The best face SPF needs to contain UVA and UVB protection, which covers the two types of sun damage that can cause both skin cancer and premature ageing, and should be worn year-round. It should be applied as a final step in your skincare, and topped up regularly throughout the day. Enter, the best sunscreen sticks, which can be used for convenient, quick touch-ups.
Applied to the skin with a quick sweep, these solid balms make bolstering your sun-protection a breeze. Although, it is worth noting that they're best-suited to smaller areas of the skin, like the lips, tips of your ears, under-eye area and cheeks, and they wouldn’t be convenient as a replacement for the best body sunscreens.
As the name suggests, sunscreen sticks are blocks of SPF and offer mess-free application. They’re a staple for slinging in your handbag ahead of the morning commute, taking to the beach or using as a top-up after exercise.
Finding a sunscreen stick that feels comfortable on skin is easier than ever, with formulas for different skin types available, including sensitive, oily, and acne-prone. As a beauty expert, I know what to look for in hardworking, wearable skincare, and here, I’ve selected my pick of the best sunscreen sticks, rating and comparing them on application, feel and finish.
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The best sunscreen sticks for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Caudalie vinosun protect invisible stick, SPF50: £15, Sephora.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Soltan 8hr protect suncare stick, SPF50+: £7.50, Boots.com
- Best for around the eyes – Ultrasun lip protection sunscreen stick, SPF50: £8.80, Lookfantastic.com
- Best for moisturising – Supergoop! glow sunscreen stick, SPF50: £27, Spacenk.com
- Best for water resistance – Hello Sunday the take-out one invisible sunscreen stick: £12.95, Amazon.co.uk
Read more: 14 best face moisturisers with SPF, reviewed
Caudalie vinosun protect invisible stick
Best: sunscreen stick overall
Why we love it
- Suitable for sensitive skin
The rounded tip of Caudalie’s vinosun protect invisible stick sunscreen works well for applying to lips, around the eyes and on the ears, while the stick’s chunky shape is ideal for larger areas such as the forehead and cheeks. This formula is transparent on the skin, so it can be applied without a mirror when you’re on the move. The texture has the same smoothing benefits of a balm, without leaving any greasiness and without it sliding about – it sits in place both under and on top of make-up. The formula is moisturising, and my skin felt softened with use. It’s also comforting on the skin and lips, making it ideal for those with sensitive skin and for children.
Key specifications
Buy now £15, Sephora.co.uk
Soltan 8hr protect suncare stick
Best: budget sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Water- and sweat-resistant
- Generous size
Soltan’s 8hr protect suncare stick is a bargain buy that’s water- and sweat-resistant, with broad spectrum SPF50 protection. Although the holder is quite compact, the wide stick provides easy coverage of an area of skin in one sweep. The size is a generous 25g, so the purse-friendly price offers good value for money. The formula feels smoothing and gentle when applied and it’s suitable for sensitive skin.
I’ve been using this sunscreen stick on the whole family, with the comforting vegan-friendly formula easy for kids to grab and apply. It can be swiped onto wet skin, too, which is handy for pool time on holiday or while doing exercise. Although the stick is white, the formula goes on sheer, and it doesn’t leave any residue.
Key specifications
Buy now £7.5, Boots.com
Clarins invisible sun care stick
Best: smoothing sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Lovely scent
- Smooth coverage
- Works well with make-up
I was drawn immediately to the sunny orange formula of the Clarins invisible sun care stick, which has a summery fresh citrus scent. The packaging seems robust for chucking in my bag, and the twist-up tube releases just enough product at a time. It’s transparent on the skin and strikes the optimum balance in achieving smoothing coverage without creating excess shine. Because of that, the sunscreen didn’t cause my make-up base to slide off and instead added a subtle layer of SPF to be seamlessly topped up regularly.
