For your face, SPF 30 or higher is the standard everyday choice, and it should be broad-spectrum and water-resistant if you’ll be outside a lot. For longer outdoor time, SPF 50+ is a safer pick.

Simple rule

  • Daily indoor/outdoor routine: SPF 30+.
  • Extended time outside, sports, beach days, or sweating: SPF 50+.
  • Reapply every 2 hours, and sooner if you swim or sweat.

Face-specific tips

  • Pick a formula labeled broad-spectrum so it covers UVA and UVB.
  • If you have oily or acne-prone skin, look for a lightweight, non-comedogenic face sunscreen.
  • If your skin is very fair or burns easily, leaning toward SPF 50 is reasonable.

Practical pick

If you want one answer: use SPF 30 every day, and SPF 50 for outdoor-heavy days.

Bottom line

Higher SPF helps, but only if you apply enough and reapply regularly, so the formula you’ll actually wear daily matters a lot.