Dr. Vanita Rattan is not easy to impress when it comes to sunscreen. She has reviewed more than 30 of them and approved only about three in ten, giving her an approval rate of 29%. The rest she flagged as mixed or skipped entirely, which makes her approved list worth taking seriously.
What does Dr. Vanita Rattan recommend in sunscreen?
What she keeps returning to is mineral filters, especially zinc oxide. She rates it for being anti-inflammatory, which matters for acne-prone skin and skin of color, and she calls it out by name when a formula uses it well. Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation earned her highest praise partly because it pairs non-nano zinc oxide with soothing botanicals and carries the National Eczema Association seal. She called it the benchmark for acne foundations for skin of color right now. She also approved Kosas Revealer Skin Improving Foundation SPF 25 for combining zinc oxide with niacinamide, an ingredient that tackles oiliness, pigmentation and barrier repair all at once. When she does approve a chemical sunscreen, like Altruist SPF 50 or Bondi Sands SPF 50 Fragrance Free Sunscreen Lotion, it is because the formula is clean and simple: no fragrance, no denatured alcohol, nothing she says will age the skin. Mineral is still her first choice for skin of color, but a well-made chemical formula can earn a pass from her.
In her words
"It's got non-nano zinc oxide. It's got the National Eczema Association seal. No fragrance, no alcohol, no comedogens. And it also contains anti-inflammatory botanical. For me, the final verdict is this the gold standard for acne foundations for skin of color right now."
"I'm loving the ingredients in this formula. It's got 7.5% zinc oxide, which is anti-inflammatory. It's got niacinamide, which is sebum control. It also helps with pigmentation suppression and barrier support. [...] It's a serum-style formulation. It's got a strong 36-shade range. The verdict for me is an excellent daily foundation for acne-prone skin of color skin."
"So, actually, I quite like this if I had to pick a chemical sunscreen, but I'm always going to pick mineral over chemical for skin of color."
"Make sure you look for that particular product because there were other ones on the market that are not fragrance free from Bondi Sands. It is a chemical sunscreen and there are no other actives in it to help with any other skin care concerns. It is a simple product, no DNA alcohol. It is knife safe, it's not going to prematurely age the skin. Yeah, it's a decent SPF 50 for the body."
"It's a chemical sunscreen. The sixth ingredient here is glycerin, it is fragrance free. There's no other actives to improve the skin, but I like it as a simple chemical sunscreen."
"I'm actually using a Japanese sunscreen. It's Nivea. It's SPF 50 but only PA3 plus. That's fine. As long as you like it and it's like a gel formula as well. [...] I don't mind as long as it doesn't make me oily cuz I'm already very naturally oily."
How many sunscreens has Dr. Vanita Rattan reviewed?
Dr. Vanita Rattan has reviewed 31 sunscreens, for an approval rate of 29%. 9 approved, 3 mixed, and 19 skipped.
What has Dr. Vanita Rattan skipped in sunscreen?
Most of the products she reviewed did not make the cut, and the reasons follow a clear pattern. Irritants are the main strike. She gave Benton Skin Fit Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 PA4+ a two out of ten because it contains witch hazel and rosemary leaf oil. She says both generate free radicals, which damage collagen over time. She gave Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ a zero despite it looking great on skin, because she sees no logic in putting an irritant into a sunscreen you wear in harsh UV. A high concentration of denatured alcohol is another firm line for her. She said to skip La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF 50 specifically because denatured alcohol was the second ingredient, and nothing else in the formula justified the price. Chemical filters that have not been approved by the FDA also gave her pause, as she noted with Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++.
"The third ingredient is silicone, then emollient, and the eleventh ingredient is niacinamide, which I love. But the thirteenth ingredient is witch hazel and rosemary leaf oil, which is very bad, witch hazel leads to generation of free radicals in the skin which damages collagen and leads to premature aging. The smell of this is really very strong, this is a mistake for skin of color. I'm sorry, Benton, you get a two out of 10."
"It's the same problem. It's the same chemical filter. Again, not FDA approved. It is fragrance-free, which I love."
"It looks beautiful, it rubs in very easily, there's no white cast. But this product is a zero out of 10. Why would you put in an irritant into a sunscreen when you're about to go out and have harsh UV smack you in the face?"
"I would side step this one. The second ingredient here is denatured alcohol at a very high percentage. There are no other actives in this product that are going to give you any additional benefits to the skin. It is a chemical sunscreen, which is fine if that was the only thing worth it, but the only plus point of this product is that it is fragrance free. For me this is another note, especially for the price point."
What should you take from Dr. Vanita Rattan's picks?
Dr. Rattan's sunscreen record is a useful filter for anyone with acne-prone skin or deeper skin tones, because those are the concerns she weighs most carefully. Her approval rate of 29% tells you she sets a high bar, and her skips are just as informative as her picks. If a sunscreen has witch hazel, rosemary oil, a heavy hit of denatured alcohol, or an unapproved chemical filter, she is likely to flag it. If it has zinc oxide, is genuinely fragrance-free, and keeps unnecessary irritants out, it has a real shot at earning her approval.
Watch Dr. Vanita Rattan say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen FoundationNamed a winnerWatch at 6:12
- Benton Skin Fit Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 PA4+Skipped itWatch at 14:18
- Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++Skipped itWatch at 16:31
- Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++Skipped itWatch at 27:26
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF 50Skipped itWatch at 7:52
- Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50Skipped itWatch at 6:14
- Eucerin Oil Control Dry Touch SPF 50+Skipped itWatch at 6:49
- Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV SPF 50Skipped itWatch at 5:56
- BYOMA Ultra Light Face Fluid SPF 30Skipped itWatch at 4:31
- Minimalist Sunscreen SPF 50Skipped itWatch at 44:25
- Clinique Mineral Sunscreen Fluid for Face SPF 50Skipped itWatch at 2:26
- Hyphen All I Need Sunscreen SPF 50 PA4+Skipped itWatch at 17:43
- BYOMA Moisturizing Gel Sunscreen SPF 30Skipped itWatch at 14:11
- Heart Leaf Calming Moisture SunscreenSkipped itWatch at 10:20
- Hyphen Sun Milk 100% Mineral SunscreenSkipped itWatch at 22:13
- Bolden Brightening Moisturizer SPF 30Skipped itWatch at 12:36
- Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun CreamSkipped itWatch at 12:34
- Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50Skipped itWatch at 4:21
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ (Korean formula)Skipped itWatch at 7:42
- Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50Skipped itWatch at 6:26
- Kosas Revealer Skin Improving Foundation SPF 25Rated itWatch at 2:50
- Numbuzin No.1 Clear Filter Sun Essence SPF50+ PA++++Rated itWatch at 10:25
- Bondi Sands SPF 50 Fragrance Free Sunscreen LotionRated itWatch at 5:45
- Altruist SPF 50Rated itWatch at 11:02
About this expert
See everything Dr. Vanita Rattan has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Dr. Vanita Rattan said across her videos about 31 products in sunscreen, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.