(Beauty)

These Are The Best Moisturizers With SPF To Help You Simplify Your Morning Routine

by Katie Stanovick and Olivia Young

Updated: Feb. 20, 2024

Originally Published: July 11, 2020

The best SPF-containing moisturizer for you depends on the season and your sun exposure

We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

Even though 10-step skincare regimes are commonplace, sometimes you don't want to layer product after product on your skin. Call it laziness, simplification, or whatever you want, but that's where twofers like primer serums, and even four-fers like BB creams, come into play. And out of all the combo products, it's the best moisturizers with SPF that are, undoubtedly, the most helpful.

Why? Because even though everyone knows (ev.ry.one) that SPF is a daily must-have no matter the weather and no matter the skin tone, it still frequently gets bypassed in morning routines. Which can be chalked up to the unappealing aspects of sunscreen — namely casts, greasiness, and dehydrating formulas. But when it's already built into your moisturizer, those concerns largely disappear.

As the name implies, these are moisturizers with SPF, meaning they are moisturizers first. So products like Peter Thomas Roth's Water Drench Hyaluronic Hydrating Moisturizer SPF 45 is made with mega-moisture retaining ingredient hyaluronic acid while Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream SPF 30 has actual glacier-derived proteins. And with the many other ingredients that are blended into the chemical or mineral sunscreen formulas, the white cast or shadow blends away.

Sun-protecting moisturizers tend to range in SPF from 15 to 50, so choosing one that's right for you depends mostly on your degree of exposure; what works in January may not suffice for a mid-July beach day. (Also note that the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using SPF 30 or higher with broad-spectrum protection, so you may need to supplement your moisturizer with additional sunscreen if its number does fall on the lower end.) With that in mind, keep scrolling to find the double-duty formula that's right for your morning routine.

We only include products that have been independently selected by The Zoe Report's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

specific beauty

Active Radiance Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30

$46

Made with SPF 30, this oil-free moisturizer quickly absorbs into the skin and protects against photo-aging UVA rays and burn-causing UVB. Your skin will also appreciate the concoction of hydrating ingredients like niacinamide, linoleic acid, and licorice and emblica extracts.

charlotte tilbury

Magic Cream Light SPF 20

$100

Based off of Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream, this new, more lightweight version will not only help protect your skin from the sun with SPF 20, but pollution and blue light damage, as well. It's rich in vitamin E and peptides to keep skin hydrated without leaving a heavy or greasy feel.

Peter Thomas roth

Water Drench Hyaluronic Hydrating Moisturizer SPF 45

$52

This moisturizer has two powerhouse ingredients — a hyaluronic acid complex and the plant-derived pentavitin — that lock in moisture for up to 72 hours. Hence, the name water drench. Best of all, it doesn't skimp on sun protection; offering SPF 45 for both UVA and UVB rays.

la roche-posay

Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer UV SPF 30

$19.99

Usually if your moisturizer had bacteria in it, it would be cause to toss it, but not with this one. Formulated with Prebiotic Thermal Water that feeds your skin's microbiome (in a good way), this moisturizer keeps skin looking fresh. Which is also in part because of its SPF 30.

supergoop!

Superscreen Daily Moisturizer

$38

At Supergoop!, the minimum for all SPF products to be effective is 30, and this one rings in at 40 — giving you ample sun protection. The most hyped up part about this reef-safe formula, though? It's lightweight, making it a perfect pre-makeup base.

Black Opal

EVEN TRUE Nutritive Skin Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 15

$11.95

Although smaller on the broad spectrum scale, this moisturizer still boasts a respectable SPF 15. In the hydrating department, though, it's anything but small. It's made with shea and cocoa butter along with African-origin oils that keep skin smooth and soft.

CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ

Protective Fortifying Cream SPF 22

$160

Treat yourself — and your skin — to this luxury face cream that conveniently also has SPF 22. The formula doesn't just enhance your skin or protect it, it's made with the brand's Skin-Empowering Illuminator that works with your skin's natural defenses for a smoother and a more even texture.

kiehl's

Ultra Facial Cream SPF 30

$53

When it comes to cream-based moisturizers, this Kiehl's formula is a fan favorite. Mainly because it's hydrating without being too greasy or heavy. The key ingredient, Glacial Glycoprotein (derived from sea glaciers), protects the skin and prevents water loss.

nyraju skincare

Daytime Solar Defense Mineral Moisturizer SPF 30

$40

Made specifically with African American skin in mind, there's no need to worry about the pesky white cast that sometimes comes with sunscreen. The brand uses titanium and zinc as sun-blockers while seaweed and aloe vera are the key hydrators.

Shiseido

WASO: Color-Smart Day Moisturizer Oil-Free SPF 30 Sunscreen

$38

What's better than a two-in-one? A three-in-one: moisturizer, tint, and SPF 30. This triple-duty product is made with Japanese loquat leaf, to control oil, and peony root extract, to even out the skin. And when it comes to the tint, reviewers say it works across skin tones, just make sure to rub it all the way in.

cosmedix

Peptide-Rich Defense Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen

$58

With an SPF rating as high as 50, this moisturizer from CosMedix is practically straight up sunscreen. However, it brings just as much skincare as sun care; it's made with peptides to restore skin cells, moringa oil to hydrate, and algae extract to increase skin firmness.

This article was originally published on July 11, 2020