Here Are the Best Sunscreens According to Consumer Reports

Chances are you've been lectured about the importance of sunscreen. But even if you slather yourself with sunblock every time you step outside (as you should!), you may not be getting the full coverage you need.

Consumer Reports recently tested over 60 sunscreens to find which brands and varieties offered great protection at the best value. These were the three products that came out on top:

1. Pure Sun Defense SPF 50: $6

2. Equate Ultra Protection SPF 50: $8

3. No-Ad Sport SPF 50: $10

If spray-on sunblocks are what you prefer, Consumer Reports also released their rankings for those:

1. Trader Joe’s Spray SPF 50: $6

2. Equate Sport Continuous Spray SPF 30 from Walmart: $5

3. DG Body Sport SPF 30 from Dollar General: $5

For their tests, they measured both SPF and UVA protection. The number on an SPF label is meant to represent the amount of time a wearer can spend in the sun before getting burnt. More than 40 percent of the products that were tested didn't deliver the SPF promised. And when SPF does work like it's supposed to, it only indicates a sunscreen's effectiveness against the UVB rays, which are responsible for sunburns and can boost your chances of skin cancer. It has nothing to do with protection from UVA rays, which can lead to more long term damage like wrinkles as well as skin cancer. To ensure you're covered against both types, Consumer Reports recommends purchasing a broad-spectrum sunblock.

Even if you buy sunscreen with the best protection possible, it's useless when you forget to reapply. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, or even more frequently if you've been sweating or swimming. Check out our article from last month for more tips on how to use sunscreen properly.

[h/t 9 News]