologist. The ceramides will hydrate the skin and repair its barrier. Keeping this layer strong is essential because it protects the skin from potential damage and water loss, according to experts in our guide to barrier creams.
Yang says that in addition to moisturizing and protecting the skin, it also layers nicely under makeup and leaves a nice dewy finish on its own. “This was one of my favorite moisturizers with SPF that I tested during our 2024 NBC Select Wellness Awards,” says NBC Select SEO editor Nikki Brown. “I really like the finish because it left my skin with a nice sheen but wasn’t greasy.”
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: ceramides, green tea and prebiotics | Noncomedogenic: Yes
This SPF moisturizer absorbs quickly into your skin, leaving behind no white cast, according to the brand. Reviewers say they love how easily blendable the sunscreen is, how it has a dewy (but not oily) finish and makes their skin feel moisturized rather than tight and dry like other options they tried. The affordable formula has a 4.1-star average rating from over 1,900 reviews on Amazon.
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: glycerin and hyaluronic acid | Noncomedogenic: yes
This moisturizer, which has one of the highest SPF ratings on our list, is great for those with normal skin, according to Garcia. While its primary function is to protect your skin without a heavy residue or feeling, it also helps repair and hydrate your skin, according to the brand. Reviewers say this has a thicker consistency than other options, but that you can also use it as a primer, which helps makeup go smoothly without pilling.
Sunscreen type: hybrid | SPF: 50 | Key ingredients: glycerin and vitamin E | Noncomedogenic: yes
When deciding which skin care products to use in the morning, Yang often reaches for this sheer, lightweight, moisturizing sunscreen. NBC Select editors love the EltaMD brand; its products are generally great for those with all skin types, including sensitive skin. Reviewers say that despite its higher price point, this is one of the most effective SPF moisturizers since it improves their skin health without compromising it — meaning no irritation, breakouts or white cast.
It’s suitable for those with normal, dry and combination skin, but it’s also great for mature skin. That’s because the hyaluronic acid in the formula will help minimize the appearance of fine lines, according to EltaMD.
Sunscreen type: hybrid | SPF: 40 | Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid and vitamin E | Noncomedogenic: yes
This tinted moisturizer, which is available in 20 shades, protects from UV and visible light with the help of ingredients like titanium dioxide (for broad-spectrum UV protection) and iron oxide (for protection against visible light), according to Mian. “This is really important for my patients with melasma, whose condition can get exacerbated with visible light and blue light, in addition to UV exposure,” she says.
There is an oil-free version of this tinted moisturizer that has a matte finish and blurs out the appearance of pores and blemishes.
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, probiotics, grape seed extract with Resveratrol | Noncomedogenic: yes
If you love Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Gel-Cream or prefer products with a gel-cream consistency, consider this SPF option. Reviewers say it gives their skin long-lasting hydration, but more importantly, they love how lightweight it feels on their skin. Because it has a gel feel, they say it’s not thick or greasy and doesn’t leave a sticky residue. This moisturizer has a 4.4-star average rating from over 9,600 reviews on Amazon.
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 50 | Key ingredients: glycerin, hyaluronic acid vitamin E | Noncomedogenic: yes
This oil-free sunscreen is great for oily and acne-prone skin, according to Garcia. The sunscreen also helps even tone and texture by improving discoloration and smoothing the skin simultaneously. Because of these qualities from the ingredients in the formula, it’s a great option for those with rosacea, according to the brand.
“Finding the right sunscreen for my sensitive, rosacea-prone skin has been a journey — almost every sunscreen I tried in the past heavily irritated my skin or caused me to break out,” says NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio, who uses this daily. “EltaMD’s sunscreen is one of the only sunscreens I’ve tried that has never caused any redness, irritation, dry patches or breakouts on my face. It feels lightweight, sits well under makeup, hydrates my dry skin and makes it feel soft and smooth.”
Sunscreen type: hybrid | SPF: 46 | Key ingredients: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E | Noncomedogenic: yes
Suitable for all skin types (including those with sensitive skin), this non-greasy, fast-absorbing sunscreen hydrates your skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines, according to the brand. That’s because the formula has peptides that act as a retinol alternative to fight off wrinkles and fine lines, according to Yang. While it does so, it also soothes the skin and repairs its barrier, evening out the skin tone in the process, according to the brand.
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: glycerin, niacinamide, panthenol and peptides | Noncomedogenic: yes
If you’re like me and have extremely dry skin, this SPF moisturizer will become a staple in your morning skin care routine. I love its thick and rich consistency because my skin immediately feels hydrated, looking less dull and dry. After applying it to my skin, I find that my makeup sits on top of it nicely, which is great since it doubles as a primer.
If you don’t need an intensely moisturizing formula, I wouldn’t recommend this product since it can feel heavy. Instead, if you have oily or acne-prone skin, consider this Supergoop’s Triple Prep Weightless Multitasking Moisturizer SPF 40 instead.
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 40 | Key ingredients: ceramides, algae extract and ectoin | Noncomedogenic: yes
This gentle moisturizer with SPF easily blends into all skin tones and sits well under makeup, reviewers say. It also has a dip cap that helps you determine the proper amount of sunscreen you should apply daily (about ¼ teaspoon), according to the brand.
If you prefer more coverage, NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin loves the tinted version of the Dew-Glow Moisturizer. “On days where I just want to even out my skin tone, I use this tinted SPF,” she says. “It almost has a mousse-like texture when I pump it out — it’s so creamy and lightweight, so it blends into my skin well and I barely feel it. It’s very moisturizing and I can wear it even when my skin is super dry and flakey without irritation.”
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 50 | Key ingredients: glycerin, squalane, niacinamide | Noncomedogenic: n/a
In addition to her regular sunscreen, NBC Select editor Lindsay Schneider loves using this SPF moisturizer as her base layer because it feels like a traditional moisturizer. “It’s the best because it doesn’t smell like sunscreen, doesn’t leave any white cast whatsoever and never irritates my skin or makes me oily in the hot months,” she says. “I’ve used this on and off for ten years, it’s a tried and true option for me that I’ll always return to and make sure I have stock of.”
Sunscreen type: chemical | SPF: 20 | Key ingredients: glycerin, teasel extract and myrothamnus extract | Noncomedogenic: yes
In addition to having your SPF moisturizer have an SPF rating of 30+ and broad-spectrum protection, our dermatologists share a few factors to consider when shopping for a moisturizer.
Depending on your skin type, you should be mindful of certain characteristics. Below, our experts break down what to consider.
Sunscreens fall into two main categories— mineral and chemical; some formulas are hybrids and have properties of both, however.
In addition to active SPF ingredients, you’ll want to look for formulas with moisturizing, soothing ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe vera and chamomile, says Garcia. Also, antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E protect the skin against free radical oxidative damage from environmental stressors.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I’m an associate reporter at NBC Select who covers skin care and hair care, including recent stories on the best neck creams and eye creams. For this story, I interviewed dermatologists, shared their recommendations and researched highly rated moisturizers with SPF that met their guidance.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
