text: There's no one brand that's the best - but you do want one with a UVA-blocking ingredient as well as a UVB-blocker.  UVB ones are easy to come by - they're in every sunscreen - it's the UVA ones that are more difficult to find.\n\nLook at the ingredients list - there are only THREE tried-and-true UVA blockers (no matter what the label says).\n\nAvobenzone (aka Parsol 1789)\nTitanium dioxide\nZinc oxide\n\nAvobenzone is a chemical block - it absorbs the sun's rays and basically neutralizes the effect chemically.  The bad part about Avobenzone is that it does degenerate over a period of a few hours, so you need to reapply fairly frequently.\n\nTitanium dioxide and zinc oxide are physical blocks - they reflect the sun's rays, so they don't ever hit your skin.  Unfortunately, if you have darker skin and are using a product in which the particles of titanium/zinc have not been micronized properly, these products can leave a whitish cast on your skin.\n\nThe best thing to do to find a good-quality ZO or TD sunscreen is to check labels and expect to pay about $10-$12 for a tube.  It may seem expensive but isn't your skin worth it?\n\n[If you live in Canada or Europe there is a newer sunscreen ingredient available called Meroxyl - it's VERY effective at blocking UVA and UVB rays when blended with Avobenzone in a product - L'Oreal's Ombrelle line has this combination and it's great.  It's what I use, but it's not available in the U.S. - yet.]