Is Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40 worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 72%.

What is Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40's Guru Score?

Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40 holds a Guru Score of 72%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 9 independent expert reviewers we have collected.

Trader Joe's

Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40.

Sunscreen

About this product

A chemical sunscreen with SPF 40 and 40 minutes of water resistance, designed as a lightweight, primer-like daily facial sunscreen.

Type

SunscreenLotion

Key actives

SPF

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Zinc Oxide (20.4%), Isododecane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Guru Score

72%

Mixed

9 experts · Strong agreement

9Gurus

6Approved

3Mixed

0Skip

#10 in SunscreenSee the ranking →

What the gurus are saying

This sunscreen's primer-like, silicone-based texture that absorbs quickly and leaves a matte finish earns consistent praise, particularly from those with oily or combination skin who want a mattifying sunscreen under makeup. The formula is clear, colorless, fragrance-free, and blends without white cast or eye irritation. A few reviewers found it slightly thicker or noted it caused breakouts in their case, though most describe it as nearly identical to Super Goop Unseen at a fraction of the price (around $9). The catch is availability, since stock at Trader Joe's can be inconsistent and online markups apply.

Synthesized from 9 expert reviews · most recent take May 2026

Where to buy

Find it at Amazon → Compare prices on Google Shopping →

How it works Independent by design. Every take comes from a creator we have no relationship with. We do not ask anyone to review, and affiliate links never move a score.

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Dr. Sam Ellis

864k subs

~Approved

"Trader Joe's has a practically identical product for $9 instead of 38. Their Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40 is a very similar formula with that same gel primer texture and 40 minutes of water resistance."

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

133k subs

~Approved

"Trader Joe's sunscreen has that same translucent, silicone-like texture. It absorbs really quick, leaves really soft, matte finish. It works really well under makeup, almost like a primer. I feel like I can apply it to my ears, neck, close to the hairline without making my hair greasy, which is the key if you're trying to prevent skin cancer in those areas. It is completely oil-free, it's fragrance-free, doesn't leave any white cast, which makes it really easy everyday option. The key ingredients are avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene."

Dr Dray

2.67M subs

~Approved

"Trader Joe's has a great dupe as well and so if you have a Trader Joe's in your area do look there."

All 8 takes from Dr Dray

*NEW* Skincare At Trader Joe's

"This sunscreen is really good. It is very similar to Super Goop unseen. It's clear and colorless and it's water resistant."

SUNSCREENS I LOVE & USED UP 🗑 @DrDrayzday

"This is really nice if you can find it. It's free of fragrance, it's water resistant, it's very much like the Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen as far as look, feel, and consistency. It did not burn around my eyes whatsoever. I really hope that this is still available because there was talk of people not being able to find it, but if you can find this one, I highly recommend it. It's very good."

Using My Red Light Mask Again | Skincare Vlog

"They have ample stock of the daily facial sunscreen. This is a great dupe for the super dup unseen and it's only $8.99."

Stop Wasting Money! My Top 5 Affordable Skincare Dupes That Actually Perform

"If you have Trader Joe's in your area, you need to dance one in there because I reviewed this a couple of years ago and it's slept on. Very similar, if not identical, as far as look, feel, performance. It works exactly the same. $8.99 for 1.7 oz."

Best Affordable Sunscreens For Face (NO WHITE CAST)

"This is an organic sunscreen with no white cast at all. It's completely colorless and clear, goes on like a dream, and doesn't burn around the eyes or sting. It's moisturizing and not greasy, and a great option if you have oily skin because it's mostly silicone based with methicone and isododecane, so you really do get a nice pore blurring smoothing effect. It keeps the skin soft and hydrated, and you forget you even have it on. It's water resistant 40 minutes, so a good option for summer months when you're sweating or doing stuff outdoors. At $8.99 for 1.7 ounces, it's an affordable option."

*NEW* Drugstore Skincare Finds 🛍️

"The one that is really good is the Trader Joe's one, but unfortunately not everybody has Trader Joe's. For me, Trader Joe's is a bit of a time investment to get to, so that's a limiting factor, and you can't just buy stuff from Trader Joe's readily online. If you do, you're getting it from Amazon and paying a markup."

Dermatologist Answers Skincare Questions | Sun Spots, Tretinoin, KP & More

"Trader Joe's has a great dupe as well and so if you have a Trader Joe's in your area do look there."

*NEW* Trader Joe's Skincare NOT TO MISS! 2025

"They still have the Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40, water resistant 40 minutes. This is really good. It's very similar to the Super Goop Unseen, clear, colorless, no white cast, does not really burn or sting around the eyes. And it's the SPF 40, water resistant, chemical sunscreen, fragrancefree."

Dr. Jenny Liu

318k subs

~Approved

"People call it like the dupe for Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen, like that primer-like texture that absorbs really quick with a mattifying finish, yet at the same time does not make your skin feel dry and tight. This is a really good one for its price, and in fact I think it's so good that if you were to put this in front of me between this one and Super Goop, I probably would not be able to tell the difference. This is a chemical sunscreen that helps to block UVA and UVB. It also contains ingredients like silicone that offers that primer-like finish and mattifying finish, as well as Hoba Esters and Shea Butter that add some moisturization, but again it does not feel heavy. This is a really nice one for those that have combination or oily skin that want a mattifying finish and those that may want a good moisturizing sunscreen to continue using into fall and winter without your skin feeling like it's going to lose water. For combination dry skin I really enjoyed using this when it was warmer to offer some mattifying properties, or I would use this in the winter after a good moisturizer. This is a great product that can be used all year round, and for its price and the elegant finish it is totally worth getting."

Liah Yoo

1.19M subs

~Mixed

"It's water resistant, it's only $8, but to me it's one of those like oh this feels like it's only $8. It just gets the job done but it doesn't give me that sensorial like oh it's more plush more velvety. I think this category will definitely take care of you when you're going out to the beach or you need a stronger water resistant sunscreen."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Approved

"This one's a chemical filter with four chemical sunscreen agents. It's often compared to the Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen in terms of its texture, filters, and ingredients, and it's nine bucks whereas the one from Super Goop is like thirty to thirty-five bucks. It also has shea butter and vitamin E, so well worth checking out if you're at Trader Joe's."

Doctorly

3.57M subs

~Approved

"It's fragrance free, blends super well with the skin, so this is something that a lot of people are gonna like, and it's only $14, which is pretty incredible, that's a really really good price for a sunscreen like this."

Cassandra Bankson

2.45M subs

~Mixed

"I tried this on my skin literally back to back with a Super Goop, trying to see how it worked. This is an absolute dupe almost down to every last detail except for the fact that the Trader Joe's one broke me out and the Super Goop one did not. The Trader Joe's in-store is eight dollars if you can find it where it's not sold out. This is an absolute dupe from texture to the way it wears to the way it feels. Problem is this one broke me out and it's always sold out. Both of them are waterproof, both SPF 40, vegan and cruelty free, oil free. If you are trying to save money on the Unseen sunscreen, this is a super dupe for it."

Lab Muffin Beauty Science

858k subs

~Mixed

"It has that clear formula, it's silicone, it is water free. It starts off with a slightly stronger solvent smell that goes away pretty quickly after you start rubbing it in. When you squeeze this out it has a slightly less smooth texture and it feels a little bit thicker and heavier on my skin, but honestly the difference is not that big. This is definitely worth a try if you think this sort of formula might work for your skin. It is really popular and works well for some people. I just prefer products that are a bit lighter on the silicones and they're more of that cream gel moisturizer feeling rather than like a primer."