Editor’s Picks: 9 of the Best Zinc Oxide Sunscreens That Protect Your Skin With Little to No White Cast

As a beauty editor, I’ve tested and evaluated zinc oxide sunscreens from a range of brands. These are my top picks for every preference:

Best Lightweight

• Kinship Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 32

Best Transparent

• Ava Isa Sun-é-Serum Drops SPF 35

Best for Acne-Prone Skin

• Kinfield Sunglow Luminizing Facial Sunscreen Lotion SPF 35

Best for Oily Skin

• Ultra Violette Lean Screen Mineral Mattifying Fragrance Free Skinscreen SPF 50+

Best for Sensitive Skin

• First Aid Beauty Mineral Sunscreen Zinc Oxide Broad Spectrum SPF 30

Best for Dry Skin

• Ava Isa Every Morning SPF 30 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion

Best Priming

• Naked Sundays Collagen Glow 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+

Best Budget

• Pipette Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

Best Water-Resistant

• Kinfield Daily Dew Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen Lotion SPF 35

For more details on each formula, read on.

If you hate wearing sunscreen (and most people do!), the last thing you want is a heavy, greasy formula. Enter Kinship Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Sunscreen Zinc Oxide SPF 32. It was made to feel ultra-lightweight on the skin—and it’s so good, all skin types will want to use it.

This silicone-free SPF protects with 22.4% zinc oxide. The first thing you’ll notice is the light and easy-to-spread texture. It has a slight beige tint, but the colour disappears when you rub it in. It dries down quickly with a subtly glowy, pore-blurring finish.

• Pros: Lightweight, blurs imperfections
• Cons: May be comedogenic for some people

Credo Beauty reviewer: “This is by far the best sunscreen I have ever used. Lightweight and easy to apply. NO pilling at all when applying other products or makeup on top of it and gives a nice glow without making you look oily. Will definitely be repurchasing.”

If you’re looking for the most transparent sunscreen—one that’s invisible even on the deepest skin tones—then look no further than the Ava Isa Sun-é-Serum Drops SPF 35.

This innovative serum formula is a game-changer for anyone who associates mineral sunscreens with a heavy feel and chalky white look. Despite containing the maximum 25% concentration of zinc oxide, it has a thin, fluid texture that sinks in fast and disappears on all skin. So it doesn’t even look or feel like you’re wearing sunscreen. It’s also free of fragrance and silicones.

• Pros: Invisible on all skin tones, high protection
• Cons: May be comedogenic for some people

The Sunscreen Company reviewer: “I love the Ava Isa Sun-é-Serum Drops sunscreen as it is not thick, applies really easily and is invisible, in addition to providing UVA and UVB protection.”