Key specifications
Buy now £21.25, Amazon.co.uk
Ultrasun lip protection sunscreen stick, SPF 50
Best: sunscreen stick for around the eyes
Why we love it
- Great for top-ups around the eyes
- Nice scent
Although this is technically an SPF lip balm, I have also been using Ultrasun;s lip protection sunscreen stick for top-ups around the eyes. The twist-up SPF stick offers broad spectrum factor 50 protection, while including skin-soothing ingredients such as argan oil, vitamin E and shea butter. It glides or dabs onto the skin with ease, offering buildable product coverage that is lightweight on delicate skin around the eyes. I like the subtly sweet, creamy scent, too.
Key specifications
Buy now £11, Lookfantastic.com
Piz Buin mountain sun cream and lipstick
Best: multi-tasking sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Versatile option
Piz Buin’s mountain sun cream and lipstick is multi-tasking SPF that has two components – the nozzle, releasing SPF50 cream, and an SPF30 lipstick in the tube’s cap. You can alternate between the two, depending on which area of your face you’re focusing on.
The stick element is quite small in proportion to the rest of the SPF tube, but its rounded shape neatly hugs lips and leaves a thick creamy-scented coating, thanks to ingredients such as synthetic wax and vanilla. I appreciated this effect on days my lips were chapped.
Key specifications
Buy now £6.82, Amazon.co.uk
Sun Bum sunscreen face stick
Best: vegan sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Vegan-friendly
- Transparent
Sun Bum’s sunscreen stick face is a broad spectrum SPF30 that smells like banana and contains vitamin E and aloe, which are calming ingredients. The twist-up stick is very easy to use, releasing a transparent balm-like SPF, which I smoothed over the skin on my face. It’s quite handy to cover places such as the tops of ears, too.
I was careful to keep it out of direct sunlight when not in use, though, to prevent it from melting. A water-resistant vegan-friendly buy, the stick is also nice and light for carrying around.
Key specifications
Buy now £12.39, Amazon.co.uk
Hello Sunday the take-out one invisible sunscreen stick
Best: water-resistant sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Completely transparent
- Refreshing scent
- Great for sensitive skin
- Sweat- and water-resistant
Take note
- Slightly greasy
As the name suggests, Hello Sunday’s the take-out one invisible sunscreen stick is completely transparent on the skin. I’m a fan of the refreshing citrus scent, fun purple packaging, and how effortlessly the stick glides over both face and body. Lightweight and suitable for sensitive skin, the formula is infused with oils and has a slight greasiness – it works best on drier areas. Sweat- and water-resistant to boot, the substantial stick is a decent size, so it should last for ages.
Key specifications
Buy now £12.95, Amazon.co.uk
Sisley super sunscreen stick solaire teinte
Best: luxury sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Mineral sunscreen
- Matte finish
- Water-resistant
Sisley’s super sunscreen stick solaire teinte is a treat SPF buy that’s also tinted to cleverly double up as a demi-matte make-up base, which I was particularly impressed by. The mineral sunscreen includes moisturising ingredients, such as shea butter and mango seed butter, which I found softened the skin and balanced the complexion. The water-resistant formula is a smoothing, tinted SPF50 stick that stays put, without any product sliding off. I liked how fresh my skin looked with this on, too.
Key specifications
Buy now £98, Selfridges.com
Supergoop! glow sunscreen stick
Best: moisturising sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Broad spectrum
- Moisturising
- Non-greasy
- Doubles as a highlighter
Supergoop’s glow sunscreen stick is clear, broad-spectrum SPF presented in a twist-up tube, and has a moisturising finish from nourishing ingredients such as Amazonian oil. I saw a glowing effect, minus any excess product residue, and the formula absorbed into the skin without feeling greasy. As well as creating coverage across my face, I applied it to my neck, décolletage, and shoulders, as a sunscreen top-up throughout the day. I noticed a dewiness, and this stick doubled up as a highlighter for my cheekbones and Cupid’s bow.
