Dermatologists Say These Sunscreens for Mature Skin Protect and Ward Off Lines and Sunspots (2025)

We can use all the top anti-aging ingredients, tools, and treatments, but if we're not applying sunscreen, then we're not protecting our investment in our skin. And while everyone, no matter skin tone, type, or age, can benefit from daily SPF application, it's especially important for people who are concerned about fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots, says Neera Nathan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. In fact, she says, daily sunscreen doesn't just protect against skin damage, collagen loss, and skin cancer, it actually improves your skin tone and texture.

To find the right formula for you, there are two non-negotiables: it must be broad-spectrum (if it isn't, it doesn't protect you from the UV rays that age the skin), and it must be an SPF 30 or above. Even better for mature skin is a hydrating formula that has antioxidants to protect the skin from free radicals. However, "the best sunscreen is the sunscreen you will wear," Nathan says. "If your sunscreen is a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or more, then it's all about finding a texture and finish that you like and can commit to using daily." Ahead, we spoke with dermatologists to see what sunscreens they like to use and recommend to keep mature skin protected, healthy, and radiant.

If your mature skin has significant sun damage, then a formula with DNA repair enzymes is key, says board-certified dermatologist Elizabeth Hale, MD. It enhances protection and prevents further DNA damage and cell death when applied daily. This formula also has a subtle tint to help even out your skin tone and create a soft, glowy finish. It's oil-free and fragrance-free, making it great for sensitive skin. Mary Lupo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New Orleans, is also a big fan of this formula.

Another one of Hale's go-to SPF's is this hybrid formula, which combines mineral and chemical filters to offer full protection. You can use it on your face and body, and it's budget-friendly at less than twenty dollars. The texture blends in easily into the skin and doesn't feel sticky or greasy. Like all of CeraVe’s formulas, it's suitable for sensitive skin and contains beneficial skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and ceramides.

"I suggest sunscreens that support the skin’s natural barrier while providing daily sun protection, and this is a great option," says Glynis Ablon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. "It’s lightweight, gentle, and specifically designed for sensitive or mature skin. It also includes soothing vitamin E and prebiotics to help restore and maintain the skin barrier. You can layer it over your daily moisturizer for an extra boost of hydration and protection."

Yes, this is a splurge, but Lupo swears by its multitasking formula and says it's a great SPF-meets-moisturizer formula that wears beautifully under makeup. It's also full of ingredients that those of us with mature skin will appreciate, such as brightening vitamin C, a blend of peptides that help reduce the look of lines and wrinkles, antioxidants to protect against environmental aggressors, and plant extracts that boost plumpness and hydration.

Plankton-derived photolyase helps repair existing sun damage, which is why Hale highly recommends this formula. Vitamin E is both hydrating (ideal for mature skin) and an antioxidant that protects the skin. The texture is ultra lightweight and blends quickly into the skin, so it's great for a wide range of skin tones. It also doesn't feel tacky, heavy, or greasy.

Nava Greenfield, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, recommends cream-based sunscreens for mature skin because they tend to be more hydrating. She loves this mineral version because "it’s thick but it rubs in well without feeling greasy and it has broad-spectrum UV coverage," she says. It's also gentle and soothing for sensitive skin. You can use this on your face and body (making it great for travel!), and you can conveniently find it at your local drugstore.

Another of Greenfield's go-to picks is this mineral formula packed with rosehip oil, a nourishing and lightweight ingredient with omegas 3, 6, and 9 that help firm the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Parsley seed extract is rich in antioxidants to protect the skin, and hydrating hyaluronic acid helps improve the appearance of dullness and dryness. "It's going to hydrate mature skin and make your complexion look plump and radiant," she says. It blends easily into different skin tones, and you can use it on your face and body.

If you have sensitive skin, you'll love this dermatologist-recommended pick. Why? You can find it at any local drugstore for a budget-friendly price, and it's a super gentle formula that offers excellent protection. "It's an all-mineral sunscreen that has an invisible, lightweight finish that blends well on all skin tones," says Nathan. "The fragrance-free formula also has vitamin E, which hydrates without feeling greasy or heavy." If you have very dry skin, she recommends using this option on top of your moisturizer for extra hydration and a subtle, radiant finish.

Combine two steps in one with this multitasking formula. It's hydrating enough to use in place of your daily moisturizer, but it also gives the protection of sunscreen to keep skin healthy. Collagen and peptides, gold-star ingredients that help firm the look of your complexion, are combined with hyaluronic acid, apple, and watermelon extract to act like a tall glass of water for dry and dehydrated skin. Apply this in the morning for more radiant, even, and smoother-looking skin.

Our editors (of all ages) agree that this might be our favorite tinted SPF formula of all time. Our top reasons: it's hydrating, fragrance-free, and easy to spread; it has enough of a tint to even out skin and double as a sheer foundation; and it protects us from not just UV light but also blue and infrared light. It makes my complexion look smoother and more luminous, says beauty director Kate Sandoval Box. In addition to zinc, the formula is chock-full of antioxidants and ecotin to further protect the skin against harmful external factors.

For those who hate the feeling of sunscreen sitting on top of your face, you'll love this transparent, lightweight gel. It absorbs quickly into the skin and effectively blurs any texture, so it doubles as a great makeup primer, too. The formula is fortified with additional protective ingredients, like vitamin C, green tea extract, carrot seed extract, and red raspberry seed oil, to condition the skin and protect against future signs of aging.

This lightweight face lotion is packed with antioxidants to help reduce the look of existing signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. It also hydrates the skin because it contains hyaluronic acid. And even though it's a chemical SPF, which can be irritating to some skin types, this formula is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and free of common allergens, such as fragrance, parabens, dyes, and phthalates. The texture seamlessly blends into the skin without feeling heavy, greasy, or sticky.

YSE (pronounced wise) is Molly Sims' brainchild, and this formula is one of our favorites from the collection and a 2024 Sun O-ward winner. It's an SPF and makeup primer that helps reduce the look of existing sunspots and prevents new ones from forming with the help of ingredients like niacinamide, spirulina extract, and sodium hyaluronate. “The tint is more beige than brown and blends into my skin without leaving any white cast,” says Shelby Copeland, Oprah Daily community manager. “Instead, it gives me a gleam-y finish that works nicely with the makeup I apply on top. I love it.”

Infused with collagen peptides, this milky serum helps to promote a more even skin tone and texture and reverse the look of fine lines, wrinkles, sunspots, and dullness while hydrating skin and leaving behind a radiant finish. The texture is lightweight and easy to blend into your skin, but it still feels hydrating enough to replace your daily moisturizer, especially as you switch to lighter formulas during the summer.

There are almost too many good-for-you skincare ingredients in this tinted mineral formula to count, but here are the highlights: Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate is a powerful form of vitamin C that brightens and evens out the skin tone. Tocopherol acetate, a form of vitamin E, gives this formula a moisturizing feel and texture. And antioxidants, like resveratrol and glutathione, defend the skin against free radical damage. Ash Soni, M.D., handed me this formula to protect my mature skin and help prevent my melasma (uneven, brown patches on my cheeks) from flaring, says Sandoval Box. It’s lovely and checks all the boxes for keeping skin healthy, hydrated, and even.

Our beauty team is dedicated to finding you the best of the best formulas. We spoke with dermatologists to learn about what to look for in a sunscreen for mature skin and got their go-to recommendations. We also researched and tested top-rated and brand-new formulas that hit the market to help you find the best products out there.