7 Actually Invisible Mineral Sunscreens? Go On…
Sunscreen has a reputation for being chalky and hard to blend, but we’re here to ease your fears of ghostly white casts with the best mineral sunscreens. Of course, we all (should) know by now that sunscreen is a non-negotiable part of any skin-care routine, but even the most lauded formulas have varying qualities. Chemical-based options absorb into the skin to filter UV rays (a process we’ll get into below), and then there are mineral-based sunscreens, also known as physical sunscreens or sunblock. These formulas create a mineral-based barrier over your delicate skin to literally block UV rays (and reflect them away from skin) to keep them from potentially damaging the DNA in your cells. Because mineral UV filters don’t penetrate the skin, they’re usually gentler on sensitive skin. The downside? They tend to leave darker skin tones with an ashy finish. But don’t worry, our picks pass the test. Check out our all-time favorite mineral sunscreens for all-encompassing daytime protection and glowy, non-ashy finishes.
Our Top Mineral Sunscreens
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50
Why it’s worth it: Ever since Tatcha’s The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 landed in 2021, Allure editors continue to slather it on for its totally transparent (but fabulously dewy) finish and sensitive skin-friendly formulation. This 100% mineral sunscreen is spiked with hydrating hyaluronic acid, inflammation-calming (and skin-brightening) niacinamide, and allantoin, a known skin-soother that curbs redness and sensitivity, making it perfect for those with rosacea. Along with allantoin, this sunblock also contains two silk-derived proteins: sericin and fibroin, both of which promote hydration, according to Morgan Rabach, MD, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City. “Sericin forms a layer of protection over the skin and may help promote hydration,” Dr. Rabach says. “Fibroin may help repair skin cells and balance moisture levels.”
“On a mother-daughter trip to Costa Rica, I noticed Tatcha’s The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 in her toiletry bag and, out of curiosity, tried it myself To my surprise, the liquidy sunscreen blended into my skin, leaving nothing behind but sun protection and a light glow. The SPF initially applies a bit purple-ish but after some rubbing, it completely blends into my skin.”
- Key ingredients: zinc oxide (10%), allantoin, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, sericin, fibroin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Tinted: Merit the Uniform Tinted Mineral SPF 45
Why it’s worth it: Lightweight, tinted, and buildable in all the best ways, Merit’s the Uniform Tinted Mineral SPF 45 is the brand’s newest addition to its family of your-skin-but-better products that have us perpetually kicking our feet. Available in a whopping 15 shades, this formula blurs and blends to even out skin tone while providing a white-cast-free, non-greasy finish we plan on reaching for again and again.
“I think it’s fair to say that I’m a mineral sunscreen connoisseur—after making the switch years ago from chemical—and I’ve never used a tinted sunscreen that feels or wears as luxuriously as this product from Merit. It feels more like a tinted moisturizer than an SPF—and perhaps even more like a serum than a moisturizer! It’s truly weightless, dries down to a lovely glowy (but not greasy!) finish, and evens out my skin tone with buildable coverage. I honestly think this will be replacing a handful of products in my routine. I appreciate the product packaging with the no-spill pump-top that let’s out just enough formula, and the heftier size (What’s with the tiny sunscreens? This is a multiple-times-per-day product, y’all!). I’ve only tried one shade, which is a decent match, albeit a hair darker than my current skin tone, but after some (safe) sun exposure, I have no doubt it’ll read even more naturally on my skin.”
- Key ingredients: zinc oxide (15.0%)
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Oily Skin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen
Why it’s worth it: Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, is a certified fan of La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen for its ultra-sheer finish and high-grade protection. “It has a subtle mattifying effect that’s perfect to wear under makeup,” she adds. The formula is fortified with nourishing and barrier-strengthening vitamin E oil to make this pick extra worth your while. And, as with any La Roche-Posay stunner, the brand’s proprietary Thermal Spring Water makes a welcome appearance.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I don’t typically trust untinted mineral sunscreens, since they almost always leave a white cast on my olive skin. Not this one! It’s practically perfect: It doesn’t have a weird scent, absorbs quickly, and even seems to control the shine on my nose, leaving my very oily T-zone looking more matte, but not flat or one-dimensional. The tube also holds a ton of product, too, so it can last me through a beach trip and then some.”
