Beauty Skincare The Best Body Lotions With SPF to Hydrate and Protect Your Skin 365 Days a Year Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 With Sunflower Extract deeply hydrates skin while protecting it against UVA/UVB rays. By Rebecca Norris Rebecca Norris Rebecca R. Norris is a full-time freelance writer living in the DC metro area. She writes for a variety of publications, covering everything from beauty and wellness to style and celebrity news. When she's not writing, she can be found out and about with her Jack-Chi, Cash, sweating her way through an Orangetheory class, or taking it easy with family and friends. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on June 27, 2022 @ 05:24PM Pin Share Tweet Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Sephora/ InStyle So you've finally found your go-to face sunscreen, but what about the other 90% of your body? It can be difficult to find a head-to-toe SPF that checks all the boxes. After all, you want something that's protective, of course, but also a product that doesn't leave a white cast and always leaves skin feeling hydrated and dewy, never sticky. Needless to say, it can be a task to find. To save you from such an ordeal, we chatted with a few dermatologists about their favorite body lotions with SPF. Their responses, paired with our own expertise, brings us here, to this very article. Ahead, you'll find 10 of the best body lotions with SPF. While some strictly adhere to the idea of being a lotion, others allude to it by simply being so hydrating that they deliver lotion-like results — even if they're actually body butters, oils, or sprays. Suffice to say, whatever your SPF product texture preference, you're bound to find a body lotion with SPF worthy of throwing in your beach bag. Heck, you might even want to buy two. To kick off the list, we have Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 With Sunflower Extract, which is loaded with skin-benefitting ingredients and is a clear coat of protection on all skin tones. The 14 Best Sunscreens of 2022 These are the best body lotions with SPF to try. Our Picks Best Overall: Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 With Sunflower Extract Best Value: CeraVe SPF 30 Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen for Body Best Body Butter: Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil SPF 45 Body Butter Best Spray: MDSolarSciences Quick Dry Body Spray SPF 40 Best Oil: Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Sol Oil Sunscreen SPF 30 Best Lotion: Vacation Classic Lotion SPF 30 Sunscreen Best Dual-Purpose: Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen Best High SPF: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Body & Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 100 Best Fragrance-Free: Coola Organic Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Sunblock Body Lotion Best Scented: Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Vanilla Coco Lotion Best Overall: Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50 With Sunflower Extract Courtesy View at Sephora ($22+) Also available at Ulta. What We Love: It's loaded with hydrating botanical ingredients like sunflower extract. What We Don't Love: Since it's a chemical sunscreen, it can potentially be irritating for sensitive skin. Beloved by shoppers and dermatologists alike, Supergoop! Play SPF 50 Everyday Body Lotion is designed to deeply hydrate and condition skin, while protecting it from UVA, UVB, and IR (infrared) rays. The body lotion with SPF is sold in four sizes, including a convenient travel-size option, as well as a jumbo 18-ounce canister complete with a pump. From an ingredient perspective, it's loaded with botanicals — including hydrating sunflower oil, texture-perfecting orange peel oil, and soothing rosemary leaf extract — all of which work together to make skin look and feel its best. No wonder this SPF is a top pick of Audrey Kunin, M.D., board-certified dermatologist, not to mention my number-one go-to. As much as Dr. Kunin loves it, she does remind us that if you're someone with sensitivity toward chemical SPF, it might not be the best option for you. If you're unsure, try swatching it on the inside of your wrist before slathering it all over your body. (FWIW, as someone with sensitive skin, I can attest that this is one of the most gentle chemical SPFs I've tried.) If, by chance, you do find that your skin reacts adversely, you still have options. In addition to our other picks within this list, the Supergoop! Play 100% Mineral Lotion SPF 30 with Green Algae is another great choice. Price at time of publish: $22 Size: 1-18 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (10%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (7.5%) | SPF: 50 Best Value: CeraVe SPF 30 Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen for Body Courtesy View at Amazon ($17) Also available at Walmart. What We Love: It combines mineral SPF protection with soothing ceramides. What We Don't Love: If not very thoroughly rubbed in, it leaves a white cast. Despite what many posh influencers and high-end sites will have you believe, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to protect and hydrate your skin. With CeraVe's SPF 30 Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen for Body, board-certified dermatologist Deanne Mraz Robinson, M.D., who is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital, says that you'll be able to support your skin's natural barrier and effectively lock moisture in — all while shielding it from harmful UV rays. "This product also has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance and is a great choice for anyone prone to eczema or skin irritation," she notes. It's also lightweight, fragrance- and oil-free, and doesn't leave skin looking