Best Sunscreens for Florida Heat

The best sunscreen for a Florida summer is one you will actually put on thickly and reapply: broad spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, and water resistant for 80 minutes if you will be in a pool or sweating through a park day. Below are the product types worth keeping on hand and what each is good for. We do not recommend brands. Read the Drug Facts label instead. This is general information, not a substitute for a visit.

What every sunscreen on this list has in common

• Broad spectrum. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says this means protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
• SPF 30 or higher. The FDA's minimum for its sun-protection message is broad spectrum SPF 15. The AAD recommends 30 or higher, and says SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays. No sunscreen blocks 100%.
• An honest water claim. The FDA says labels can claim water resistance for either 40 or 80 minutes of swimming or sweating, and that there is no such thing as waterproof sunscreen.

1. A water-resistant (80 minute) SPF 30+ lotion for park and pool days

This is the workhorse for Central Florida. Lotion is easy to see as you spread it, so thin spots are less likely. An 80 minute rating gives you the longer label window for water parks, the rental pool, or a sweaty afternoon at an outdoor game. When the label time is up, or after toweling off, reapply.

2. A mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) for sensitive skin

Mineral, or physical, sunscreens use zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or both. The AAD says dermatologists recommend mineral sunscreens for people with sensitive skin. On the regulatory side, the FDA's most recent proposal for over-the-counter sunscreens (2019, reissued as a proposed order in 2021) found enough safety data to propose that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, at up to 25%, are generally recognized as safe and effective.

Mineral formulas can look white on the skin. Tinted versions help. That is a cosmetic trade-off, not a safety one.

3. A chemical-filter sunscreen you like enough to reapply

Chemical sunscreens use filters such as avobenzone, octocrylene or homosalate. In the same proposal, the FDA asked manufacturers for more safety data on 12 of these ingredients. The FDA is clear that this is not a finding that they are unsafe, and it says people should keep using sunscreen along with other sun protection.

In June 2026 the FDA added a new filter, bemotrizinol, to its list of permitted sunscreen active ingredients, for use by adults and children 6 months and older. Products using it may take time to reach U.S. shelves. For most families, the right choice is the formula you will wear every day.

4. A sunscreen stick for the face, ears and around the eyes

Sticks are one of the dosage forms the FDA lists for sunscreen, and they are easy to carry in a pocket. They make sense for small, easy-to-miss spots. The AAD's list of missed spots includes the neck, face, ears, tops of the feet and the legs, and it suggests sunscreen on the scalp or a wide-brimmed hat for thinning hair.

5. A spray, used the right way

Sprays are fast for wiggly kids and hard-to-reach backs. The AAD's instruction is to spray until the skin glistens, then rub it in to get even coverage. Sprays drift in the wind, so spray into your hands first for the face.

6. An SPF 30+ lip balm

Lips burn too. The AAD recommends a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher. Reapply it after eating and drinking, which on a hot day is often.

7. Sun-protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat

Not a sunscreen, but the one layer that does not wash off. The EPA's UV Index guidance pairs sunscreen with protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses at every level from moderate up. Swim shirts cut down on how much lotion you need for kids.

8. For babies under 6 months: shade first

The FDA says sunscreen is not recommended for infants under 6 months. The AAD advises keeping young babies out of the sun when possible, using shade and protective clothing first, and applying a small amount of sunscreen only when coverage is not possible. Ask your pediatrician.

9. What to skip: sunscreen and bug spray in one bottle

The FDA has proposed that combined sunscreen and insect repellent products are not generally recognized as safe and effective, because their use directions conflict. Use two separate products: sunscreen first, then repellent.

Reading the Drug Facts label in 30 seconds

• Active ingredients: zinc oxide or titanium dioxide means mineral. Names like avobenzone or octocrylene mean chemical filters. Many products mix both.
• The front claim: look for the words "Broad Spectrum" next to an SPF of 30 or more.
• Water resistance: 40 minutes or 80 minutes. If neither appears, it is not water resistant.
• Directions: reapplication timing and the note to ask a doctor before use on children under 6 months.
• Expiration date: if there is none, date the bottle yourself.

How much, and how often

Many people use far less than they need. The AAD guidance:

• Amount: about 1 ounce for most adults, roughly a full shot glass, to cover skin not covered by clothing.
• Timing: apply about 15 minutes before going out, since that is how long it takes to absorb.
• Reapply: every 2 hours, and right after swimming or sweating.
• Cloudy days count: up to 80% of UV rays can get through clouds, which matters on hazy Florida mornings before the afternoon storms.

Check the UV Index in your weather app. At 8 and above, the EPA says to be especially careful from late morning through mid-afternoon, and to seek shade if your shadow is shorter than you are.

Storage in a hot car

The FDA says a sunscreen without an expiration date should be treated as expired three years after purchase. Write the purchase date on the bottle. The FDA also recommends not exposing sunscreen containers to direct sun: wrap them in a towel or keep them in the shade while you are outside. A glove box in July is the opposite of that.

When a sunburn needs a visit

MedlinePlus says to contact a provider right away for sunburn with fever, and for signs of heat exhaustion, dehydration or other serious reactions: feeling faint or dizzy, a rapid pulse or breathing, extreme thirst or no urine, pale and clammy skin, nausea, chills, eyes that hurt in light, or severe, painful blisters. Elon Health Urgent Care in Davenport sees walk-ins for burns and other illnesses. Call 911 for confusion, fainting, or a body temperature above 103°F, which can be heat stroke. For prevention beyond sunscreen, see how to prevent heat exhaustion and urgent care options in Davenport.