Sunscreen sticks rarely get as much attention as their lotion-based counterparts but, when applied correctly, are just as useful for protecting against sunshine and harmful rays.
They also come with a few other benefits, like the ability to be thrown in your hand luggage bag. Many of these formulas don’t count as liquid, so you can wave goodbye to 100ml limits or buying overpriced bottles at the airport. And, because the formula is a solid rather than a liquid, it tends to be a little more concentrated than liquid sunscreen.
Each of these small but mighty sticks comes packed with shielding ingredients to keep your skin suitably protected for those hours in the sunshine you’ve no doubt been looking forward to all year.
Great for bringing along in a beach bag and applying easily throughout the day, these sunscreen sticks promise to reduce the time it takes to cover your skin before you’re free to jump in the pool.
We’ve rounded up all of the best sunscreen sticks.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Targeted Sun Defense Stick SPF50
Elizabeth Arden goes a little further than your traditional sunscreen stick. Promising eight hours of protection in a silky smooth formula that’s a joy to apply, this Targeted Sun Defense Stick offers a huge factor 50 protection with a delicious, summer-ready fragrance to match.
While some sunscreen sticks may only work their magic on larger planes of the face (cheeks, chin, forehead), this one is designed to properly cover the entire face. It specifically targets over-exposed areas such as lips, nose, earlobes and even scars to shield from the burning and aging effects of UVA and UVB rays. It also hydrates and moisturises at the same time.
Buy now £14.40, Amazon
Salt & Stone SPF 30 Sunscreen Face Stick
American natural skincare brand Salt & Stone knows a thing or two about sunshine and the brand’s SPF 30 Sunscreen Face Stick is an essential purchase if you’re spending a lot of time outdoors this summer.
Designed specifically for the face, this gentle formula ensures full coverage without any irritation and is easy to apply in a matter of seconds. It’s also water resistant - perfect if you’re looking to get up close and personal with those ingredients the brand is famed for (salt and seaweed, we’re looking at you).
Buy now £16.41, Amazon
Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50
Don’t confuse Supergoop! with Gwynth Paltrow’s Goop! brand. The former is a popular sunscreen brand launched in 2007 after a close friend of the owner’s was diagnosed with skin cancer, the latter produces candles smelling like vaginas. As you might expect from such beginnings, this is one of the best sunscreen sticks for those looking for complete protection.
With its factor 50 coverage and easy-to-use dry oil stick, it’s designed to be whipped out of your beach bag at any point and applied seamlessly before you go back to tanning/swimming/reading your next new book. This stick is best used on dry and combo skin types, promising to both hydrate and protect with zero mess and zero cast.
Buy now £22.00, Cult Beauty
Vichy Sun Stick Capital Soleil Lait Sfp50+
Vichy’s Sun Stick Capital Soleil Lait Sfp50+ is one of the best sunscreen sticks for those with dry or easily irritated skin. This versatile sun protection stick includes a wide spectrum filter system and photostable UVA-UVB based Mexoryl: fancy words for saying it’s the full package, basically.
Both hypoallergenic and water resistant, this sunscreen never falters at any kind of attack. Apply liberally and enjoy its soft feeling and gentle scent, enriched with Vichy Thermal Spa Water.
Buy now £10.00, lookfantastic
Clarins Invisible Sun Care Stick SPF 50+
Clarins Invisible Sun Care Stick is one of the most popular sunscreen sticks and it’s easy to see why. Non greasy and endlessly soothing, this is a sunscreen you’ll look forward to applying. Containing a unique combination of Clarins complexes with high-level filters and plant-based extracts, it promises to provide protection against UV rays and visible signs of photo-ageing, while keeping your face supple and smooth. It melts into your skin almost instantly - no white marks or residue in sight.
Buy now £19.00, John Lewis
Sun Bum Original SPF30 Sunscreen Face Stick
You’re missing out if you haven’t already tried Sun Bum’s Original SPF30 Sunscreen Face Stick. With its lovely, banana-hued smell and lightweight feel, it’s one of the best options out there for those who hate feeling layer after layer of product on their skin.
Designed for adults and children alike, it offers enough protection for 80 minutes of pure sunshine as well as water and/or sweat. If you’re spending all day in the sun you’ll want to reapply it after a few hours but, with its matte finish, that’s something you’ll probably look forward to on those super hot days anyway.
Buy now £11.99, Feel Unique
Hello Sunday The Take-Out One - Invisible Sun Stick SPF30
Don’t be alarmed by the purple-looking hue of Hello Sunday’s The Take-Out One. This clear sunscreen stick goes all out with protection without any kind of residue left behind. A great product for applying liberally before a long day in the sunshine, it’s packed with skin-soothing ingredients that won’t harm marine life and works for all skin tones and types with zero white cast.
One of the best things about this sunscreen stick has to be its scent: a gorgeous, summer-ready burst of lime, geranium and mint that will quickly remind you of those lengthy sunshine-filled days.
Buy now £15.00, Cult Beauty
Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Stick
Neutrogena’s Beach Defense Sunscreen Stick is one of the best options for those looking for total coverage. It’s a little thicker than other formulas but works brilliantly on those with fair skin, offering complete protection with no harmful rays sneaking their way through the formula’s power.
Incorporating Neutrogena’s complete array of skin-friendly components within the subtly-scented stick, it’s ideal for hand luggage travels.
This broad spectrum formula has a SPF rating of 50+ and refuses to budge even when worn with makeup. It’s water resident, oil free and PABA-free, too.
Buy now £24.90, Amazon
Aloha Sun Stick SPF 50+
Gift Aloha’s Sun Stick SPF 50+ to that friend who loves surfing or snorkelling or anything else sea-related. This surfer-approved brand is one of the best for anyone who thinks they’ve applied adequate sun protection before checking themselves out in the mirror at the end of the day and coming face to face with a lobster.
Aloha’s sunstick creates a shield on your skin, so UV rays can’t penetrate the skin layers. It does that using a mineral filter called titanium dioxide, which is a great reef-friendly option for taking abroad. Better yet, it’s available in a range of colourful eco-friendly tubes.
Buy now £14.90, Amazon
Sisley Super Stick Solaire Teinte SPF 50+
Sisley’s sunscreen stick is undoubtedly the most glamorous of the bunch: a premium option that comes filled to the brim with delicious, skin loving ingredients.
Sweet White Lupin oil, Vitamin E Acetate, Wheat germ oil concentrate, Shea oil, Camellia oil and Mango butter: just a few of the things you’ll spy when reading through the ingredients list, all of which combine to offer not only sun-protected skin but also gorgeous, silky, supple skin at the same time.
With its water-resistant formula and subtly tinted finish, it takes away the need to apply foundation before you leave the house, too.
Buy now £82.00, Selfridges
Verdict
Elizabeth Arden’s decades of experience in the skincare industry means we’d trust the brand with pretty much all and any skin ailments. The Eight Hour Cream Targeted Sun Defense Stick SPF50 is our top pick when it comes to sunscreen sticks for its ability to smooth, hydrate, protect and shield all at the same time.
