So, you've *finally* booked that holiday, congrats! The next step? Making sure to pack enough sun cream so you're not turning lobster red on day one. Trust us, it won't be fun. Other than remembering to pack your passport (vital, according to airport security), getting the right SPF in your suitcase is key to a happy sun-safe holiday.
Whether you prefer lotions, creams, sprays or oils, we've got you covered to keep sun damage to a minimum. So you can still get that well-deserved vitamin D and bronze your limbs, without the worry.
We've tried and tested the best sun creams out there. Below are the ones we don't mind sacrificing our stingy luggage allowance for (which says a lot).
Best body sun creams to buy
Clarins Sun Care Body Cream SPF30, £26
This soft cream melts like butter onto limbs and leaves skin hydrated well after that post-beach shower. For an SPF30 it's surprisingly lightweight and avoids skin feeling sticky or greasy – vital if you're chucking on clothes straight after. The packaging itself has been created in partnership with Plastic Odyssey and features recycled materials.
Caudalie Vinosun Very High Protection Sun Water SPF 50+, £32
Caudalie Caudalie Vinosun Very High Protection Sun Water SPF 50+ - 150ml
If you're a fan of an oil, this nourishing vegan water is going to be right up your street. Not only does it leave you smelling of expensive holidays (we swear it's a Tom Ford fragrance dupe), but this also provides you with a high UV protection of SPF50+, while still feeling almost undetectable on skin. Just shake and spritz.
Vichy Capital Soleil Hydrating Sun Protection Water Spray SPF50 with Hyaluronic Acid, £19.50
Vichy Capital Soleil Solar Protective Water Hydrating SPF50 200ml
As someone with chronically dry skin, I need a little help in the moisture department when I'm on holiday, so I don't resemble a dehydrated SpongeBob SquarePants. This features our fave hydrating ingredient, hyaluronic acid, as well as Vichy's go-to volcanic water (I know, fancy, right?) to keep limbs looking glossy. Just give this guy a little shake and spritz away ti your heart's content. If the SPF50 sun protection wasn't enough, I am pleased to report this doesn't leave your clothes with any yellowish stains either.
Lancaster Sun Beauty Body Milk SPF30, £28
Lancaster Lancaster Sun Beauty Body Milk SPF30 250ml
This silky milky texture is ultra-lightweight and aids in providing skin with a perfectly golden tan for longer. The formula itself is both water and sweat-resistant, meaning you won't have to reapply constantly throughout the day. Best of all? It left skin with a velvety sheen with a plush-like softness. Did we mention it's vegan and ocean-friendly, too?
Ultra Violette Extreme Screen Hydrating Body and Hand Skinscreen, £55
Fed up of packing multiple sun cream bottles in your suitcase? This offering from Ultra Violette comes in a mammoth 500ml bottle to keep you going for a while; whether it's a family holiday or a group vacay with your mates. It's lightweight in texture (nope, this doesn't require vigorous rubbing to get rid of that signature SPF white cast) and offers up to four hours' worth of water resistance. It features a subtle shimmery sheen too, so you'll be *literally* glowing.
Nivea Sun Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF50+, £5.99
We can't mention sun cream without talking about Nivea. Not only has the iconic scent of their sun care range become the signature smell of summer, but their hydrating high-protection formulas never fail us. This promises to provide you with 48 hours' worth of hydration and be 100% water-resistant whilst doing so. The formula itself is free from all the chemicals that cause the ocean to suffer (octocrylene, oxybenzone, microplastics – you get the gist), so you know no Nemo's are being harmed whilst enjoying your afternoon swim.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Body Mist SPF50+, £23.90
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light SPF50+ Sun Protection Spray
Find sun creams spark sensitivity? This is your guy. Despite its spray format, the product itself coats skin in its nourishing balmy texture that protects against UVA and UVB rays. It's also got the brand's signature calming Thermal Spring Water in the mix to help soothe any irritation.
NUXE Sun SPF50 High Protection Melting Lotion, £23
NUXE NUXE Sun SPF50 High Protection Melting Lotion
The ultimate 2-in-1, this lotion can be used on both the body and face, so you save some sacred space in your luggage. This grease-free sun cream leaves you with a healthy-looking sheen, whilst protecting against UVA and UVB rays. It combines a cocktail of vitamin E and rice extracts (known for reducing UV damage and brightening the skin) to help take care of skin whilst you lounge on your hammock.
Sun Bum Original Moisturizing Sun Cream Spray SPF50, £19.99
Sun Bum Sun Bum Original Moisturizing Sun Cream Spray SPF 50 Vegan Cruelty Free 170g
With this dreamy vegan mist applying SPF has never been so easy. The sheer formula leaves a moisturising veil over the skin but dries down a few seconds later, so you don't end up coating your clothes in grease. Not only does it leave you with a yummy coconut-ty scent, but it also claims to be water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Coola Classic SPF50 Body Sun Cream Spray, £20
Coola Coola Classic SPF 50 Body Sun Cream Spray, Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB Protection Sunscreen, Reef Friendly and Vegan, Guava and Mango, 177 ml
Fancy a cool down? This cruelty-free SPF50 spray instantly cools and soothes heated skin and includes a 70% organic formula. This one also aims to stay water-resistant for 80mins and is certified as Hawaii Reef Compliant. Plus, the guava and mango scent option just smells like it deserves to be in your beachside cocktail.
Piz Buin Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF50+, £8
Aiming to be both fast-absorbing and non-sticky, this silky-soft lotion quenches thirsty skin in a jiffy and stays put whilst you're busy swimming and sweating in that glorious sun. It protects against both UVA and UVB and includes hydrating glycerin and protective vitamin E, so your skin will thank you long after you've stepped out of the sun.
Ambre Solaire Ultra-Hydrating Shea Butter Sun Protection Cream SPF50+, £12
Garnier Ambre Solaire Ultra-Hydrating Shea Butter Sun Protection Cream SPF50
Enriched with sustainably sourced shea butter, this formula will help to prevent any cracked dry skin, while offering protection from UVA and UVB rays. It features Garnier's signature SPF scent, plus it's water-resistant and absorbs into skin quicker than you can say "Margarita, por favour".
Heliocare 360 Invisible Spray SPF50, £23.20
This sand-resistant formula is jam-packed with antioxidant ingredients such as vitamins C and E, as well as green tea, to give you a two-pronged approach to fighting sun damage. Despite its high SPF50 protection, this feels like a refreshing lightweight mist when applied and doesn't leave any sticky residue behind on skin or clothes.
E45 Sun Body Cream Spray for Sensitive Skin. Hydrating Sun Spray with very high UVA and UVB protection and SPF 50, £9.99
E45 Sun Body Cream Spray for Sensitive Skin. Hydrating Sun Spray with very high UVA and UVB protection and SPF 50+
Eczema and sun cream often don't mix (hello, sweat-induced rash). This E45 number is specifically designed with sensitive troublesome skin in mind and is totally fragrance-free and is also lightweight and fast-absorbing, to prevent skin from getting hot and bothered. No clamminess to see here.
Charlotte Bitmead (she/her) is the Senior Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. She has over six years experience writing about beauty and has previously written for ELLE and The Sunday Times Style, covering everything from politics to sustainability to inclusivity within the beauty industry. When she’s not writing in-depth features, testing out the newest skincare fad or trying to decide what nail art to get, you can find her overspending in bookshops or shouting at Arsenal matches. Find her on LinkedIn
