Sensitive Skin: Find The Best Sunscreen For Acne Prone Skin
If there’s one thing that everyone should know about me, it’s that I spend as much time outside as I possibly can.
Sun exposure is something that we all need in our daily lives. Unfortunately, too much of it can be bad for us.
While we all need some sunshine in our lives, long-term sun exposure causes skin cancer. It’s currently estimated that 1 in 5 people in the US will develop skin cancer at some point during their lives.
There are so many different kinds of sunscreen on the market that it’s impossible to know which one is the right one for you. This is especially true when you have extremely sensitive skin like mine.
I’ve tried a variety of different brands of sunscreen, all of which advertise that they’re the best sunscreens for acne prone skin.
So far, the best one I have found is EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46.
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46
I consider some very basic characteristics when I’m looking for the best sunscreen for acne prone skin.
First of all, it needs to be non-greasy.
I hate the feeling of putting the sunscreen on my face and having that greasy sensation on my face all day.
When doubling up my sunscreen as a moisturizer, I can wear under makeup, so it can’t be greasy.
Secondly, I look for a sunscreen that won’t clog my pores.
I was diagnosed with acne rosacea when I was 14 years old. That means I have to be extremely careful with what I put on my face.
Most moisturizers, creams, and makeup clog my pores. They cause my skin to get red and flaky and my acne to flare up.
I need a product that will wash off easily and not cause any breakouts. Also, and this is the most important element I look for, it needs to have an extremely high SPF factor.
I burn very easily, which makes my acne rosacea worse. I need something with strong, broad spectrum protection that I’ll actually wear every day.
Recommended By….
With all of this in mind, the last time I went shopping for sunscreen, EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 caught my eye because of high SPF factor. That’s always something that I look for in a sunscreen.
I was skeptical because I was unfamiliar with the brand. I decided to ask my dermatologist about it, and she recommended it.
She said it was probably one of the best sunscreens for acne prone skin and she recommended it to all of her patients.
The biggest selling point for me, besides my dermatologist’s recommendation, was that zinc oxide was its main ingredient.
Zinc oxide is a mineral sunscreen filter that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. That helps prevent sunburn and long-term damage.
After doing some more research, I learned that dermatologists often recommend mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or both) for sensitive skin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
That doesn’t make other sunscreens unsafe. Mineral formulas are simply less likely to irritate touchy skin.
Tried & Tested
After trying EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46, I can honestly say I believe it to be the best sunscreen for sensitive acne prone skin I’ve ever used. As soon as I put it on, my skin felt amazing! It didn’t have that greasy, oily feeling that most sunscreens have.
It absorbed right into my skin as a normal moisturizer should, and there was no leftover residue. I couldn’t even tell that I was wearing it.
One thing that surprised me was, unlike most sunscreens, it didn’t have that nasty scent to it. I couldn’t smell anything after I put it on.
I liked the fact that it was odorless. Some sunscreens smell so bad that you can’t even wear them.
Elta MD didn’t clog my pores either!
Pros & Cons
That was one thing I was worried about because my skin is so sensitive, but my skin looks better than it has in years. I noticed a difference in the condition of my skin after about a week of using it every day.
My skin looked less red and irritated. Keep in mind that sunscreen doesn’t treat acne or rosacea; a dermatologist can recommend treatment for those.
I have tried so many different remedies over the years to help with that. I never got the results that I got with EltaMD. Probably my favorite thing about the product was the high SPF factor, and it worked.
I was outside all day the first time I wore it, thinking that I would eventually need to reapply it or I would get a sunburn.
When I went home that night, I noticed that I didn’t burn at all. I didn’t burn, but I should have reapplied it. The FDA advises reapplying at least every two hours, and more often if you’re swimming or sweating, so don’t copy my mistake.
If there was one thing I didn’t like about this product, it was the cost. It’s pricier than a basic drugstore sunscreen.
For my skin, it was worth it because of how it felt and how well it worked.
There was a time where I hated to put on sunscreen and go outside because it has always been difficult to find a good sunscreen that worked well for me.
Conclusion
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 is one of the best sunscreens for acne prone skin. It doesn’t clog my pores, has a high SPF, and improves the look and feel of my skin. My skin looks and feels better than it has in years.
I trust this sunscreen to protect my skin outdoors, as long as I reapply it during long days in the sun. I would recommend it to anyone who has sensitive skin and is looking for a good sunscreen that they can rely on to both to protect their skin from the sun and to make their skin look and feel great.
Sources
- Sunscreen FAQs, American Academy of Dermatology
- Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun, FDA
- How to select a sunscreen, American Academy of Dermatology