or feeling greasy. Too bad it's only sold in one size — we'd gladly buy the economy size if we could. Price at time of publish: $18 Size: 5 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (6%), Zinc Oxide (5%) | SPF: 30 Best Body Butter: Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil SPF 45 Body Butter Courtesy View at Sephora ($42) Also available at Ulta. What We Love: It's deeply hydrating and rich in antioxidants, making it especially nourishing for the skin. What We Don't Love: It can be difficult to rinse off. Although this body lotion with SPF is marketed as a body butter, the fast-absorbing nature of it makes it more like a lightweight cream. In addition to being infused with Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide (AKA mineral SPF), this body butter is ripe with whipped argan oil, which board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon Dendy Engelman, M.D., points out is rich in antioxidants and hydrating properties. The best part? It sinks into skin almost immediately, without leaving a sticky, heavy or white residue, Engelman says. It can be difficult to rinse the sunscreen off at the end of the day — but in the big scheme of sweat and water sports, that's a good thing. Price at time of publish: $42 Size: 5 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (7.2%) and Zinc Oxide (6.7%) | SPF: 45 Best Spray: MDSolarSciences Quick Dry Body Spray SPF 40 Courtesy View at Amazon ($22) Also available at Dermstore. What We Love: It dries incredibly quickly. What We Don't Love: It's not technically a body lotion and spray can be difficult to control. If the idea of rubbing lotion all over your body feels like a chore, consider reaching for this dermatologist-developed spray body lotion with SPF. Okay, it's not technically a body lotion, but considering it's loaded with Indian gooseberry extract (AKA amla extract, which is a popular hydrating antioxidant, not to mention a quality source of vitamin C), it works well to moisturize skin, even out tone, and prevent signs of premature aging. In addition to its formula, this SPF sprays on seamlessly, never depositing a white case in the process. Price at time of publish: $22 Size: 6 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: avobenzone (3%), octisalate (5%), octocrylene (2.75%) | SPF: 40 Best Oil: Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Sol Oil Sunscreen SPF 30 Courtesy View at Sephora ($38) Also available at JCPenney. What We Love: It smells heavenly and hydrates oh-so well. What We Don't Love: It can be messier to apply, given it's an oil. If you're someone who prefers to glisten all summer long, stop what you're doing and snag a bottle of Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Sol Oil Sunscreen SPF 30. The body oil spray is formulated with ultra-hydrating Cupuaçu butter, free radical-fighting sweet almond oil (which also works to smooth skin), and soothing coconut oil. In addition to being incredibly moisturizing, it smells heavenly, given it's infused with the brand's signature Cheirosa '62 fragrance — a blend of caramel, pistachio, and vanilla. Price at time of publish: $38 Size: 3 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Homosalate (10%), Octocrylene (10%), Octisalate (5%), Avobenzone (3%) | SPF: 30 Best Lotion: Vacation Classic Lotion SPF 30 Sunscreen Courtesy View at Ulta ($18) Also available at Nordstrom. What We Love: It smells like summer in a bottle and absorbs quickly. What We Don't Love: When combined with water or sweat, this sunscreen will make your skin feel very slippery. We're suckers for good packaging with a theme and Vacation delivers. This retro-inspired body sunscreen looks like something out of the '80s or '90s, only with a modern formula (and tantalizing scent) that shoppers are fawning over. Within this fast-absorbing chemical body SPF, you'll find the usual ingredients (avobenzone, homosalate, and octisalate), as well as hydrating shea butter, anti-inflammatory aloe vera, and barrier-supporting niacinamide. In that way, this SPF not only protects your body against harmful UVA and UVB rays, it deeply nourishes skin, too. Price at time of publish: $18 Size: 3.4 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (2.5%), Homosalate (10%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (8%) | SPF: 30 Best Dual-Purpose: Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen Courtesy View at Sephora ($49) Also available at Ulta. What We Love: It's formulated for the face and body. What We Don't Love: It's a pricier formula. Looking for a convenient product that can nourish and protect both your body and face? Consider your search over. The Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen is infused with ingredients like soothing camellia leaf extract, toning and tightening Saxifraga Sarmentosa extract, and moisture-retaining glycerin. Together these ingredients help make skin look plump, firm, and clear as can be. What's especially unique about this face and body SPF, though, is that it's made with HeartForce and WetForce technology, both of which trigger the SPF to provide more UV protection when heat or water/sweat is present. Pretty cool, no? Price at time of publish: $49 Size: 5 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (2.3%), Homosalate (10%), Octisalate (5%), and Octocrylene (5%) | SPF: 50+ Best High SPF: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Body & Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 100 Courtesy View at Ulta ($27) Also available at Amazon. What We Love: It's gentle enough for skin of all ages — even kids. What We Don't Love: Despite being marketed for the face and body, it doesn't wear seamlessly under makeup. Here we have another dual-purpose SPF, only this time, it comes with a whopping SPF rating of 100. Although some dermatologists