Unfortunately, unless I was sitting on a lounge chair or walking on the beach, I didn't put on sunscreen. Even as an adult, I hardly wear it, mostly because I have such sensitive skin and even the smallest amount is enough to make my T-zone break out with acne.
However, as we enter summer, I find myself eager to reverse that habit and prevent further sun damage by wearing sunscreen every day.
The two chemical sunscreens are said to have comparable oil-free consistencies and transparent finishes that don't leave a white cast. They're also both water- and sweat-resistant and fragrance-free.
Here's how the cheap and expensive products stacked up.
I was nervous about the texture of Trader Joe's sunscreen at first.The texture of the Trader Joe's daily facial sunscreen was very thin.
Jen Glantz
Trader Joe's website describes the $9 SPF-40 sunscreen as oil-free, translucent, and fragrance-free, which I thought was too good to be true.
But when I squeezed some into the palm of my hand, I was impressed by the thin texture. It was different from the cream-based sunscreens I've used in the past, but still felt very silky.
The sunscreen rubbed right into my skin.The Trader Joe's sunscreen's texture felt very lightweight.
Jen Glantz
I was worried it wouldn't feel smooth when I rubbed it onto my face, but I was shocked by how it absorbed instantly and looked invisible.
I usually feel like there's a layer of product on my skin when I put any type of cream on it, but my skin felt bare — almost like I just had a very sheer powder on.
The Trader Joe's sunscreen seemed to help my makeup glide right on.I tested out makeup on top of the Trader Joe's daily facial sunscreen.
Jen Glantz
I went to apply my daily makeup and was nervous that my impression of the sunscreen would change. However, even after I put on foundation, bronzer, and blush, my skin didn't feel weighed down with product.
The sunscreen rested well on my skin and looked more matte once I put makeup on top of it.
Though my skin felt a little more oily than usual, it was still less so than with other sunscreens or moisturizers I've tried.
I wore this sunscreen during a high-intensity workout and forgot I had it on.The sunscreen didn't pill or burn during my workout.
Jen Glantz
I decided to do a late-afternoon, high-intensity workout class to see how the sunscreen would feel after a 45-minute sweat.
I took off my makeup, washed my face with a cleanser, and reapplied the sunscreen before heading to class.
Halfway through the class, I started sweating a lot more, but didn't feel like the sunscreen was running down my face. Overall, the sunscreen didn't pill or make my eyes burn.
I didn't even feel the urge to wash the Trader Joe's sunscreen off toward the end of the day.With the sunscreen, my skin just looked a little more oily than usual.
Jen Glantz
By the end of the day, I'm usually rushing to wash my face because my skin just feels so dirty and gross. But when I wore Trader Joe's sunscreen, I didn't have that same urge.
Halfway through the day, I forgot I'd even applied it.
My skin looked a little oilier than usual and my forehead had some shiny spots, but I didn't break out or feel irritated after a full day of wearing the sunscreen.
The sunscreen is effective for everyday use, but a higher SPF would be more beneficial for the outdoors.Octocrylene helps with the product's water resistance.
Jen Glantz
When I spoke to dermatologist Noor Hanif Said from Renaissance Dermatology Specialist Clinic, he said one good ingredient in Trader Joe's sunscreen is octocrylene, an effective UV filter with UVB protection, the rays responsible for tanning and burning skin.
This ingredient also improves the product's water resistance, which was very useful during my workout class.
"Although it provides broad-spectrum protection, the SPF 40 rating means it blocks about 97.5% of UVB rays," Said told me.
He also said that although this sunscreen is sufficient for everyday use, an SPF of 50+ might be more appropriate for extended outdoor activity.
Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen texture was like a liquid gel.Supergoop's sunscreen was more gel-like than Trader Joe's
Jen Glantz
I was excited to test out Supergoop's $38 SPF-40 sunscreen. Based on its website description, this is "100% invisible, weightless, scentless sunscreen."
When I squeezed it into my hand, it looked and felt like a liquid gel. Although it wasn't creamy, it wasn't as thin in texture as Trader Joe's sunscreen either.
I wasn't as impressed with the initial results of the Supergoop sunscreen.Supergoop's sunscreen had an oily sheen to it.
Jen Glantz
The sunscreen is marketed as oil-free, but when I applied it on my face, my skin started to look oily within a few minutes.
My eyes also started to tingle a little within the first 30 minutes of application.
My makeup sat well on top of the Supergoop sunscreen.My skin didn't look dry while wearing the Supergoop sunscreen underneath.
Jen Glantz
I applied my usual makeup on top of the sunscreen, and it glided on as if I was wearing a thin layer of moisturizer. I also felt like it gripped my makeup and made it stay on longer.
I don't usually wear moisturizer or primer, so when I wore this sunscreen all day, my skin didn't look as dry as usual, which was a nice perk.
The Supergoop sunscreen didn't quite hold up during my workout.The Supergoop sunscreen felt uncomfortable during my workout.
Jen Glantz
I took off my makeup and reapplied the sunscreen before I did a 30-minute, at-home workout. It settled onto my skin and didn't make my eyes burn this time around.
Halfway through the workout, though, I started to sweat and it felt like the sunscreen was falling off my face. I had to take a towel to wipe it off because I was uncomfortable.
If I were doing an outdoor workout with this sunscreen, I'd especially want to reapply afterward since it seemed like most of it came off with my sweat.
My skin felt smooth when I took all the sunscreen off.Supergoop's formula has a lot of antioxidant-rich ingredients.
Jen Glantz
Even though this formula describes itself as lightweight, I felt like I was wearing sunscreen all day. It was refreshing to take it off my skin at the end of the day.
I noticed that once my skin was bare, it felt healthier, which might be because the formula has a lot of antioxidant-rich ingredients.
I was expecting to break out from this sunscreen since it felt thicker than Trader Joe's formula, but I didn't. My skin felt clean and looked blackhead-free the next day.
Supergoop's sunscreen is great for outdoor wear, according to a dermatologist.Supergoop's mineral formula is better for sensitive skin.
Jen Glantz
When I spoke to dermatologist Mariano Busso, he said that the sunscreen's key ingredients, like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, protect against harmful UV rays.
"They act as a barrier to protect the skin's surface that reflects UV rays, preventing skin penetration," Busso told me. "These minerals are gentle and are less likely to cause skin irritation or allergic reactions compared to certain chemical sunscreen ingredients."
Because of those benefits, I'd pick this sunscreen if I were spending the day at the beach or outside.
All in all, I preferred Trader Joe's sunscreen over Supergoop's.Trader Joe's sunscreen was more convenient for me.
Jen Glantz
After trying out both sunscreens, I found myself picking up Trader Joe's on a consistent basis. It didn't interfere with my makeup, workouts, or other daily activities, and it had more of a sheer, matte texture.
I was shocked that I ended up liking the less expensive sunscreen option, but it sat nicely on my skin and truly looked and felt invisible.
All in all, Trader Joe's daily facial sunscreen was a win for my skin and my wallet — and I've already repurchased it.
This story was originally published on June 1, 2023, and most recently updated on July 10, 2025.