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TAMU | Style > Beauty

The Best Sun Protection on a Budget

Annika Wooten Student Contributor, Texas A&M University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As summer approaches, many people are eager to achieve a sun-kissed glow and avoid painful sunburns. This guide will discuss the importance of skin protection and recommend products to consider, which are all budget-friendly options for purchasing. 

Let’s highlight the significance of sun protection

With longer days and warmer weather on the horizon, this is especially important. Whether going to the beach, tanning at the pool, hanging out at a park, or simply walking around the outlet mall, sun protection is always important and should be kept in mind. With a bit of research, we see that doing things like adding sunscreen to your morning skincare routine “helps prevent sunburn, skin cancer, and premature aging” according to the Johns Hopkins Medical Article. With just a simple light sunscreen applied in the morning, you can help keep your skin glowing and still soak up those sunrays while helping keep your skin healthy. And never forget you need sunscreen for your lips, too! 

Now, let’s discuss what sunscreens you can buy on a budget

And remember, sunscreen is not just for the face. If you need a good, affordable sunscreen to add to your skincare routine to help keep your skin healthy, a good lip balm with SPF, or just an affordable sunscreen for going to the pool, here are the sunscreens I personally recommend. 

For the face – Elf: 

Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen SPF 35

Reviews: 4.7 Stars on the Elf website, invisible look, great under makeup, and no scent.

Personal review: I love most Elf products, and as someone with sensitive skin, I absolutely love this one. It keeps my skin from feeling oily, as some sunscreens can, and it is excellent when makeup is applied. I also am not a big fan of sunscreens with a strong smell, so if you’re like me, I highly recommend this product. (Plus, it’s only $14). 

Suntouchable Invisi-Stick SPF 50

Reviews: 4.7 stars on Elf website, light scent, nice application, convenient, great texture, and high SPF.  

Personal review: This is my absolute favorite sunscreen. It’s small enough to fit in my bag on the go, and since it’s a stick, it’s so easy to apply. I haven’t had a single issue using it before my makeup, and I love it. It doesn’t leave a weird texture on my skin and practically needs no rubbing in. If you often forget to do that morning application, I think this is such a convenient, affordable option at $14 to throw in your bag for everyday use. 

You can buy these products at Target, Elfcosmetics.com, Ulta, CVS, Amazon, HEB, eBay, and other retailers.

For the body – Blue Lizard Sunscreen:

Blue Lizard Sheer Face Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion

Reviews: I checked a few different websites, such as Ulta, Walgreens, and Walmart, and couldn’t find reviews. However, Amazon has many reviews on different Blue Lizard products.

Personal Review: Despite the lack of online reviews, Blue Lizard is my number-one choice for an all-body sunscreen. It smells good, rubs in quickly, and is the favorite in my family with people of multiple ages. It is super good for sensitive skin, and, at only $15.99, and has a great amount of product. 

Blue Lizard Sport Mineral SPF 50 Spray

Reviews: 4.4 stars on Amazon, stays on for a long time, not super heavy but still a little thicker than other spray sunscreens, good for those who surf, easy to use, and a light smell. 

Personal Review: I love having the spray for easy application, and it’s super convenient if you are with your friends and want to share one bottle of sunscreen without needing to reapply a ton. It is a bit pricer than the other options at $18.57 (price from Amazon), but It is still a good product if you prefer sprays over lotion, and it is great for swimming! 

You can buy these products at Walmart, Amazon, Ulta, Kroger, Target, and bluelizardsunscreen.com. 

Lastly, for the lips – SunBum:

Lip 30 – Moisturizing Sunscreen Lip Balm

Reviews: 4.4 stars on Sunbum.com, long-lasting, great for trips, easy application, and hydrating.  

Personal review: This is my favorite lip balm for trips or when I know I’ll be in the sun all day. It can be found at many stores. It is excellent for taking with you, doesn’t taste bad, and only costs $4.99. It is hydrating, doesn’t leave your lips feeling gross, and lasts quite a long time. 

You can buy it at Target, Ulta, CVS, Amazon, Kroger, and sunbum.com. 

That wraps up my recommendations! As always, this is my opinion, and you can do more research on any of these products by clicking on the links or visiting the other places where you can buy them. 

Annika Wooten

TAMU '28

Annika Wooten is a member of the Events committee. She helps plan and host events, study dates, socials and, of course, participates in them. Beyond Her Campus, Annika is a business major on the marketing track. She is also involved in IBA (International Business Association), which is a global business program focused on helping involve study-abroad students and educating domestic students on the benefits and possibilities of foreign education in all sorts of countries through professors' and students' experiences. She was also involved in FALL, a freshman leadership program (aka FLO), in the first semester and was part of the social committee, which helped her to become familiar with planning, hosting, and budgeting different events. In her free time, Annika enjoys cooking all sorts of dishes, painting, baking, sculpting, and doing various things with her friends, whether it be Friendsgiving, Galentines, movie nights, or so much more. Some fun facts about her include that she is a level one certified florist and loves making arrangements, that she is learning Japanese to study abroad one day, that she lived near a river, so she grew up swimming and camping, and that her dream pet is either a ferret or a bunny.