If you have acne-prone skin, finding the right sunscreen can feel like something of an uphill battle. You want proper sun protection for obvious reasons, but there are certain ingredients in many sunscreen products that can clog your pores, aggravate your breakouts and leave your skin feeling greasy. As such, finding the best sunscreen for acne prone skin is essential. 

Fortunately, on today’s skincare market, you’ll find a range of sunscreens formulated specifically for sensitive and acne-prone skin types. So, let’s take a look at some of the things you should be keeping a lookout for. 

Finding the Best Sunscreen for Acne Prone Skin 

It’s quite normal for people with acne-prone skin to assume that avoiding sunscreen would in some way help keep their skin clear. The reality of the situation, however, is that direct exposure to sunlight without protection presents certain issues like hyperpigmentation and wrinkles, meaning that the only sensible option is to find the best sunscreen for acne prone skin.

So, what kinds of things should you be looking for in your sunscreen if you have acne? Well, first, you should be keeping your eye out for the term ‘non-comedogenic’. It’s a fancy-sounding word that alludes to the fact that it doesn’t block the pores to create comedones (zits).

Other important features to look for include:

• An oil-free sunscreen formula – Oil-based sunscreens can feel particularly heavy and are known to be more likely to clog pores. For that reason, you should look for oil-free or water-based formulas, which provide a lightweight texture that won’t add unnecessary shine or greasiness to the surface of your skin. 

• Broad-Spectrum Protection – This is a non-negotiable for any type of sunscreen. You 100% need a sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection, as it’s the only type of product that shields the skin from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays can penetrate deeply into the skin, causing aging and hyperpigmentation, while UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn.

• SPF 30 or Higher –  If you’re using sunscreen every day (which you should be), an SPF 30 is the minimum level of protection you should be aiming for if you have acne-prone skin. However, if you’re spending extended periods outdoors, you might want to consider an SPF of 50 for that extra bit of protection.

• Zinc Oxide-Based Products – Something else you should be aware of is that of the two types of sunscreen that exist (mineral and chemical products), it’s the zinc oxide-based mineral products that are the gentlest and least likely to cause breakouts and other types of skin reactions. They sit on top of the skin, too, rather than having to be absorbed.

Physical (Mineral) Sunscreens: Physical sunscreens, which use zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as active ingredients, are often less irritating than chemical sunscreens, making them a popular choice for sensitive or acne-prone skin. They sit on the skin’s surface and reflect UV rays, rather than absorbing them, and are generally less likely to cause irritation or breakouts.

Identifying the Best Sunscreen for Acne Prone Skin Is Easy When You Know How

The great news for anyone with regular bouts of acne is that choosing the right sunscreen is easy when you have a little knowledge of the subject. So, let’s do a quick checklist of what to look for. 

You should not settle for anything less than a non-comedogenic, oil-free, broad-spectrum formula with an SPF of at least 30. Mineral sunscreens are invariably the best bet for minimizing irritation, too, so if you have acne prone skin, be sure the product you buy has a zinc oxide base. 

That’s about the long and short of it, so now you’re equipped with the information you need to make the right choice. While we have simplified the topic somewhat, we’ve covered the basics, so if you follow these tips you won’t go far wrong.