With summer in full swing, many of us will be keen to soak up the sun over the next few weeks whether it's from our back gardens or on holidays abroad - but it's important to stay safe while we're at it.
Wherever you're planning to sunbathe this month, wearing sunscreen is vital if you want to protect your skin from painful sunburn and premature ageing, as well keeping the risk of skin cancer at bay. But with so many brands out there at the likes of Boots and Superdrug on the high street, it can be difficult to know which sun cream will work best for you and your skin.
It can be particularly tricky to find a sunscreen to suit your face, where your skin can often be more sensitive than the rest of your body - meaning that applying thick cream can often lead to breakouts, not to mention making your face feel sticky and greasy, which is the last thing you want when you're trying to enjoy the sunshine.
READ MORE: Boots launches huge summer sale with thousands of beauty, skincare and electrical favourites reduced
Fortunately, many of the big sunscreen brands have developed formulas designed specifically for facial use, meaning that they still offer full protection from the sun's rays without that uncomfortable oily residue. Favourites including La Roche-Posay, Nivea, Soltan and Piz Buin all offer products like this, which have earned hundreds of rave reviews.
Here are 10 of the bestselling facial sun creams from Boots which have been rated four stars or above by Boots shoppers. Even though these creams all come highly-rated, each one has also received a small number of negative reviews, which just goes to show that everyone's skin is different - it's worth shopping around and trying a few different products to find what's right for you, particularly if you have sensitive or spot-prone skin.
Garnier Ambre Solaire
The Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV Protection Fluid is currently on offer at Boots for £8 reduced from £12 for a 40ml bottle, and is a big hit with shoppers with an overall rating of 4.6 out of five stars based on more than 500 reviews. The cream offers SPF50+ protection, and is comes recommended by more than 94% of Boots customers.
What the brand says: "The formula offers very high SPF protection to help prevent sun induced dark spots, while protecting skin from pollution induced oxidative stress. Its ultra-light texture is absorbed instantly and offers daily hydration without leaving a greasy finish on skin."
What shoppers say: "This is my favourite SPF of all time," one fan of the cream wrote in their review. "Gentle, no white cast and non-greasy. I have acne prone skin and I have never broken out from this. I'm on my 12th bottle of this now."
It's always worth looking at the negative reviews as well as the positive ones - and although this cream only has half a dozen one-star reviews, it shows that it wasn't suited to everyone who tried it. One person fed back: "After a month of use, this product has given me spots plus I find it dries out my skin making make-up look really patchy."
Eucerin
Eucerin Sun Oil Control Face Protection is another Boots bestseller, earning a 4.6 star rating based on more than 170 reviews from shoppers. Priced at £12 for a 50ml bottle, currently reduced from £16, just over 87% of people who bought this cream said they would recommend it to others.
What the brand says: "Sebum-regulating Oil Control technology with L-Carnitine and absorbing micro-particles gives skin an immediate dry touch finish and a long-lasting anti-shine effect of up to eight hours. Eucerin Sun Gel-Cream Oil Control SPF 50+ is unperfumed and has an ultra-light, non-greasy texture."
What shoppers say: "I have tried lots of other face sun creams and they always break me out and make me very shiny (even more expensive/more popular ones)," one person wrote in a five-star review. "So I researched a lot before buying a new one and this one has worked amazing, dries matte, smells nice and doesn't break me out at all!"
Although the majority of shoppers recommended the cream, it didn't manage to win everyone over. "Leaves your skin looking very shiny and greasy looking and makes your pores completely visible," was one person's verdict.
La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Hydrating Cream also has a rating of 4.6 stars from Boots shoppers, based on nearly 200 reviews. With a price tag of £16.72 for a 50ml bottle (reduced from £20.90), it's the most expensive option on our bestseller list, but customers seem to think it's worth the money with 89% of people recommending it.
