At SPF 30 and up, broad-spectrum and water-resistant, the $13 drugstore tube protects like the $95 one. The premium buys feel, not filters.
In the US sunscreen is a regulated drug, and SPF, broad-spectrum, and water resistance are test results a brand cannot buy an easier version of. One study found people paying up to 3,000 percent more for the same protection; another put the unit-price spread at 17.5-fold.
Read the label, not the price:
- SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum, water resistant
- A formula you will actually reapply: oil-free if you break out, mineral if you react to everything, a tint if the white cast stops you
- Let your skin pick, not your budget
The only price worth a glance is the unit tag, and there the cheap tube almost always wins.
