13 Best Moisturizer With SPF That Are as Protective as They Are Hydrating

When UV levels are at an all time high, it doesn’t hurt to add a best moisturizer with SPF to your curated summer skin care edit. An O.G. multitasker, this works similarly to sunscreens for face in that they provide protection from harmful sun rays, but are packed with intensely conditioning agents like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to nourish dry, dull skin. But, is your moisturizer with SPF as good as your traditional face sunscreen? Below, two board-certified dermatologists answer this and more to anchor our edit of the best moisturizers with SPF of 2024.

Our Top Picks

• Best for Dark Spots: SkinCeuticals Daily Brightening UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 30, $60
• Best For Mature Skin: RéVive Moisturizing Renewal Day Cream SPF 30, $195
• Best For Dry Skin: Supergoop! Superscreen Daily Moisturizer SPF 40, $48
• Best Drugstore: CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion With SPF 30, $20
• Best For Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer SPF 30, $25
• Best For Oily Skin: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer with SPF 50, $27
• Best Color-Correcting: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30, $54

In This Story

• What is moisturizer with SPF?
• How does moisturizer with SPF differ from traditional sunscreen?
• Is moisturizer with SPF as good as traditional sunscreen?
• What to look for in moisturizers with SPF
• How much moisturizer with SPF should you apply for adequate UV protection?
• Meet the experts

SkinCeuticals Daily Brightening UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 30

• Why We Love It: This SkinCeuticals moisturizer with SPF is the ideal summertime formula to stock up on because it gently, yet visibly brightens, hydrates, and protects. Tranexamic acid, niacinamide, phenylethyl resorcinol, and glycerin come together to fade dark spots and correct discoloration—leaving skin soft, glowing, and protected against future sun damage.
• Key Ingredients: 1% tranexamic acid, 2% niacinamide, 0.3% phenylethyl resorcinol, 7% glycerin
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7.2%, 5% Octisalate, Octocrylene 7.2%)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 1 fl oz
• Best For: Dark spots, hyperpigmentation, brightening, combination-to-oily skin

CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion With SPF 30

• Why We Love It: Formulated specifically for balanced to oily skin types, CeraVe crafted a lightweight, matte-finish lotion perfect for summer. It finds its hydrating benefits through a blend of hyaluronic acid and ceramides, plus a cocktail of chemical UV filters to not only protect against sun rays but the skin barrier too.
• Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 10%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 2.7%)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: Normal to oily skin

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Moisturizer SPF 45

• Why We Love It: If I were to apply a face cream on a sunny day by the pool, I’d grab Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench. Water-resistant with a non-greasy, invisible, cream-to-gel formula, this safeguards skin with SPF 45 protection and delivers up to 72 hours of hydration.
• Key Ingredients: 30% Hyaluronic acid complex, ceramides, glycerin, hydrolyzed silk
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 5%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 10%)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: Dry skin

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer UV SPF 30

• Why We Love It: Whether you have a penchant for French pharmacy skincare or drugstore classics, you’re likely familiar with La Roche-Posay’s Double Repair face moisturizer. One of the brand’s bestsellers, this rich cream is packed with thermal spring water, ceramides, allantoin, and niacinamide to replenish skin’s moisture levels, soothe, and even tone. It’s one of those products that’s virtually impossible not to like.
• Key Ingredients: La Roche-Posay prebiotic thermal water, glycerin, ceramides, allantoin, niacinamide
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 5%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 7%)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 3.38 fl oz
• Best For: Sensitive skin, all skin types

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Facial Moisturizer with SPF 50

• Why We Love It: If you’re already a fan of Neutrogena’s well-loved Hydro Boost Moisturizer, you should consider its SPF-infused companion your summertime swap. Like the O.G. formula, this is powered by hyaluronic acid for all day hydration. However instead of a water-gel, the SPF version is whipped into a lightweight cream that melts into skin sans white cast.
• Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, glycerin
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 15%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 10%)
• SPF Level: 50
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: All skin types

