These Are the Very Best New Sunscreens of 2021

Because if we’re going to be wearing SPF indoors, it might as well feel (and look!) great.

You already know that unless you’re nowhere near a window at any point during the day (in which case, please seek some light?!) you should still be wearing SPF daily, even if you’re indoors. But while you may have formerly put up with some less-than-ideal sunscreen formulations when we were out and about (remember being out and about?) or at the beach on a scorching hot day, brushing off the harsh scents or slight white tints as inevitable, borderline charming parts of summer, this year your expectations are higher. We get it! If you’re going to wear SPF while stuck indoors, it better look and feel good to wear. Sound like a tall order? No problem. We’ve rounded up the very best sunscreen launches of 2021 that you’ll actually enjoy reaching for each morning.

Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF 40

When cult favourite sunscreen brand Supergoop! first launched in Canada last year, we could hardly wait to get our hands on the brand’s selection of SPF products that actually make sun protection fun (no, really!). Our fave launch yet? The brand’s Glowscreen SPF 40+ ($48), released at the beginning of this year. The hydrating sunscreen has a pearlescent finish that leaves skin seriously glowing and luminous. No highlighter needed.

Blue Lizard Sunscreen

Beloved Australian sunscreen brand Blue Lizard has finally made its way to Canada. “Throughout our entire heritage we’ve taken dermatologists [views] into consideration, whether it be for product testing or selling exclusively through dermatologists’ offices [which at one point, was how the brand was distributed] in the U.S.,” says Andrew Lipscomb, Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen brand manager. The brand’s portfolio of mineral sunscreens clocks in at under $15 for a standard 3 oz. tube, making these sunscreens accessible and affordable for the whole family.

Vichy LiftActiv Specialist SPF 30 Sunscreen

The latest SPF offering from Vichy is the brand’s LiftActiv Specialist SPF 30 Sunscreen ($62), which launched this past spring. The moisturizing lotion features high UVA protection, powerful active ingredients like vitamin C, peptides, hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid, and broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection.

Olay Regenerist Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

Olay launched its first mineral sunscreen this year as a response to a study of 4,000 U.S. women, which found that 70 percent of women prefer a mineral-based sunscreen, but more than half haven’t found a mineral sunscreen they like due to greasiness, white casts, lack of additional benefits, and difficulty blending. Olay’s non-greasy formula is ultra-moisturizing and spreads evenly and easily, so you can avoid that dreaded white cast that often appears with less sophisticated mineral sunscreen formulas.

Sonrei Sea Clearly Gel Sunscreen SPF 30

Sonrei’s Sea Clearly Gel Sunscreen SPF 30 ($35 USD) is a sunscreen lover’s dream, thanks to its translucent gel formula that features vitamins C and E, plus ferulic acid. It’s super spreadable, gentle on skin, and of course, goes on totally clear.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Fluid Body SPF50+

La Roche-Posay just launched a body version of its favourite Anthelios Ultra-Fluid Body SPF50+ ($36) and we’re already obsessed. Featuring high UVA and UVB protection (recommended by the Canadian Dermatology Association) and specifically developed for sensitive skin, it’s everything we like about the brand’s face SPF but…bigger. What’s not to love?

Lotus Aroma Daily Sunscreen SPF 30

Lotus Aroma’s just-launched Daily Mineral Sunscreen ($30) features organic aloe vera and soybean oil to hydrate as it protects (not to mention deliver a glorious dose of healing antioxidants). The formula is safe to use during pregnancy and is so gentle it can even be used on babies older than six months. So go on and reapply (and then reapply some more).