14 face moisturisers with SPF that make daily sun protection simple

This No7 day cream caused quite a storm in the beauty industry when it launched last year. Inside the pot is a new peptide blend which promises to reverse signs of skin damage from stress, smoking and, most importantly, sun damage.

With a cream-gel-like texture, it instantly absorbs into the skin, leaving a dewy, plumped-up finish. And with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and niacinamide as additional core ingredients, alongside an SPF40, it hydrates, brightens and evens out skin tone. Although we wished it came in a pump format to avoid any bacteria getting into the pot (note, please use a clean spatula, spoon or brush to take what you need out of the jar), we loved that it doesn’t just protect from the sun today, but helps reverse past you’s old skincare mistakes. What more could we ask for?

Byoma is one of the best bargain beauty brands currently on the market, so of course, its SPF moisturiser impressed. Bringing the sunshine into our homes (and away from our faces), the brightly coloured packaging perked up our bathroom shelf, and the pump bottle made the product incredibly easy to apply. Lightweight with a gel-cream-like formula, it gave the skin a noticeable hit of hydration that lasted all day.

No white cast or greasy residue was left over, as hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan and a tri-ceramide complex hydrates, soothes and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Coming in at under £15, for those looking for a bargain buy, you’ll be hard-pushed to find better than this.

We clearly aren’t alone in loving this moisturiser as it is currently out of stock, but don’t worry, we will be sure to keep you posted when it’s available again.

Medik8 revolves around a CSA skincare philosophy: vitamin C, sunscreen and vitamin A (aka retinol). So it’s safe to say the brand excels when it comes to sun protection. Housed in a pot similar to No7’s future renew day cream (£34.95, Boots.com), this rich and creamy formula is packed full of goodness. Vitamin C brightens, vitamin E evens skin tone, and hyaluronic acid hydrates, while grapefruit, lemon and bergamot oil give it a true natural spa-like scent. As it’s so thick, we’d say it’s best for those with normal to dry skin. But, if you’re after a product that truly does it all, this should top your list – we even did away with our serum to really simplify our skincare routine.

Paula’s Choice is a go-to for anyone interested in formulations. Explaining almost every ingredient, its use, pros and cons over on its website, the brand makes it easy for everyone to become a beauty buff, so you can see what’s really going on your skin. With a broad spectrum SPF 50, we’re dubbing this as the best moisturiser with high factor SPF. But before you think high factor means high shine or a chalky, white finish, we’re here to tell you it’s, in fact, the opposite.

The silky feel formula effortlessly absorbs into the face with a lightweight, dewy feel. After just a couple of seconds, it’s actually invisible yet left our skin feeling full and hydrated all day long. Avobenone is included as the sun protection agent, niacinamide has been added to reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines, and shea butter soothes and hydrates dry and dull-looking skin. For long days spent out in the sun, our tester absolutely loves this find, but thanks to the shea butter, it’s best for those with dry to normal skin, not oily or combination.

Sun exposure is one of the fastest ways to age your skin, so wearing any SPF is sure to help keep fine lines, sun spots and wrinkles at bay. This Works goes one step further to reduce these signs of skin ageing, using bio boost (the brand’s own blend of antioxidant plant oils), hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to hydrate, plump and even out tone and texture.

Slightly richer than some of our other options, it gives an instant hit of hydration that lasts all day with a soft, dewy finish, and it’s even suitable for sensitive skin too. The hard plastic tube also felt quite chic, and the pump dispenser made sure we never used more than we needed.

For anyone with dry skin, moisturisers are incredibly important. Locking in that much-needed moisture and flooding the face with hydration, you’ll need one that does the most while also protecting you from the sun. And we think we’ve found the perfect pick with this Nip + Fab formula.

Hyaluronic acid hydrates, bio-water bamboo softens, and the rather wordy buddleja officinalis flower extract soothes skin while working as an antioxidant. The formula has been created with hydration in mind, as almost every ingredient manages to moisturise, but our favourite part is the pump. Simply push onto the skin to dispense the perfect amount, with no need for dirty fingers reaching into pots.

The term “normal skin” can be quite triggering as, just like with our bodies, there’s no such thing as normal. But in terms of the beauty industry, we usually use the word to describe skin that isn’t overly oily, dry or sensitive – if that sounds like you, then keep reading. With failsafe finds for almost any skin woe, CeraVe is a good ol’ basic beauty brand for good reason, and this SPF moisturiser is a great example of why.