What the brand says: "A very high protection that is ultra resistant: water, sweat and sand resistant. Anti eye stinging, ultra-comfortable cream formula. Hydrating and non-greasy. Specifically developed for sensitive skin."
What shoppers say: "Easy to apply, absorbs quickly, layers well with the rear of my skincare, and extremely hydrating," one reviewer wrote. "I also find it reapplies well even over some make-up, and my skin always looks healthy and glowing."
However, a couple of people who tried the cream found that it left their skin stained. One person said: "I am fair skinned. Stains skin yellow even when well rubbed in. Unusable!"
Nivea Sun
Nivea is a brand that's nearly always seen among the top sellers when it comes to sunscreen, and Nivea Sun UV Face Shine Control is a favourite choice when it comes to facial sun care with a rating of 4.7 out of five stars based on over 150 reviews. Priced at £8, Nivea's offering is one of the cheapest on the market and also comes recommended by more than 92% of shoppers.
What the brand says: "The light formula offers a long-lasting and instant mattifying effect and absorbs excess oils from your skin's surface. Your skin will be protected against UVA and UVB induced skin damage and High Energy Visible Light (Blue Light) effects such as premature skin aging. Your skin will feel light, non-greasy and non-sticky."
What shoppers say: "Works perfectly," one shopper said of the cream. "Very good protection and absorbs almost immediately so no sticky residue or white cast."
The cream received just two one-star reviews from people who found that it didn't suit their skin. One unimpressed shopper wrote: "A heavy formula with a slight white cast, feels very greasy and I've had to put a tonne of powder on my face to counteract the shine."
No7
A long-time favourite brand among Boots shoppers, No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Facial Suncare comes with an impressive rating of 4.6 out of five stars based on 70 reviews. It's at the pricier end of the scale and will set you back £14.95 for a 50ml bottle, but nevertheless is among the sunscreen bestsellers with 89% of customers saying they would recommend it.
What the brand says: "No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Facial Sun Protection gives unbeatable 5 Star UVA protection and contains an anti-oxidant complex, giving your skin advanced protection against the ageing effects of the sun. This is combined with clinically proven Protect & Perfect Intense serum technology to tackle existing deep lines and wrinkles."
What shoppers say: "I've been using this product for years and it’s absolutely fantastic!" one fan of the product said. "My face never burns, even whilst abroad. It’s got a fabulous texture and soaks into skin well leaving it glowing."
A total 90% of all reviews saw shoppers give the cream either five or four stars, but as with any skin product, it isn't quite universally popular. One person who left a one-star review said: "It is like a factor 50 sun cream, really thick, and has given me awful skin."
CeraVe
CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion is another option selling fast at Boots, and is highly rated with more than 300 shoppers giving it 4.7 out of five stars on average. The lotion is on offer with 20% off and currently costs £13.20 for a 52ml bottle, with 92.5% of customers who tried it saying they would recommend it to others.
What the brand says: "A daily lightweight facial moisturiser with SPF 50+ UVB/UVA protection and 3 essential ceramides, leaves skin feeling soothed, and hydrated for up to 24 hours, while protecting the skin's natural barrier. The gentle formula contains broad spectrum protection to defend the skin barrier against UVA & UVB rays that deplete ceramides."
What shoppers say: "Lovely cream, not greasy, sinks in and great to know it gives factor 50 protection," one person wrote in their review. "My skin is sensitive to sun so I am thrilled to have found this cream."
The cream received just two one-star reviews compared to 244 five-star ones. One complaint made about the lotion by a dissatisfied shopper was: "It pills when I put my foundation on top and when I look in the mirror after wearing for a few hours my foundation is dry and patchy and sliding off my skin."
Piz Buin
Another bestselling sunscreen brand year upon year, Piz Buin Allergy Sun Sensitive Face Cream is popular with Boots shoppers with more than 96% saying they would recommend the cream to a friend. Priced at £8 for a 50ml bottle, Piz Buin's offering is at the budget-friendly end - but saving money doesn't mean compromising on quality, with the cream earning an overall rating of 4.6 out of five stars from customers.
