Are you looking for the best sunscreen in Australia?
There's dozens of different brands, each fighting for shelf space at your local chemist or supermarket but most of them are very expensive and don't last very long either.
Staying safe in the sun is important for everyone and ensuring you've got the right sun factor is equally as important. Ensure your family are safe in the sun this summer with these tips from Cancer Council.
How To Buy Sunscreen?
If you buy your sunscreen online, not only will you save a fortune but you'll get access to some of the best brands that no one else is using. It's time those major sunscreen manufacturers had a little competition.
Our most recommended sunscreen brand is up to 50% when purchasing online compared to buying through the supermarket.
You can now get 2 bottles for the price of 1 in comparison with your local store and they even offer free delivery too.
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Best Sunscreen Australia
1. Cancer Council Sunscreen
If you haven't heard of the cancer council then you've probably been living under a rock away from the beach. It's definitely one of the most affordable brands across Australia with a wide range of sunscreen products.
Their range includes the Everyday SPF 30+ range, Classic SPF 50+, the Active SPF 50+, Face Day Wear SPF 50+ sunscreen in various tints, the Water Sport SPF 50+ featuring everyone’s Dory, and lastly the Kids SPF 50+ range and the special edition featuring Peppa Pig.
There really is too many options to list here but if you're unsure which one to get we've found the best one is the Active SPF50+.
In terms of price, Cancer Councils, Everyday SPF 30+ Sunscreen range starts at $5.95 and if you're looking for the best price in Australia you'll find it here guaranteed.
Pros
Cons
Banana Boat has gone for a different approach in the Australian market and tailored all their sunscreens at SPF 50+ (except Aloe Lip Balm at SPF 30+) and they are all four hours water resistant.
Their range is quite diverse offering products tailored towards people with sensitive skin, babies skin, kids and for use during action sports, beach days and heavy duty sun exposure such as road workers, sports stars and travellers.
Their products are available in a wide range of bottles including self spray, pump bottles, spray, roll on and traditional cream.
Their products are available in a wide range of bottles including self spray, pump bottles, spray, roll on and traditional cream.
Banana Boat isn't the cheapest brand but does offer SPF50 at affordable prices in smaller sizes. For example you can expect to pay $4.49 for the 40g Sport SPF 50+ Tube and max out at $21.99 for the 400g bottles.
Pros
Cons
Yes, it's French and despite the name, Le Tan offers quite a few different lines of sunscreen with over 40 years experience.
Le Tan offers the standard range including 30+ and 50+ factor but also offers much lower SPF such as SPF15, so you can balance sun protection during your quest for the perfect tan.
Le Tan prides itself on sun safety, yet smelling great with the coconut sunscreen range having a light coconut fragrance. Goodbye old fragrance from traditional sunscreen brands and say hello to paradise.
If you're looking for an accompanying product then Le Tan also offers zinc sticks, after sun care products and tanning oils.
A standard off the shelf retail price for Le Tan’s sun protection line is approx $10.99 for a 125ml SPF 15 Lotion and $34.99 for a 950ml bottle of SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion.
Of course you've come to the best place to get the best price so we've done our homework and found you the best price for Le Tan is Amazon.
Pros
Cons
4. Nivea Sunscreen
It's one of the world's most popular sunscreen brands but it's definitely not the cheapest and depending on which retail store you visit prices can vary dramatically.
However if you're looking for the best quality and high SPF ratings, it would be hard to turn down Nivea.
As Nivea is a skin care brand, most of their sunscreens contain vitamin E to aid and repair damaged or dry skin as well as sooth face muscles.
They offer a wide variety of products from SPF15, 30 and 50 in application forms such as lotion, spray bottles and self rollers.
Nivea offers ranges for children, beach days, sports, adventure and luxury travelers and most of them are water resistant for protection of up to 4 hours which is great for beach days.
As mentioned the price is much higher with a 200ml 50SPF spray bottle costing $17.99 retail.
Pros
Cons
5. Aldi Ombra
If you like to keep things simple and affordable then you can't go wrong with discount supermarket ALDI and their home branded range of sunscreen products called 'Ombra.'
Their creams are all rated SPF50+ which keeps things easy in the harsh Australian sun, especially QLD, NSW, WA, NT and SA.
They offer products for both adults and children with a standard 175ml spray usually retailing for around $7 and kids roll on for around $3. If you manage to find an ALDI special offer prices might be even cheaper.
ALDI regularly offers great details on home branded goods and while many people will be put off by the cheap price in favor of their loved ones skin, they have topped some of the best polls for sunscreen.
Only downside is the inability to buy this sunscreen online so you'll need to add this one to your shopping list, sorry!
Pros
Cons
How To Choose Best Sunscreen?
Maybe you've never bought sunscreen before or you've been tasked to find something better for your next family holiday or maybe you simply want to find the best sunscreen for yourself.
If so it can be pretty challenging with so many different brands and SPF ratings on the market.
Choosing An SPF
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and is usually included on the front of all Australian sunscreens. You will usually find SPF15, SPF30 and SPF50+.
Australia has one of the world's highest rates of cancer in the world and it's not surprising given how much sunshine our country gets every year compared with other countries.
The Cancer Council recently reported than two in three Australians will get skin cancer in some form by the age of 70.
With that said you really should be using SPF30+ and if you live in a super hot part of the country such as WA, NT or QLD you'd probably be better off buying SPF50.
If you plan on doing physical exercise or swimming then look for a sunscreen that offers water resistance and remember to reapply your sunscreen after going in the water too.
When Does Sunscreen Expire?
Believe it or not, sunscreen does expire and you should clearly read the label in the shop or your online purchase before opening and application.
It's all too common for importers to buy expiring stock at seriously discounted prices and offload them to unsuspecting Aussies. Take note and if it's expired, throw it away.
You may as well not apply any if you're using expired sunscreen.
Verdict
There are many different types and established brands claiming to offer the best sunscreen Australia has to offer. We couldn't pick a sure winner as they all have pros and cons. Our advice is to choose one of the brands on this list.
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Last Updated: January 2, 2023 by Rhys