Dermatologist-tested best sunscreens of 2020 (and my personal picks)

2022 Update: 5 Best Lab Tested Sunscreens for 2022

With so many sunscreen options available, which ones truly offer the best UVA and UVB protection? I shared a sunscreen guide that goes into details of how to pick the best sunscreen a while back, along with the top picks according to renowned Taiwanese dermatologist Dr. Pin-Chi Chiu.

However it’s been a few years since that post, but luckily Dr. Chiu continued his independent sunscreen testing this year, and I’ll be sharing the top 11 picks with their Boots Star ratings and critical wavelength. But first a quick refresher:

Boots Star ratings & critical wavelength

What is the Boots Star rating?

Boots Star rating measures the % of UVA that’s been absorbed compared to UVB rays (source), so in a sense it measure the evenness of the UV protection. These tests are done in vitro using machines. The closer the UVA/UVB ratio is to 1, the more stars a sunscreen gets.

Eg: Sunscreen A has SPF50 and ★★, which means that it’s probably around PPD4 – 10. Sunscreen B also has SPF50 but ★★★, which means it’s around PPD11 – 23, that’s a big difference! (1, 2)

What is critical wavelength?

Critical wavelength (CW) is used to determine whether a not the sunscreen is broad spectrum. Tests are done in vitro by exposing the sunscreen to different UV wavelengths to see how much of the UV radiation is absorbed. The wavelength at which the sunscreen reaches 90% absorption is the critical wavelength/CW.

For reference, UVB rays range from 290 – 320nm, while UVA rays range from 320 – 400nm. So the higher the CW a sunscreen has, the more UVA protection you’re getting.

11 best sunscreens revealed

1. ISISPHARMA Neotone Radiance SPF 50+
   ★★★★★ // CW 381nm
   Available at eBay, Amazon, study
2. Avène Very High Protection B-Protect SPF 50+
   ★★★★★ // CW 383nm
   Available at Look Fantastic, Care2Beauty, Escentual, Beauty Expert
3. Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense SPF30
   ★★★★ // CW 379nm
   Available at Paula’s Choice, Amazon, SkinStore, Dermstore
4. Avène Cleanance Very High Protection Sunscreen SPF50+
   ★★★★ // CW 382nm
   Available at Escentual, Care2Beauty, Boots
5. Paula’s Choice Super Light Wrinkle Defense SPF30
   ★★★★ // CW 377nm
   Available at Paula’s Choice, Dermstore, Nordstrom, Amazon, Skinstore
6. Bioderma Photoderm Max Aquafluid SPF50+
   ★★★★ // CW 381nm // PA++++
   Available at Care2Beauty, Escentual, Look Fantastic
7. La Roche-Posay UVIdea XL Melt-In Cream Tint SPF50+
   ★★★★ // CW = 381nm // PPD33
   Available at BeautyBox Korea, eBay
8. A-Derma Protect Invisible Fluid SPF50+
   ★★★★ // CW 381nm
   Available at Care2Beauty, Amazon
9. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Shaka Fluid SPF50+
   ★★★★ // CW 381nm // PPD46
   Available at Escentual, eBay
10. Avène Very High Protection Cream SPF 50+
    ★★★★ // CW 383nm
    Available at Beauty Expert, Look Fantastic, Escentual
11. Nivea Sun UV Face Shine Control SPF50+
    ★★★★ // CW 381nm
    Available at Boots, eBay, Carethy

Not surprising, European formulas dominated this list, especially the French brand Avène. They have several more sunscreens with ★★★★ and CW 381nm that are listed in the full list below!

I was also surprised to see Paula’s Choice among the top picks, as US sunscreens are usually bleh. While their SPF is lower, the high Boots Star ratings mean that their UVA protection is still superior to other products with the same SPF. Their Super Light Wrinkle Defense SPF30 is also the only mineral sunscreen to have ★★★★.

As for popular Japanese sunscreen brands like Shiseido’s Anessa and Senka, and Biore, they were once again near the bottom with just ★★. Some of them didn’t even pass the broad spectrum test!

My Personal Picks

So I’ve only tried 2 of the 11 sunscreens listed, and I think for everyday use, most of them are actually an overkill. ★★★ or even ★★ sunscreens (see full list below) are sufficient for daily activities when you’re mostly indoors, as long as you apply enough!

Everyday sunscreens

Previously I’ve listed the Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence and the Purito Centella Green Level Unscented Sun, both SPF50+ PA++++, as my recommendations.

However in light of independent lab tests that showed Purito with SPF19 instead of SPF50+, I’ve removed this and the Klairs sunscreen, which both use the same 2 filters and are reported to be made in the same lab.

Until further notice, I will recommend my new favorite, the Kanebo Allie Extra UV Gel N (review here). While it’s not as strong as European sunscreens, it’s just as elegant as the Klairs/Purito and with better protection.

Outdoors Sunscreens

La Roche-Posay UVIdea XL Melt-In Cream Tint SPF50+
A top 11 pick! I call this my city life sunscreen as it’s great for when I’ll be out and need some light coverage. It’s not water-resistant so I wouldn’t use it for intense outdoor activities or on super hot days. The tint matches my NC20 skin tone well, but I’m not sure how it’ll work for darker skin tones.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Shaka Fluid SPF50+
Another top 11 pick and my all time holy grail sunscreen. I always bring this when I travel and I credit it to me not getting any sun damage (burns or tans) on any of my trips. Despite its strong protection, it’s not heavy or uncomfortable at all, plus it layers well under makeup. This is also water-resistant!

I highly recommend a separate sunscreen for outdoor use, otherwise you can risk some serious sun damage!

Full list of sunscreen ratings

Translated from Dr. Chiu’s list. I’ve excluded the ones listed earlier and marked mineral sunscreens with **.

PA/PPD ratings displayed are from the brand and not the result of Dr. Chiu/SGS’s independent testing. Are they accurate? Sadly we don’t know for sure.