CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 with Hyaluronic Acid, 3oz

Why it's worth it

A zinc-and-chemical hybrid with three ceramides and hyaluronic acid, so it repairs your skin barrier while it protects. It's the sensible pick if your face is dry, tight or recovering from over-exfoliation, and it costs about what a drugstore lotion costs.

Sun exposure damages the ceramides that hold your skin barrier together, which is a small irony worth appreciating: the thing you're protecting against is degrading the thing that keeps your skin comfortable. This formula puts three of them back, along with hyaluronic acid. Owners with dry and sensitive skin say it hydrates enough to skip a separate moisturizer.

The hybrid approach is the smart compromise here. Blending zinc oxide with chemical filters gets you mineral benefits without the heavy, chalky feel of an all-mineral lotion. It's fragrance-free, paraben-free, ophthalmologist-tested and non-comedogenic, and it carries the Skin Cancer Foundation's recommendation for active use. Owners repeatedly note it has no smell at all, which is a bigger deal than it sounds if scent bothers you.

From our review of 8 face sunscreens for daily wear, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +Sun exposure damages the ceramides that hold your skin barrier together, which is a small irony worth appreciating: the thing…
• +The hybrid approach is the smart compromise here
• +You get 3 ounces, and it's water-resistant for 80 minutes

What to know

• –It goes on white on purpose, to show you where you've applied it, and you have to buff it in
• –SPF 30 is the minimum, and a few owners find the lotion thinner and runnier than they expected