What the brand says: "This sun cream combines immediate and effective UVA/UVB sun protection with Calmanelle, a unique anti-irritant shield complex proven to help strengthen the skin's resilience to the sun. The cream provides hours of moisturisation to keep the delicate skin of the face soft. Sweat and water resistant."
What shoppers say: "Found this moisturising, non-greasy and protected my skin," one customer who loved this sunscreen said. "Applied every day on holiday. Didn't cause me to break out, and didn't sting my eyes."
The cream had just a single one-star review on the Boots website at the time of writing, with the shopper who left it saying: "I have sensitive / dry skin but applying this made my face greasy and act as if I had combination skin. Would not recommend as it made me breakout badly."
Soltan Once
Boots' own brand of sunscreen has earned top ratings time and time again, and Soltan Once Age Defence Facial Suncare is no exception with a rating of 4.6 stars based on 50 reviews from shoppers. Priced at £10 for a 50ml bottle, this cream comes recommended by more than 81% of customers who have tried it for themselves.
What the brand says: "Hyaluronic acid to support Anti Ageing. Up to 8 hours sun protection from just one application. Non-greasy, easily absorbed and water resistant."
What shoppers say: "Great face sun cream, non oily and sat well under my make-up," was one person's verdict. "Lasts all day as it says, I burn very easily and wasn't burnt at all after being in the sun all day!"
This sunscreen is another bestseller with a one-star rating from just one shopper. This person said: "This sun cream is just too greasy and oily. I had to dab my face to be able to manage it."
Hawaiian Tropic
The Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Face Sun Protection is the cheapest on our bestsellers list with a price tag of just £7.40 for 50ml, and while it has racked up fewer reviews from shoppers the impression is a largely positive one with an overall rating of 4.7 out of five stars. 95% of Boots customers also said they would recommend this sun cream to others.
What the brand says: "Discover ultra-light UVA/UVB protection, entwined with hydrating ribbons for 12 hours of moisturisation, to prevent skin from drying out. Suitable for use under make-up and very water resistant."
What shoppers say: "On first application I thought it would leave me greasy as my face way quite shiny, however once fully absorbed this left my skin glowing, no redness, very hydrated and no clogged pores!" an impressed shopper said. "During the warmer weather in the UK I have replaced my daily moisturiser with this and can reapply any time of the day and my skin still glows."
This sun cream has received no ratings below three stars so far. However, one shopper who gave it three stars said: "My main issue with it is that it's so greasy and sticky. I end up having to dab my face with a damp tissue to remove a lot of it."
Avene
And finally, Avene Very High Protection B-Protect Face Sun Cream is priced at £14 for a smaller 30ml bottle - 20% off its full price in the Boots summer sale - and comes recommended by nearly 82% of shoppers. Again, this cream doesn't have as many reviews as some of the other bestselling brands, but those who have reviewed it seemed impressed and gave it a rating of 4.5 out of five stars overall.
What the brand says: "Formulated for sensitive skin, this is a 3‐in‐1 facial skincare hero: anti‐UV, anti‐pollution, light tinted coverage. It provides a very broad spectrum UVA-UVB protection and anti-oxidant protection using a combination of exclusive active ingredients."
What shoppers say: "I have tried many tinted sunscreens and tinted moisturisers and always come back to this," one person wrote in a five-star review. "I have fair, slightly dry / combi skin with a cool undertone and this is a perfect light, blurring SPF cover for more mature skin without need for anything else."
This sun cream has just one review with the lowest rating, with the shopper finding that it left their skin looking "orange". A couple of people who left two-star reviews also found this, with one writing: "I am quite pale and thought the added bonus of it being tinted would be a good thing, but it was too orangey for me and you could tell the colour difference from my face to my neck."
