La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Sunscreen for Face, Body SPF 100 3oz

Why it's worth it

A milky SPF 100 lotion that spreads easily over both face and body and holds up for 80 minutes in water. It's the one to grab if you burn in fifteen minutes and want a wide margin of error on a long day outside.

If you burn easily — the pale, freckled, red-hair-somewhere-in-the-family kind of easily — the appeal of SPF 100 isn't the extra percentage point of UVB blocked. It's the cushion. Since most of us under-apply, starting from a very high number leaves more protection standing after you've rushed through it. Owners who describe decades of failed sunscreen hunts tend to land here.

The texture is what separates this from other high-SPF lotions. It's thin and milky rather than thick and pasty, so it melts in instead of sitting on top. It's oxybenzone- and octinoxate-free, water-resistant for 80 minutes, and formulated with panthenol to keep skin from feeling tight. La Roche-Posay tests its formulas for tolerance on sensitive skin, and owners with reactive skin generally report no stinging.

From our review of 8 sunscreens for face and body, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +If you burn easily — the pale, freckled, red-hair-somewhere-in-the-family kind of easily — the appeal of SPF 100 isn't the extra…
• +The texture is what separates this from other high-SPF lotions
• +This is the rare bottle that genuinely works face-to-toe
• +It leaves a subtle glow rather than a matte finish

What to know

• –The finish is heavier than the SPF 40 and SPF 46 options here
• –This listing is a travel size and ships non-sealed, which is worth knowing before you order
• –It relies on chemical filters, so if you're specifically avoiding avobenzone and octocrylene after reading the JAMA absorption…