Key specifications
Buy now £21.6, Sephora.co.uk
Coola classic sunscreen stick
Best: transparent sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Transparent
- Dreamy coconut scent
- Quick and easy top-ups
- Non greasy
This Coola number has a dreamy tropical coconut scent, which immediately gets me in the mood for summer – and it’s transparent on the skin, making for easy application. The twist-up stick is wide enough to offer generous coverage with one swipe, and I found it quick and easy to top up on the go. Thanks to the inclusion of fruit and seed oil extracts, the formula felt comforting on the skin, but there was no greasy residue or excess shine. Instead, I saw an invisible, moisturised layer that worked well on bare skin and over make-up.
Key specifications
Buy now £16.1, Amazon.co.uk
Glow Recipe watermelon dew balm
Best: scented sunscreen stick
Why we love it
- Light, fresh scent
- Includes skincare ingredients
Glow Recipe’s watermelon-scented SPF stick comes complete with skincare ingredients, including balancing niacinamide and hydration-promoting hyaluronic acid. The curved lid reveals a glossy transparent and slightly pink-tinted stick, which has a fruity fragrance instantly reminding me of summer.
I noted a glossy effect when applying the SPF and it has a lightweight, shiny finish. For this reason, it can cause make-up to slide a little, so, I’d not use this over a heavy base. I liked the light, sweet, fresh scent and the fact it’s invisible when applied to the skin.
Key specifications
Buy now £28.25, Amazon.co.uk
Shiseido clear suncare stick
Best: sunscreen stick for exercising
Why we love it
- Hydrating formula
- Works well over make-up
As well as providing SPF50 coverage, Shiseido’s clear suncare stick is water- and sweat-resistant, making it a practical pick for exercising, swimming, commuting and hot or rainy days. The twist-up stick has rounded edges for applying to lips, eyelids, ears and other small areas. But it also has a wide shape, easily gliding over cheeks, forehead and neck for top-ups.
As it’s completely transparent, there was no residue during testing, and I wore the SPF under and over make-up, applying it throughout the day. The SPF added a sheeny, weightless layer and left a slight dewy effect, which felt hydrating on dry skin.
Key specifications
Buy now £18.4, Amazon.co.uk
Sunscreen sticks FAQs
What is the best sunscreen stick?
My overall best buy is Caudalie’s vinosun protect SPF 50, thanks to its smoothing, water-resistant formula, which is an easy layer to apply over make-up or onto bare skin. Meanwhile, Soltan’s 8hr protect suncare stick, SPF 50+ is a budget buy that feels gentle on the skin and has a wide stick for simple application.
How do sunscreen sticks, creams and sprays compare?
When it comes to slathering on sun protection, there’s a huge range of products available, each with slightly different formulas, consistencies and application methods. While all offer protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, which type you opt for will depend on which part of the body you’re looking to cover and your preferred application method.
Sun creams: With a lotion-like consistency, sun creams are easy to apply liberally to the face and body, before rubbing the formula into the skin to protect it from the sun’s harmful rays.
Sunscreen sprays: For quick and easy application across the body, spray bottles are also available. However, you should avoid spraying your face directly - instead, spray the sunscreen onto the palm of your hand and then apply it to your face. Spray bottles also typically dispense less sunscreen at once, compared with squeezy lotion bottles, so, be sure you’re getting enough product onto the skin to protect it thoroughly.
Sunscreen sticks: Designed to cover smaller areas, such as lips, ears and the under-eye area, sunscreen sticks feature a balm-like consistency that won’t run, making them ideal for mess-free top-ups on the go.
How I tested sunscreen sticks
I spent several months sampling a selection of sunscreen sticks. From water-resistant picks to those with targeted skincare ingredients, I put lightweight, creamy, smoothing, and transparent sunscreen formulas to the test. This was my criteria.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
With more than 16 years of experience in the media sphere, Helen Wilson-Beevers has written about skincare and make-up for the likes of Glamour and The Independent, and has garnered experience interviewing the pros, including MUA Katie Jane Hughes. When it comes to sunscreen sticks, Helen knew which brands to steer towards (and away from...) having tested everything from the best sunscreens for sensitive skin to new SPF releases.
Read more: 12 best sunscreens for kids, tested
