The best sunscreens make you forget you’re wearing sunscreen at all—that goes for body sprays, face lotions, and makeup staples (SPF-spiked foundations, bronzers, and the like). Admittedly, the latter has been difficult to find. Doing your makeup, after all, is a sensorial experience, while applying sunscreen is decidedly… not. Necessary, yes, but certainly not as fun as glazing your cheekbones with a pearly highlighter. Until now, that is.
I’ve tested a slew of SPF makeup launches over the past several weeks (summer’s right around the corner, folks!), and I’ve been floored by more than a few cosmetically elegant formulas. Think: a blush stick that glides like butter, bronzing drops that make you look like you’ve spent two full weeks OOO, and a featherlight foundation clinically shown to plump your skin with hydration. I’d wear them all even if they didn’t boast UV protection—but they do! Ahead, the crème de la crème I’ve been collecting in my beauty bag, along with dermatologist tips on how to layer them correctly.
The Best SPF Makeup, at a Glance
The Best SPF Makeup of 2025
Best Blush Stick: Naked Sundays SPF 50 Mineral Peptide Sticks
Naked Sundays
SPF 50 Mineral Peptide Stick
Pros: 100% mineral with zero white cast or spreadability issues, meets the Australian regulatory guidelines for sunscreens
Cons: Only 3 shades
SPF: 50
Key ingredients: Zinc oxide, peptides, vitamin E, cacao seed
This just might be my favorite blush stick of the moment, and I’d declare that even without its UV-protective benefits. The pigment is creamy and blendable; the formula is brimming with skin-enhancing hydrators, like peptides and vitamin E; and the shades (namely this Dusty Rose number) are simply gorgeous. I’m also so impressed by its 100% mineral formula; zinc oxide, as we know, is notorious for leaving behind a chalky cast, but this blush stick has a payoff with no trace of ghostly undertones. Of course, the formula adheres to Australian regulatory guidelines (the strictest in the world), so you know you’re getting optimal protection with every swipe. Another bonus? It’s safe enough to swipe on your lids and lips without irritation—no stinging or burning.
Best Highlighter: Ciele Glow & Protect SPF 50+ Liquid Highlighter
ciele
Glow & Protect SPF 50+ Liquid Highlighter
Pros: Noncomedogenic, amazing texture, brightens immediately and over time
Cons: Some reviewers wish the tube was bigger
SPF: 50
Key ingredients: Zinc oxide, allantoin, bisabolol
To me, the perfect highlighter instantly fuses to the skin, doesn’t contain too much shimmer (otherwise it doesn’t look as natural), and has the perfect champagne finish. This Ciele formula ticks all those boxes and boasts SPF 50 to protect the high points of your face—which is where you get the most sun, BTW.
Customer review: “I was so impressed with this. It’s a very subtle glow. There [are] no sparkles but has the tiniest little shimmer. It layered well over my skin tint and held up on bare skin well too.”
Best Bronzing Drops: Vacation Studio Tone SPF 50 Bronzing Drops
Vacation
Studio Tone SPF 50 Bronzing Drops
Pros: Lightweight consistency, makes you look like you came back from the beach, versatile and easy-to-use application
Cons: Has a cocoa and hazelnut scent if you don’t enjoy fragrance
SPF: 50
Key ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, ferulic acid, ceramides, collagen peptides
Craving a sun-kissed glow without the actual sun damage? Consider bronzing drops your best friends, especially this SPF 50 bottle from Vacation. It doesn’t just deliver an immediate glow—it protects your skin for the long haul, so you can hold on to said glow for years and years. The consistency is light and serum-y, so you can easily layer it underneath makeup or mix it with your tinted moisturizer (SPF-infused, of course) for added radiance.
Customer review: “If you want to look like you just got back from a Caribbean vacation, but don’t want to expedite wrinkle formation, this is for you. I wear it daily for a subtle glow that is bronzing without being too dark or orange.”
Best Liquid Blush: Nudestix Nudescreen SPF 30 Blush Tint
NUDESTIX
Nudescreen SPF 30 Blush Tint
Pros: Melts into the skin, non-shimmery shades make you look naturally sun-kissed, gentle enough to use on lids and lips
Cons: Pricey for a small size
SPF: 30
Key ingredients: Zinc oxide, purple tea extract, green algae extract, passionflower extract
There’s just something about a peachy cream blush that sets my heart aflutter, and this Nudestix option (called Peaches n’ Sol) is truly one of the best in the game. Just a tap of pigment is all you need to nail the dewy, flushed cheekbones of a beachy sun goddess. I like to apply on my lids too for a monochromatic moment—and for extra sun protection on the delicate eye area.
Customer review: “Best blush i’ve ever tried! It blends beautifully, and the color is absolutely stunning. Bonus points for having SPF, and the fact that it lasts all day!”
