5 Best Polarized Sunglasses for Women Under $50

So you have your favorite pair of sunglasses. But you notice that when you go outside, you still squint in the sun, which causes headaches or eye fatigue after something like a day at the beach soaking up some rays.

That’s because there are two different types of sunglasses: UV-protected sunglasses and polarized sunglasses. UV-protected sunglasses stop harmful UV rays from causing damage to your eyes but don’t prevent glare.

Polarized sunglasses do prevent glare and are often the go-to choice for people who spend lots of time outside. They also increase color contrast, making your outdoor viewing experience more enjoyable.

And maybe you’ve looked at polarized sunglasses before and turned away because of the high price tag. But nowadays, there are tons of cute, fashionable polarized sunglasses that you'll love at a reasonable price that work just as well as those polarized Ray-Bans pushing 200 bucks.

So, update your sunglasses wardrobe and peruse these five best polarized sunglasses for women under $50.

Benefits of Polarized Sunglasses

The benefits of polarized sunglasses include improved vision when facing the sun because of glare-blocking properties, increased clarity due to better color contrasts and color perception, and less eye strain and headaches when spending hours outside.

Polarized sunglasses block light that reflects in a horizontal direction. This is the kind of light that shoots directly into your eye, causing you to squint. When wearing polarized glasses, only vertical light comes into your eyes, which doesn’t inhibit your vision. No squinting means no headaches or eye strain, making polarized sunnies the best sunglasses for women to reduce glare.

Things to Consider When Choosing Polarized Sunglasses

When choosing polarized sunglasses, you need to consider the types of lenses, the color of the lenses, and the frame designs. To note, not every pair of polarized sunglasses comes with UV protection (or even good UV protection), so be sure the sunglasses you’re looking at offer it before purchasing them.

What Material Should My Polarized Lenses Be?

When looking at lenses, you should double-check that they’re polarized, made out of tri-acetate cellulose (TAC), and offer UV protection. The polarized lenses will block glare and make your days outside or long road trips more comfortable.

Tri-acetate cellulose is a new type of lens that is comprised of six layers designed to maximize visual clarity while protecting from UV rays. This top lens material is also lightweight and typically offers scratch resistance, although you’ll need to double-check the product listing for that.

Last, UV protection is a must-have for any lens. The sun’s UV rays take a toll on our eyes, leading to medical issues like cataracts, eyelid cancers, Surfer’s Eye (a growth that can slowly block your vision), and macular degeneration.

When shopping, look for UV lenses that offer 100% UVA/UVB protection or UV400 protection. Only these grades will offer effective protection against UV rays.

Lens Colors to Consider When Picking Your Shades

If you simply want to look cute outside, then the color doesn’t matter as much. But if you’re buying polarized sunglasses for specific sports or activities like golf, the color matters.

Yellow-tinted sunglasses make the world around you brighter and sharper, so they’re perfect for snow sports that often have overcast days.

For a sport like golf, green or grey-tinted lenses don’t affect your depth perception as much, so you can get a better sense of the distance of the green.

Grey, brown, or amber-colored polarized lenses are the best for driving because they help you better judge the distance between you and the car in front of you.

Picking the Right Frame Designs for You

When shopping for the best affordable polarized sunglasses for women, you want to choose a cute frame design that complements your face shape and gives you the most coverage. You want the sunglasses fit to feel secure, and certain face shapes work better with certain frame styles.

For example, if you have a round face, you want angular lines to balance that out. Look for cateyes or a strong pair of rectangular sunglasses. But if you have a square face, you want round sunglasses to soften your features.

And if you have an oval face, you’re in luck because pretty much every pair of frames will look good on you. So rock those classic aviator sunglasses or go crazy with a wild pair of butterfly frames. 

How Much Should Polarized Sunglasses Cost?

Polarized sunglasses shouldn’t cost more than $50. This may surprise you if you’ve been used to paying hundreds of dollars for a pair.

Big sunglass brands mark up their sunglasses at upwards of 1000% of the production costs. To save on sunglasses, shop at smaller operations, like Warby Parker or WMP Eyewear.

Best Affordable Sunglasses for Women at WMP Eyewear

WMP Eyewear sells top-quality women’s sunglasses without high markups. They’re an independent, family-owned business that offers chic, durable eyewear at a fraction of the cost of their luxury competitors.

Plus, they even give a portion of all sales to support animals in need at the Arizona Humane Society. So, check out these best cheap sunglasses to upgrade your wardrobe without draining your budget.

Bold & Trendy Cateye Pair

If you’ve got a round face and you love to stand out from the crowd, look no further than Sophia for the best fit. These trendy cateyes come in six different lens and frame options to choose from, and at $40 a pair, you could buy them all.

These polarized frames offer 100% UVA/UVB protection and a anti-glare coating to protect lenses from minor falls.

Best Budget Round Pair

If you want to channel your inner hippie, then be sure to check out Nevada. These stylish round, keyhole sunglasses come with polarized lenses of varying colors and either gold or black wire frames. They offer 100% UVA/UVB protection and adjustable nose pads to ensure the most comfortable fit to make it feel like you're not even wearing shades.

Most Versatile Aviator Pair

Blend in with the cast of Top Gun in Emerson, a modern aviator that offers a fresh take on the classic shades. These polarized acetate frames offer a square shape and single nose bridge that look great at brunch with the girls or nailing some spikes in beach volleyball. We're naming these the best women's travel sunglasses for their versatile style that can be worn with any outfit you pack.

Top Square Polarized Sunglasses

For cute square polarized sunglasses at a good price, you can’t go wrong with Madison. This oversized square women's frame features sharp angles, elegant metal details, and gradient lenses that will make all of your gal pals wish they had a pair. And at less than $40 a pair, they can!

Classic Leisure-Style Sunglasses

If you love Ray-Bans but hate the price, let us introduce you to our best classic square pair, Nick. These leisure-style sunglasses come in multiple different colors and offer the same laidback vibe and quality at a fraction of the price. Plus, these polarized lenses offer maximum optical clarity with 100% UVA/UVB protection.