Best body sunscreens to use this summer, reviewed by a beauty editor

Ultrasun is up there with one of our tester’s most loved and trusted suncare brands, and this SPF50 cream is one of the brand’s best. Designed for ‘intense conditions’ (a day around the pool counts as an intense condition, right?), we found the white cream to be lightweight and it absorbs really quickly and beautifully into the skin, offering high, broad-spectrum protection.

While the brand says one application is usually enough, we still topped it up throughout the day and found that it didn’t pill. One bottle lasted our tester through a 10-day holiday where it was applied every day.

When you use this you’ll probably wonder the same thing as our tester did: how can something this good be this affordable? Truly, Hawaiian Tropic’s hydrating protection sunscreen ticked every single one of our boxes, and it’s such a pleasure to use (not to mention how satisfying it looks in the tube!).

The nostalgic smell is combined with 12-hour moisturisation promises, and the dual formula is powered by both cocoa and shea butter to deeply hydrate your skin while protecting it against the sun’s harmful rays. It’s not sticky or greasy, it sinks in quickly and leaves skin feeling supple and nourished. There really isn’t anything not to love about this, and once you’ve tried it you’ll probably never go back.

A true favourite among our tester’s group of friends, Sun Bum’s sunscreen spray is a true easy-to-use, no-excuse formula that really delivers on its promises. Not only does it smell like coconuts, but it’s also ideal for even the pickiest of sunscreen wearers. It’s invisible when sprayed onto skin, isn’t sticky and the nozzle makes it easy to apply in hard-to-reach areas.

We also loved how easy it was to re-apply throughout the day, so if you struggle with applying lotions and creams, or hate the feel of anything too thick or heavy, try this.

The delicious almond scent of this deserves a shout-out because it really does smell incredible, but the formula itself is also great. As well as being invisible on application, it’s not sticky or greasy and doesn’t leave any residue in its wake.

We liked that it was formulated with a blend of kind-to-skin ingredients so it works to hydrate while protecting against the sun’s rays. Plus, it’s suitable for both face and body so you can apply it directly over make-up for extra added protection when needed. We found it great for using as an afternoon top-up as we preferred to initially use SPF50 protection each morning rather than a 30.

E45 has upped its skincare game over the last few months, and when we tell you that its suncare line-up is strong, we’re not lying. This hydrating, gentle cream was a firm favourite amongst the whole group of testers, and we were all really sad when we squeezed out the very last drop.

Non-greasy, it doesn’t leave a white cast and it moisturises the skin alongside high-factor protection suitable for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. It didn’t block pores, is fragrance-free and absorbed into the skin really nicely. Even better, it didn’t pill when we layered it up throughout the day, and the added vitamin E offered protection against pollution and other environmental aggressors.

Another firm favourite for the group, we actually repurchased this one after loving it so much on our holiday last year. More like a moisturiser than a sunscreen, it’s nice to apply thanks to its buttery soft – but not oily – texture. Fragrance-free, it’s suitable for all skin types (including sensitive) and we loved the lit-from-within glow it gave our sun-kissed skin after application. We found the formula to be lightweight yet hydrating on the skin.

This sunscreen divided the group, but our tester was a big fan. It is worth knowing though that the nozzle on our bottle was faulty – we’re unsure if it’s a problem across the board or if we were just unlucky, but it meant that we couldn’t get any product to spray out of it so half the bottle went to waste.

However, that aside, the fact it smells like the brand’s cult favourite Rio radiance scent – a blend of vanilla, tuberose and coconut milk – is what makes this stand out. The formula is invisible, non-greasy and is really nice to apply. We did find it pilled a little bit when layered on top of a lotion, but once we were aware of that we just stuck to using the same product all day.

Another firm favourite, and one we also carried over from last year. You can’t go far wrong with La Roche-Posay when it comes to sunscreen (and skincare in general), and our tester loves how reliable it is as a brand.

The milky formula is easy to spray out of the bottle and rub into the skin, and as with all of the brand’s products, it’s infused with the signature thermal spring water, which works to help restore hydration in the skin.

The sunscreen itself is non-greasy, absorbs well and doesn’t leave any residue or chalky cast behind. If you’re somebody who suffers from sensitivity, irritation or inflammation then consider this to be a good choice for you.