The World's Most Luxurious Sunscreen 2023

Words by
Pippa Lowe

3rd August 2023

Meet the world's most luxurious sunscreen 2023. You'll soon spot these superior lotions, with their distinctive packaging, peeping from the beach bag of the smartest, and most stylish skin-health conscious sun-seekers on the beach. High-end formulas to protect high-end skin? Yes please!

Now that heat waves have names, we really need to up our sun-protection and skin care game. Each of the sunscreens we have curated here do double duty as superior skin-protection for the summer months. So what is the world's most luxurious suncreen 2023?

Those in-the-know have long been switched on to Institut Esthderm and Sisley products, but if you haven't come across them yet, and you're ready for a move on from Nivea - you're welcome.

The World's Most Luxurious Sunscreen

Institut Esthederm

The World's Most Luxurious Sunscreen 2023
Institut Esthederm Adaptasun Collection, from £42

If you're craving a golden glow with a no-burn guarantee, the Institut Esthederm Adaptasun range is for you. It aims to stimulate natural tanning with longer-lasting results whilst still intensively protecting skin from any burning. This formulation also prevents photo-ageing with the use of their patented Global Cellular Protection technology. 

Good to know: Rather than having an SPF, these lotions have a star system, with three stars allowing for protection from 'strong sun', and two stars for "moderate sun'. The point of this product - which is beloved by beauty professionals - is it allows you to develop a deep and healthy tan without burning, and protects your skin from aging at cellular level, allowing to remain youthful even when exposed to the sun. 

Available in a milky lotion format for body (£52) and face (£42) as well as a body mist (£50).

Explore the full Adaptasun range at Space NK and Institut Esthederm

Sisley Paris 

The World's Most Luxurious Sunscreen 2023
Sunleÿa G.E Age Minimizing Global Sun Care, £212, Sisley Paris

After Institut Esthderm, Sisley's prestige sunscreens are the choice of A-List stars and Ultra High Net Worth Individuals the world over. As you likely expect at well over £200 a bottle, this sunscreen feels more like a luxury body treatment than an SPF. The mango and camellia extracts create an ultra-rich texture, while geranium and lavender essential oils deliver a light, fresh scent that evokes a luxurious summer.

Good to know: At SPF 50 and PA ++++, the protection of this formulation couldn't be better. Despite providing such an intensely protective barrier, this anti-ageing wonder doesn't feel medical grade, rather its silky texture allows rapid absorption and prevent photo-ageing, sun spots and loss of elasticity, while promoting a healthy tan and hydrated skin. 

Sisley Paris Sunleÿa G.E Age Minimizing Global Sun Care, £212 at Space NK, Net-a-porter and Sisley Paris.

Eve Lom

The World's Most Luxurious Sunscreen 2023
Eve Lom Daily Protection SPF 50, £75, by Eve Lom

As you would expect from a premium skincare brand like Eve Lom, which focuses on skin health with their cleansers and a step-by-step system system for cleaning the face to reveal and maintain healthy skin, their sun care range is laser focused on upholding the same high levels of practise through summer.

Good to know: packed full of six different scientific sunscreens and skin-loving ingredients from calming Niacinamide to brightening Vitamin C and firming Paracress Flower Extract to nourish the skin, this sun cream serves as both moisturiser and protector, giving your skin all it needs.

Eve Lom Daily Protection SPF 50, £75, from Eve Lom, Space NK and Selfridges.

Natura Bissé

The World's Most Luxurious Sunscreen 2023
Diamond White Sun Protection, £105, by Natura Bissé

The Natura Bissé business can fly under the radar due its singular presence as one of the world's best spa brands, an award it has won many times over. Beloved in Los Angeles where is is the number one spa brand, this family run Spanish company has been formulating hand-crafted skin care since 1979 and prides itself in its approach to natural skin health, which extends to their sunscreens. Their summer offering aims to simplify your needs into one or two products, taking away the need for both skincare and suncreen. We love their C&C Vitamin Sheer Fluid, SPF 25 which evens skin tone, giving it an anti-oxidant boost when it is most needed. Their Diamond White, Brilliant Sun Protection is the most protective and skin-supportive of their lotions. 

Good to know: this delicately oil-free sunscreen provides 50 SPF and PA +++ protection whilst combatting signs of ageing by enriching skin with vitamins E and F, and pomegranate extract, an ingredient rich in ellagic acid, which helps prevent dark spots and pigmentation. This is delivered in a tinted sunscreen which evens out skin town, offering a win for skin health conscious sun worshippers.

Diamond White Sun Protection, £105, by Natura Bissé at Net-a-porter, Space NK and Harrods.

Murad

The World's Most Luxurious Sunscreen 2023
Environmental Shield City Skin Age Defense SPF 50, £66, by Murad

Murad is a skincare brand founded by the dermatologist, Dr Howard Murad so while the packaging has a somewhat scientific appearance, this is a product that delivers, as its legions of fans testify across social media. Dr Murad himself, says that this product, the Environmental Shield City Skin Age Defense SPF 50, is the proudest achievement of his career.

Good to know: Made with SPF 50 and a PA ++++ rating, this SPF, says Dr. Murad, "goes above and beyond. UV light isn’t the only light that causes skin damage and visible signs of aging. Blue light from excessive screen time can also take its toll. My ultra-light, 100% mineral sunscreen  shields your skin against multiple types of light damage— including blue light from screens. The formula absorbs quickly with no ashy residue and leaves a luminous, pearlized finish on the skin."

Environmental Shield City Skin Age Defense SPF 50, £66, by Murad at Harrods and Murad