would say that such a high SPF is unnecessary (the benefit is incremental after SPF 50), the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Body & Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 100 remains a top pick among skincare pros — so much so that it's recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. In addition to providing high-level sun protection, this hydrating face and body SPF is non comedogenic, fragrance-free, and rigorously tested for safety on sensitive skin. Needless to say, it's a great choice for children and adults alike. Price at time of publish: $27 Size: 3 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (15%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (10%) | SPF: 30 Best Fragrance-Free: Coola Organic Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Sunblock Body Lotion Courtesy View at Amazon ($32) Also available at Ulta. What We Love: It's made with 70% organic ingredients. What We Don't Love: The texture is a bit paste-like — but it can be rubbed in with patience. Dr. Kunin considers this mineral body sunscreen to be one of the best that money can buy — especially for folks with easily-irritated skin. "Fragrance is a top potential skin allergen — this fragrance-free formulation makes it ideal for those with eczema-prone or sensitive skin," she says. In addition to being fragrance-free, this SPF is infused with antioxidant-rich plant oils and extracts to shield skin against free radicals while simultaneously imparting moisture. Price at time of publish: $29 Size: 5 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Non-Nano Zinc Oxide (7.25%) and Titanium Dioxide (3.5%) | SPF: 50 Best Scented: Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Vanilla Coco Lotion Courtesy View at Amazon ($15) Also available at Target. What We Love: It smells like vanilla and coconut. What We Don't Love: It's difficult to rub in and, as such, is prone to a white cast. Tired of typical sunscreen scents? This mineral body SPF smells like a blend of vanilla and coconut, making it a sweet and refreshing pick for summer. "This physical sunscreen contains no chemical actives and no synthetic fragrances, while still having a light coconut vanilla scent," Dr. Engelman says, recommending the product. "This sunscreen lotion is perfect for spending a lot of time outdoors and getting sweaty, as it has 80 minutes of water resistance." Price at time of publish: $17 Size: 5 fl. oz. | Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (2.9%) and Zinc Oxide (7.8%) | SPF: 50 What to Keep in Mind Formula From a formula stance, you have to think about the type of sunscreen you want to use. Do you prefer chemical or mineral SPF — or, rather, does your skin fare better with one over the other? On top of that, you'll want to think about how your skin reacts to oil, fragrance, and certain botanicals, because many body SPFs are loaded with them. Once you narrow that down, you'll be much better able to weed through the many, many body SPFs on the market. SPF Dermatologists recommend that we all use sunscreen with at least SPF 30. So, as much as you may like the smell of an SPF 10 or 20 product, it really is best to hold off until you find a body lotion with a higher SPF. That said, many dermatologists say that SPFs higher than 50 are unnecessary as the benefit increase is microscopic compared to 50. However, if you have a SPF 75 you love, then go for it, just know you'll still need to reapply every two hours. Size Your body is bigger than your face and therefore requires more sunscreen. As such, you probably don't want to buy a face-sized tube of body sunscreen, as you'll constantly have to re-stock. That said, if you love a formula and it's only sold in a smaller size, only you can decide if that's worth it. Your Questions, Answered What is the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreen? TL;DR: They shield the skin against harmful UV rays in different ways. "Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin where they absorb UV rays, convert the rays into heat, and release them from the body," explains Dr. Robinson, noting that the active ingredients in chemical sunscreens include avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone. "For chemical sunscreens to work, they need to be applied directly onto clean skin so they can be absorbed and do their job." Mineral sunscreens, however, work to physically block the sun's rays (hence why they're often called physical sunscreens). "Physical sunscreens sit on top of the skin and create a barrier that reflects the sun's rays," Dr. Robinsin says, noting that the minerals titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the main active ingredients in physical sunscreens. "If you're using a physical sunscreen it needs to be the last thing you apply in your skincare routine for it to work." Since it doesn't sink into skin the way chemical SPF does, she says that mineral sunscreen tends to be gentler and a better choice for those with sensitive skin. Lastly, unlike chemical SPF, mineral sunscreen is reef safe — and nowadays, some beach destinations, like Australia and Hawaii, have reef-safe SPF laws/enforce chemical SPF bans, so it helps to know which mineral SPFs you find fitting. How often should you apply body lotion with SPF? While many people still think of SPF as a summer product, it should be applied daily, year round to exposed skin. And whether you're applying sunscreen to your face or your body, Dr. Robinson says that you should reapply every two hours for optimal protection during sunlight hours. That said, if you're also engaging in water activities, she says it's important to immediately reapply after towel-drying, even if an SPF claims to be water-resistant. That way, you're as protected as possible, while enjoying your fun in the sun.