Ask any dermatologist: The fact that we need to wear sunscreen is not up for debate. But finding the best sunscreen isn’t easy—there’s a reason people hate the stuff. Sunscreen has a bad rap for being chalky, greasy, and generally all-around annoying. Add in the fact that the FDA is currently investigating the safety of common sunscreen ingredients (more on that below), and it makes the task of choosing an effective sunscreen that looks and feels good on even more complicated. 

The good news, though, is that the latest generation of formulas will change the way you feel about slathering up. We know because we asked dermatologists to recommend the SPFs they swear by, then our editors put those formulas to the test to see which ones fit our extremely picky criteria. But before we get on to our sunscreen reviews, here’s everything you need to consider to find the best sunscreen for you.