Including SPF 50 for stronger protection, the lightweight cream houses three ceramides, niacinamide and vitamin E to hydrate and heal whilst shielding from the sun. It instantly absorbs into the skin for long-lasting moisture that’s neither sticky nor shiny. In a pump-top tube, it’s also easy to apply and small enough to be popped in a bag for on-the-go.

When it comes to darker skin tones, there’s absolutely no space for white cast. The good news is none of those thick, chalky formulas can be found in this list, but Katherine Daniels goes one step beyond with its invisible shield. Housing active repair enzymes, microalgae and plankton, it works to heal past sun mistakes while protecting the skin from pollution, UV rays and blue light. The lightweight formula sinks into the skin almost immediately, leaving a fresh-faced dewy glow that our tester just loved. And the thin-necked opening means you can precisely apply it to only the areas that need it.

While many skincare specialists advise a minimum of factor 30 on the face, this Clinique option has snuck onto our list thanks to its tint. Available in four shades (and hopefully soon, many more), the sheertint formula offers slight coverage similar to CC cream. Being so light in coverage, each shade spans a wide range of skin tones, just be sure to really rub it in. We found it worked as a great base for foundation and concealer too. Hyaluronic acid and aloe water help to keep the face hydrated with no greasy residue. But for adequate sun protection (especially during the warmer months), you may want to layer up with another SPF over the top.

For fairer skin tones, a high SPF is even more important, so you’re really best to stick with 50. Famous for its fake tan, Bondi Sands are faux sunkissed glow experts and here to help your skin stay healthy, its skincare range is certainly suited for the sun.

Combining vitamin E and hibiscus extract, which hydrates the skin and fights against external stressors, alongside SPF50 for maximum sun protection, this moisturiser is made with those really sensitive to sunlight in mind. Zinc oxide is included, making it a mineral sunscreen, and it has a slight beige tint when first applied that turns near invisible once rubbed in. More matte in finish than most of our other options, it also works well for those not wanting a dewy complexion.

For those with combination skin, it can be hard to find something that hydrates dry patches while not exaggerating any oily bits at the same time. Luckily, Trinny London’s BFF SPF cream works for all skin types and even delivers a sheer veil of coverage to dampen down any redness.

Coming out as a white cream, micro-encapsulated pigments start to colour-match to the skin, with five shades on offer to cover a spectrum. Of course, we would love to see more shades become available, but as it’s so lightweight, each option does suit a wide range of skin tones. Easy to apply thanks to a pump, it quickly absorbs into the skin, leaving a soft dewy glow. And our tester found it worked well as a base for heavier make-up too.

This thick day cream contains several anti-aging ingredients include bakuchiol which is widely seen as a plant-based alternative to retinol and marine soluble collagen. Because of that, we saw the intensely moisturising cream create a temporarily smoothing effect over our fine lines and wrinkles. While at first the formula is white, after rubbing we were left with a transparent skin layer. We thought this rich skincare buy delivered the hydrating results of a much pricier purchase, and the inclusion of SPF30 was an added protective bonus.

This refreshing moisturiser has an uplifting citrus scent which we noticed straightaway, and because of that, application became a brightening part of our day. The glossy cream has a midweight consistency and it perfects the balance between feeling both light and nourishing. Key ingredients include vitamins E and F, alongside omega rich Echium oil and hydrating resurrection plant extract. It includes SPF30 UVA and UVB protection and doesn’t create any kind of white cast on the skin. We saw a gentle, healthy-looking luminosity to skin and really enjoyed using this moisturiser with SPF as part of our daily routine.

The first thing we noticed when testing this moisturiser was how lightweight the formula was on our skin. The second was the invigorating fresh mint smell. As well as moisturising and protecting the skin against harmful sun rays, this product also aims to target premature ageing and existing sun damage – plus, it’s suitable for all skin types. We actually enjoyed adding this product to our daily skincare routine, thanks to its silky feel and how quickly and easily it absorbed into our skin. Leaving zero white cast or greasy texture to our face, we particularly loved how well this SPF moisturiser sat under our make-up – with no breakouts caused after trialling it, either.