Best Tinted Lip Balm: Ultra Violette Sheen Screen SPF 50 Hydrating Sunscreen Lip Balm
Ultra Violette
Sheen Screen SPF 50 Hydrating Sunscreen Lip Balm
Pros: Smooths lip lines and prevents them over time; yummy, nostalgic flavor; non-sticky finish
Cons: Only 2 shades
SPF: 50
Key ingredients: Avobenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, cocoa butter, lanolin, vitamin E
Yes, I’m still FTFO over Ultra Violette’s U.S. launch. (For the uninitiated, the Australian-based suncare brand was only sold abroad, and beauty editors would literally hoard bottles whenever they’d travel across the pond.) I’m such a fan of the brand’s creamy sunscreen formulas, but honestly, the tinted lip balm doesn’t receive nearly enough hype. Cocoa butter, sustainably sourced lanolin, and vitamin E comfortably hug your lips in moisture, while chemical UV filters protect against signs of aging over time (like lip lines and loss of volume). The subtly shimmery version—aptly named Bejewelled—is just plain pretty.
Customer review: “The Bejewelled shade is a gorgeous pinky-gold with a glossy, non-sticky finish. It keeps my lips soft and hydrated with Lanolin and Cocoa Butter while the SPF 50 provides top-notch sun protection. The vanilla frosting flavor is a sweet touch, and I love that it’s Australian-made. Perfect as the last step in my skincare routine!”
Best Foundation: Clinique Even Better Clinical Vitamin Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Foundation
Clinique
Even Better Clinical Vitamin Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Foundation
Pros: Fragrance-free, dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested, comes in 28 stunning shades, buildable, light-as-air application
Cons: You might need multiple layers to reach your desired level of coverage
SPF: 45
Key ingredients: Ensulizole, octinoxate, octisalate, zinc oxide, vitamin B3, vitamin C, vitamin E
I can’t even count the number of foundations I’ve seen that promise to improve your skin as you wear it—but trust me, with this formula, the claims deliver. In fact, in a clinical study, 94% of women reported more hydrated bare skin after just two weeks. With an ingredient list featuring vitamin B3, five (yes, five) forms of vitamin C, vitamin E, and SPF 45, it’s not hard to understand why. As for the texture? It’s so silky and weightless that I can barely tell I even have it on, which is exactly what I crave in a foundation.
Customer review: “I was searching for a lightweight foundation that’s long lasting, doesn’t get oily in a few hrs, not a liquidy consistency, and has SPF in it…and this hit the nail on the head!!! I have very sensitive skin and this Clinique foundation is PERFECT!”
Best Setting Powder: Colorescience Brush-On Sunscreen Mineral Powder
Colorescience
Brush-On Sunscreen Mineral Powder
Pros: Makes reapplying sunscreen a breeze, can be used on your scalp, mattifies excess oil
Cons: Pricey
SPF: 50
Key ingredients: Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, grape seed extract, hyaluronic acid, glycerin
When it comes to SPF-infused setting powders, it doesn’t get better than Colorescience’s mineral brush-on shield. Yes, it’s a powder, but it somehow makes my skin look dewy and radiant. (I suspect that’s the hyaluronic acid and glycerin at work!) Trust, this will become your number one skin savior in the summer months, as it mattifies excess shine without making your skin look cakey. Not to mention it makes sunscreen reapplication an absolute breeze—just tap, brush, and go. Pro tip: Brush it on your scalp too to protect your part from the sun’s rays.
Customer review: “This sunscreen is the best! When sunscreens sting my eyes my day is ruined. Not Colorsecience, this sunscreen goes on with great coverage stays put through a heavy sweat session outdoors and does its job! My entire family has worn the “tickle” sunscreen for years. We fish and boat, run triathlons, walk the dogs in the humid southern weather, all without a sunburn. I highly recommend this sunscreen.”
Does makeup with SPF really work?
Short answer? Yes! It’s not just marketing; makeup with SPF really does help shield your skin from UV rays. From a brand perspective, it can be difficult to earn an SPF rating from the FDA (it requires lots of time and resources), so rest assured that any product that does have it has completed the adequate testing.
That said, “I still recommend applying your sunscreen as the last step of your a.m. skincare routine, and then you can apply your foundation with SPF next,” board-certified dermatologist Tiffany Libby, MD, once told WWW about SPF foundations.
Is SPF in makeup enough?
Now, here’s the catch: SPF-spiked makeup probably isn’t enough. See, you need to apply a nickel-size amount (or half a teaspoon) of sunscreen for optimal protection; unless you’re planning on using a pretty large dollop of foundation (which is highly unlikely), the makeup alone just isn’t going to cut it.
“As long as you’ve applied your first proper layer of sunscreen to your head and neck, I am totally in favor of using foundation and concealers with SPF, as this will layer on more and help when you go to reapply,” Libby explains. Remember: You do need to reapply sunscreen every two hours, which is where an SPF-infused setting powder or blush comes in handy. Why not refresh your makeup and strengthen your sun protection simultaneously?