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30

• Why We Love It: The star ingredient in Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 is squalane—a botanical lipid derived from olives that works to replenish the skin barrier. Additionally, glycerin and botanical oils in the formula come together to make skin soft, supple, and balanced as ever.
• Key Ingredients: Squalane, glycerin, sweet almond, apricot kernel, and avocado oil
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Homosalate, octocrylene)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 4.2 fl oz
• Best For: All skin types

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30

• Why We Love It: Elemis takes a collagen-first approach to treating skin—meaning it seeks to boost skin’s collagen production for more youthful, glowing skin. This moisturizer in particular boasts wrinkle-smoothing properties—finding firming and toning benefits through botanicals like chlorella and ginkgo biloba.
• Key Ingredients: Padina pavonica, ginkgo biloba, chlorella, carrot root extract
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 1.0%, octionoxate 1.0%, octocrylene 0.5%)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 1.69 fl oz
• Best For: Mature skin, fine lines, wrinkles, dry skin

Supergoop! Superscreen Daily Moisturizer SPF 40

• Why We Love It: Say you want to delight in Supergoop!’s sun-care expertise but prefer something a little more nourishing. Then, Superscreen Hydrating Daily Cream is the one for you. With SPF 40 (through chemical UV filters), you get substantial sun protection, but instead of a sheer, invisible gel (like its Unseen sunscreen) or a bronzing lotion (like its Glowscreen), this is a rich cream packed with ectoin, ceramides, and algae extract.
• Key Ingredients: Ectoin, ceramides, algae extract, glycerin
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 6%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 1.5%)
• SPF Level: 40
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: All skin types

MDSolarSciences Daily Perfecting Moisturizer SPF 30

• Why We Love It: The MDSolarSciences Daily Perfecting Moisturizer SPF 30 is one of those products that you’re likely to return to year after year. Its lightweight, nourishing, creamy texture gives it universal appeal; plus, all skin types can benefit from its ingredient composition. Experts say ceramides, naicinamide, and vitamin C are useful in all skin-care routines.
• Key Ingredients: Proprietary SolSci-X and ProVention-R, plus niacinamide, peptides, antioxidants (vitamin C, grape, rosemary, green tea, rosehips), and aloe vera
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (avobenzone 3%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 2.75%)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: Mature skin, fine lines, wrinkles, dry skin

Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Day Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 20

• Why We Love It: Interested in the Japanese approach to skincare? Add Shiseido’s Essential Energy cream to cart. This uses chemical filters to shield against UV rays, but also soothes, energizes, and replenishes skin’s moisture levels through ginseng root extract and hyaluronic acid. Though at first glance, it appears as a rich cream—trust it will absorb swiftly and weightlessly into the skin.
• Key Ingredients: Ginseng root extract, hyaluronic acid, caffeine, rosemary leaf extract
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 2.0%, homosalate 5.0%, octisalate 5.0%, octocrylene 5.0%)
• SPF Level: 20
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: All skin types, under makeup

Clinique Moisture Surge Broad Spectrum SPF 28

• Why We Love It: Clinique’s Moisture Surge is the lightweight moisturizer of dreams. With a soft, cloud-like texture, the formula blends seamlessly into skin, alleviating concerns like dryness and dullness through the brand’s aloe bioferment—a cocktail of lactobacillus, activated aloe water, and organic aloe extract powder, plus hyaluronic acid and provitamin D.
• Key Ingredients: Aloe Bioferment + HA Complex, hyaluronic acid, provitamin D, glycerin
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3.0%, homosalate 7.0%, octinoxate 7.0%, octisalate 4.5%)
• SPF Level: 28
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: All skin types, dullness, under makeup

RéVive Moisturizing Renewal Day Cream SPF 30

• Why We Love It: RéVive knows how to make an excellent moisturizer—a statement that’s easily backed up after trying its Renewal Day Cream. The elixir is packed with a biomimetic peptide that plumps and smooths skin, alongside thermus thermophilus ferment, antioxidants, and red algae to protect against environmental stressors and boost the skin barrier.
• Key Ingredients: Bio-Renewal Peptide, thermus thermophilus ferment, vitamin C, vitamin E, sodium hyaluronate, allantoin, red aglae
• Chemical or Physical: Chemical (Avobenzone 3%, homosalate 10%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 2.6%)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 1.7 fl oz
• Best For: Mature skin, dry skin