- Key ingredients: titanium dioxide (6%), zinc oxide (5%), vitamin E oil, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Priming: Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion Mineral SPF 60+
Why it’s worth it: Shiseido’s Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion has been an editor favorite since we first gabbed about it in 2011, and now it’s available in a super lightweight, non-greasy mineral formula. We’re counting our blessings. Though it comes out of the bottle as a milky white lotion, it dries down and wears like a totally transparent SPF, whatever your skin tone. We love the inclusion of botanicals like raspberry extract, witch hazel, glycerin, and five types of algae to curb dryness and hydrate skin. Yes, the bottle is petite, but a little goes a long way—and we adore how it slips into even the littlest of purses. Wear it solo or use it as a low-key primer before applying your base makeup.
“With my extra-dry complexion, I am always looking for hydrating products that leave me with a summery, dewy glow. This sunscreen gives me exactly that. The mineral formula is more like a fluid than a lotion, and quickly melts down to blend in with my medium-tan skin.”
- Key ingredients: titanium dioxide (5.7%), zinc oxide (5.9%), raspberry extract, witch hazel, glycerin, algae
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Brightening: Dr. Loretta Universal Glow Daily Defense SPF 40
Why it’s worth it: The girlies with dark spots or dull skin are primed to love the brightening formulation of Dr. Loretta’s Universal Glow Daily Defense, but the appeal of its ultra-glowy, white cast-free finish extends far beyond that. This formula is powered by antioxidant lipochrome, which provides tone-evening and radiance-boosting properties to make your complexion reach an all-time glow. You’ll also get a serving of ectoin, an amino acid that “helps protect cellular integrity in extreme weather conditions,” according to New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Shereene Idriss, MD. It also has a slight tint that allows it to blend quickly into a wide range of skin tones, including those with medium to deep skin.
“I’ve been in the beauty biz for, uh, longer than I’d like to admit—and I can attest that mineral sunscreens have gotten a whole lot better in recent years. This formula is case in point: It blends easily, imparts a natural-looking glow, and layers beautifully under makeup.”
- Key ingredients: zinc oxide (17%), lipochrome, ectoin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Skin: Kate Somerville HydraKate Illuminating SPF 50+ Drops
Why it’s worth it: 50% moisturizer, 50% sunscreen, and 100% in our top ten, meet Kate Somerville’s Hydrakate Illuminating SPF 50 Drops. This 2024 Best of Beauty-winner goes on totally clear, with just a touch of glow, and seeps in instantly. The formula is bolstered by anti-inflammatory ectoin, a free radical-fighting, soothing ingredient derived from healthy bacteria already found in your skin. “It’s an extremolyte, which is extracted from extremophilic microorganisms,” says Dr. Idriss, adding that ectoin can also protect skin during extreme weather conditions and eczema flare-ups.
“As a woman with brown skin, I usually run away from mineral sunscreen. Zinc? AHHHH! That’s a surefire way to look purple. This lightly tinted formula changed my mind. It’s got a watery consistency and blends seamlessly without leaving my skin looking dusty.”
- Key ingredients: non-nano zinc oxide (24.5%), ectoin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Sensitive Skin: EltaMD UV Skin Recovery Red Color Correcting Face Sunscreen SPF 50
Why it’s worth it: When redness rears its head, the mint-green tint of EltaMD’s UV Skin Recovery Red Color Correcting Sunscreen SPF 50 is armed and ready to neutralize. Our editors named this formula One to Watch for exactly that reason, plus an invisible finish that could rival that of a chemical sunscreen (without the chemical filters, of course). Its redness-minimizing powers come from Centella asiatica extract (also known as cica), which is also helpful for mitigating irritation. To double down on its soothing properties, this formula contains ceramides to support the skin barrier, coddle areas of sensitivity, and seal in much-appreciated moisture.
