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Doctorly's Sunscreen Picks: What Two Dermatologists Really Look For

After 57 reviews, Doctorly's approvals keep pointing toward one thing above all else: a finish that actually blends.

Doctorly · 57 products reviewed · 115 mentions analyzed · Last reviewed 21 September 2026
79%Guru Score
45 Yay8 Mixed4 Nay

Doctorly are two dermatologists who have worked through 57 sunscreens together, and their record is one of the more generous ones out there. They approved 45, gave 8 a mixed take, and skipped just 4. That said, the four they skipped, they skipped hard.

What does Doctorly recommend in sunscreen?

What Doctorly keep coming back to is blendability, especially for medium and deeper skin tones. White cast is not a minor quibble for them; it is a dealbreaker. They praised Black Girl Sunscreen Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 for nailing that finish and being affordable enough to find anywhere. They called Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ their pick if they had to choose just one Korean sunscreen, praising its watery, non-greasy finish and its especially strong UVA protection. Strong UVA coverage comes up repeatedly in their approvals, and so does overall feel on skin. They named five products outright winners, and those five range from SPF 30 all the way to SPF 50, which tells you the SPF number alone is not what they are chasing.

In their words

"This one is one of the first that I just saw nail blendability with dark skin tones. This is just an excellent excellent finish for people who struggle with any sort of cast. Plus, the ingredients are also on point. Fragrance-free, it has jojoba oil, which I really like in skin care products. And just the blendability—that's the main thing I'm emphasizing. So, it's their SPF 31. I really like it. Blends very well. And it's actually very affordable as well. And you can pretty much find it anywhere."
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"If I had to pick one Korean sunscreen and one only, I would go with the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella sunscreen. It has incredible ingredients, it's SPF 50 with broad spectrum coverage, especially strong in the UVA range, which is helpful for aging skin. This is what I'm wearing on my skin right now, and the sun here is brutal. It has a watery finish that gives you a slight dewy glow, it's not greasy at all, and this is the Korean version with the Korean filters in it."
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"This one is also broad spectrum. I believe this one comes in tinted and untinted. This one similarly is just a pure zinc one. It has multiple moisturizing ingredients, has antioxidants in it. Pairing all of that together is just a very well-rounded active sunscreen. And of course, with that, it's also water-resistant up to 80 minutes."
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"I also like the EltaMD UV Restore Tinted one, phenomenal tinted sunscreen for somebody who's got normal skin but is also trying to fight dark spots and wants to make sure they have coverage of that visible light."
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"The purito has a new soft touch sunscreen I'm loving it, it's a little bit more hydrating, it's a little bit more expensive"
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"It's the La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400. I just love this. I love how it feels. It's extremely effective. One thing you'll find with some of these filters there's some unique coverage with the filter itself. So for this one, UVA protection is exceptionally good. And I just love the aesthetic and how it sits on my skin. It sits on the skin really nice. My POV on this is I find it a little bit hard to rub in, if that makes sense. It has that grippiness that isn't smooth like a moisturizer. But it does lay nicely. It's almost like a different aesthetic. It's not heavy but it is like a grippier one, but you can blend it and it ends up sitting very nicely on the skin."
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How many sunscreens has Doctorly reviewed?

Doctorly has reviewed 57 sunscreens, for a Guru Score of 79%. 45 approved, 8 mixed, and 4 skipped.

What has Doctorly skipped in sunscreen?

The four products they skipped all fell down on texture or cast. They called CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 'unwearable' and 'a criminal release' for how badly it cast on darker skin tones. Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV Sunscreen SPF50 Clear drew even sharper language: 'absolutely awful' and 'one of the worst sunscreens I've ever tried in my life,' thanks to a green-white cast they said was worse than a standard white cast. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Correct Daily Lotion SPF 70 was skipped for being too heavy and hard to rub in. One skip, Allies of Skin One SPF 50 Invisible Sunscreen Gel, was gentler: they said it came down to personal aesthetic preference rather than a flaw, and noted the brand was doing the right things.

What should you take from Doctorly's picks?

Doctorly's record across 57 sunscreens points clearly toward two things: a finish that blends across a wide range of skin tones without casting, and strong UVA coverage for protection against aging. Those are the two filters they keep applying, and the five products they named winners all clear both bars. If a sunscreen fails on blend or leaves a noticeable cast, they say so plainly, whatever the brand's reputation.

Watch Doctorly say it

Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.

About this expert

Doctorly

See everything Doctorly has reviewed

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This guide reflects what Doctorly said across their videos about 57 products in sunscreen, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.