Holy Grail Sunscreens for Oily Acne-Prone Skin — Part 1
Afraid sunscreen will destroy your acne-prone skin? These might change your mind.
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If I’m made to choose only one desert island skincare product, I am convinced there is just one that (only slightly) edges out cleanser: sunscreen.
But let’s be honest, sunscreen is neither the easiest product to make nor is it the easiest to use. Which filters are the best? What’s the difference between physical and chemical sunscreen (and why is it called “chemical” sunscreen anyway)? Will it leave a cast, especially on POC skin? Perhaps, these are one too many questions to answer in this post alone. But if you have acne or oily/combination skin, I’ve got you covered.
Now, an acne sufferer doesn’t just walk into a store and buy the first sunscreen they see. First, they spend hours researching “Sunscreens for acne-prone skin” or “Noncomedogenic sunscreens” or “Sunscreens that won’t make me regret my existence” and so on; you get the gist. So, after five years of trials and tribulations, I present to you my favorite sunscreens (in no particular order):
BGS SPF 30 is a beautiful sunscreen for those who prefer to creamy, hydrating formulas. This one makes a great base for makeup and includes organic filters (3% avobenzone, 10% homosalate, 5% octisalate and 2.75% octocrylene). Other ingredients include soothing aloe juice and oils of carrot seed, sunflower seed, avocado and jojoba. Now, I know some of you make take one look at the ingredients and want to avoid this one for the oils. But I was able to use this sunscreen and it did nothing to make my hormonal spots worse. In fact, I would skip moisturizer on the days I would wear this sunscreen in the dead of winter, and my skin was so thankful for it.
If you are not a fan of a glowy/dewy finish, BGS also makes a matte sunscreen. The BGS Kids SPF 50 is also well-reviewed, even among adults.
Pros:
No cast on darker skin tones whatsoever
Affordable
Fragrance-free
Vegan
Cruelty Free
Suitable for surface dry, dehydrated skin
Glowy finish
Good base for makeup
Cons:
Contains oils
Not suitable for very oily skin types
If you dislike the feel of heavy sunscreens, you’ll appreciate this one. Heliocare (one of the most well-known and long-time players in the sunscreen market) makes this wonderful, lightweight, fluid sunscreen that glides onto your skin and gives it a nice glow. The glow lasts for several hours, which provoked my colleagues to ask, “Hey, what highlighter are you wearing? Or is it one of those shimmery primers? Your skin has stayed glowy all day.” And I couldn’t be happier she asked.
Heliocare is an innovative player in the sun care section. The 360 water gel has inorganic filters such as octocrylene, as well as less commonly found ethylhexyl salicylate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane. It also has antioxidants such as Heliocare’s trademark Fernblock+ (Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract), green tea extract, and Vitamins C & E.
Pros:
No cast on darker skin tones
Vegan
Suitable for surface dry, dehydrated skin
Lightweight
Glowy finish
Good base for makeup
Cons:
Contains fragrance
Contains oil
Not cruelty free
Not suitable for very oily skin types
This is only part 1 of my favorite sunscreens. Stay tuned for part 2!
PS. Skincare is personal. What worked for me may not work for you. Always make sure to patch test products before using.