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30

• Why We Love It: Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair treatment takes your ordinary face moisturizer up a notch by not only nourishing skin but delivering a green-to-beige tint that expertly neutralizes redness and color-corrects with ease. And thanks to tiger grass, otherwise known as centella asiatica, sensitive and reactive skin types are left calm and balanced after application.
• Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica, glycerin, strawberry leaf extract, lavender oil, rosemary leaf oil
• Chemical or Physical: Mineral (Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide)
• SPF Level: 30
• Size: 1.69 fl oz
• Best For: Color-correcting, redness, sensitive skin

What is a moisturizer with SPF?

It’s as straightforward as it sounds: “A moisturizer with SPF is a product formulated to support skin hydration that also includes UV filters to provide sun protection,” says New York City-based double board-certified dermatologist Dr. Carolyn Stull.

How does moisturizer with SPF differ from traditional sunscreen?

According to New York–based, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lauren Penzi, “Unlike traditional sunscreen, these products contain additional hydrating ingredients like emollients that soften skin (i.e. ceramides), humectants that retain moisture in the skin (i.e. hyaluronic acid, glycerin) and/or occlusives that help prevent water loss (i.e. dimethicone).”

Is moisturizer with SPF as good as a traditional sunscreen?

Yes, and no. Penzi continues, calling moisturizer with SPF more “elegant” than your everyday sunscreen in that they absorb better into the skin and will not leave a greasy residue. But that doesn’t mean you should forgo your standalone sunscreen entirely.

“Both come in different levels of SPF, but usually moisturizer with SPF contains lower levels,” she says. “Although it can be just as good as a traditional sunscreen if the SPF type and levels are equivalent, the difference is that people are usually not applying enough of it as they would sunscreen, and may not be reapplying it as they should with sunscreen.”

All to say, if you apply your a moisturizer with SPF enough (general guidance is two finger-lengths worth, or the equivalent of a shot glass full for the face), you’re good to go. For additional protection, consider supplementing with another SPF—like a sunscreen facial mist, powder, or even tinted sunscreen.

What to look for in moisturizers with SPF

• SPF Level: “I recommend selecting a product with SPF of 30 or higher, which blocks 97% of UVB rays,” says Stull. Penzi, who recommends a minimum SPF level of 40, emphasizes that “additional increase in UVB protection is minimal.” The takeaway here is that it’s more important to reapply every two hours than to apply SPF with a higher level, just once.
• Broad-Spectrum Protection: Penzi advises to look for coverage from both UVA and UVB rays; “UVA rays penetrate deeper into skin and cause premature aging, including wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots. UVB rays penetrate less deep, but they are main cause of sunburn and the development of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. (PA+ system refers to UVA coverage).”
• Chemical vs Mineral: “Mineral filters such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide work by reflecting and scattering UV rays as opposed to absorbing them,” says Stull, whereas chemical filters work by absorbing UV rays. She’d prefer mineral filters to chemical filters, particularly for those with sensitive skin, as they are generally less irritating and less likely to cause skin allergies.
• Key Ingredients: Both Stull and Penzi agree that humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin are great ingredients to look for as they draw water and moisture into the skin. Otherwise, Penzi would incorporate ceramides to “protect the skin from environmental stressors;” squalene to prevent water loss and “neutralize free radicals that can damage skin cells and contribute to premature aging,” plus niacinamide to “strengthen the skin barrier, improve elasticity, and reduce the appearance of fine lines.”

How much moisturizer with SPF should you apply for adequate UV protection?

To apply moisturizer with SPF, Stull recommends massaging into clean, slightly damp skin in the morning. For adequate sun protection, use at least a quarter-sized amount or the equvialent of two finger-lenghts.

Meet The Experts

• Dr. Lauren Penzi is a New York–based, board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology.
• Dr. Carolyn Stull is a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at MDCS Dermatology in New York City.