Tester feedback from Calaor
“When this first hit my desk, I thought, ‘It’s mineral and green? There’s no way this will blend with my skin.’ I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it melted onto my skin. It feels like a moisturizer and leaves no white, gray, or green cast. In fact, it helps color-correct the redness I regularly have on my cheeks and around my nose.”
- Key ingredients: zinc oxide (12.9%), Centella asiatica extract, ceramides
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Glowy: Kosas DreamBeam SPF 40 PA++++
Why it’s worth it: Another swoon-worthy tinted pick, Kosas’ Dreambeam’s non-comedogenic formula is as protective and pretty as it is healthy for your skin. Punched up with peptides, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, and ceramides, this hydrating mineral sunscreen hydrates as it imparts a glowy finish and just the right amount of super-sheer coverage. Wear it alone or as a luminous base under other makeup—it won’t pill or separate, which we very much appreciate.
“Yes, this was my favorite product of 2024 and I’m still using it well into 2025. The Kosas DreamBeam SPF 40 is everything I want in a sunscreen: glowy, lightweight, and never greasy. It melts into the skin like a hydrating serum but leaves behind the perfect dewy finish—no makeup needed at all. Plus, it’s packed with skin-loving ingredients like ceramides and peptides that keep my skin moisturized and bouncy all day. The mineral formula (with no white cast, by the way!) feels soothing, and the addition of niacinamide makes it a total win for calming redness. Honestly, it’s the one SPF I’m excited to reapply.”
- Key ingredients: non-nano zinc oxide (21.7%), ceramides, hyaluronic acid, peptides, allantoin
- Fragrance-free: yes
More mineral sunscreens we love:
- For an honest-to-goodness skin tint that doubles as an SPF, try Saie’s Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35—one of Shipin’s ride-or-die products. As its zinc oxide-based formula guards against skin-damaging UV rays, its 14 flexible tints work to even out discoloration and blemishes while still looking natural and non-cakey.
- Mature skin needs a sunscreen that treats accumulated damage, and that calls for Isdin’s Eryfotona Actinica Ultralight Emulsion SPF 50+. While anyone can enjoy this formula, it’s especially ideal for people treating substantial sun damage from burns and/or age spots caused by years in the sun. Also in the mix is vitamin E to repair barrier damage and guard against free radicals.
- Midday SPF touch-ups are made easy with the Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50. This convenient, self-dispensing brush shields skin with all-mineral UV filters and adds a dose of hydration, thanks to hyaluronic acid powder. (Pai loves that she can sweep it onto skin mid-pool day to re-up protection and sop up shine on her forehead.) The four shades, ranging from Fair to Deep, make reapplying sunscreen (every two hours or so) a piece of cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreens?
While chemical sunscreen features UV filters that absorb onto skin, mineral sunscreens sit on the surface of your skin, physically reflecting and scattering “a wide range of UV wavelengths,” as New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, explains. These wavelengths include UVB rays, which are responsible for sunburns, and UVA rays, which cause longer-term issues like hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and skin cancer.
According to Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Mudgil Dermatology in New York City, “Chemical-free sunscreens should only contain zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as their active ingredients.” (It’s important to note that hybrid formulas exist and contain the aforementioned ingredients plus chemical-based sunscreen compounds, so always triple-check the ingredients label.)
Who should use mineral sunscreen?
“Chemical sunscreens can be irritating and allergenic for some folks,” explains Dr. Mudgil. And it turns out that “some folks,” according to board-certified dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, MD, founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama, is a whopping “25% of all people,” he told Allure. If that statement rings true for you, it’s time to consider a physical sunscreen with non-chemical shields. They reduce the risk of irritation to practically zero, due to “organic, inert, and hypoallergenic” formulas, Dr. Mudgil explains. Incidentally, sunscreens that don’t contain chemical protectants are generally healthier for coral reefs. (In fact, Hawaii banned the sale of products with chemical filters oxybenzone and octinoxate altogether.) However, take the term “reef-safe” with a grain of salt, as it’s not regulated.
Meet the experts
- Morgan Rabach, MD, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City
- Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Mudgil Dermatology in New York City
- Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
