Dr. Lim Ing Kien
Living in Malaysia means we face sunny days with harsh UV rays almost every day, so we should protect our skin with sunscreen. If you don’t wear sunscreen, your skin will not only darken but also age faster than expected. A huge sign of premature ageing is hyperpigmentation (sun spots), which ideally shouldn’t appear before you are 40 years old.
Therefore, it is a good practice to wear sunscreen at all times. But which sunscreen should you choose if you suffer from acne-prone skin?
It can be quite confusing as each of us has different skin types, tones, textures, concerns, and goals. And it is even more challenging for those with acne-prone skin. In fact, since acne-prone skin is so sensitive, one has to take care to protect it from the sun’s harmful UV rays by never skipping sunscreen.
With that, understand that your fear of breakouts shouldn’t get in the way of all the benefits of sunscreen. Plus, many sunscreens are now specifically designed with acne-prone skin in mind.
Not sure which sunscreen to buy? Our 7 best sunscreens for acne-prone skin recommendations will ensure that your complexion stays clear and acne-free.
Table of Contents
- About this article
- The best sunscreen for acne-prone skin - Recommended by Skynfyx
- What sunscreen ingredients should acne-prone skin avoid?
- More acne-related recommendations
About this article
In today’s article, our medical skin doctor, Dr. Lim from Skynfyx - an online digital skin doctor platform that offers free consultations, shares his views on taking care of your skin with sunscreen.
For those who are interested, Skynfyx is run by a group of skin doctors and skincare experts who want you to achieve flawless skin at the cheapest possible rate. With Skynfyx, you can customise a skincare range that’s made exclusively just for your skin.
7 Best sunscreens for acne-prone skin - Recommended by Skynfyx
Table of Contents
Instead of regular sunscreen, the Some By Mi’s Truecica Mineral 100 Calming Suncream is written as suncream. This means that it does not only function as a sunscreen but also as a hydrating cream.
The formula consists of 4 ingredients: mugwort, tea tree oil extract, and 2 different types of Centella Asiatica extract. With all of that, this suncream has many healing benefits.
This suncream has triple functions. It:
- Has mineral filters. Having mineral filters such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are used to physically block UV radiation and rays.
- Acts as a calming or soothing property. The formula can help to reduce the amount of redness or skin irritation which are usually caused by many active ingredients.
- Hydrates your skin, offering you a lightweight alternative to moisturising your skin during the day.
As a suncream, this one will truly hydrate your skin and give it a calming effect thanks to one of its ingredients - Niacinamide.
When it comes to the smell, expect a hint of citrus which is said to be pleasant. On the texture; even though it’s quite thick, the cream is easy to spread. Do note that the Truecica suncream may leave a white cast but this is avoidable. If you massage it into your skin for a little bit longer, the white cast should disappear.
It’s no stranger that Neutrogena is a popular drugstore brand. Their active ingredient for sun blocking is Helioplex, which is a broad-spectrum formulation for UVA and UVB protection by using Avobenzone and Oxybenzone. What this tells us is that Neutrogena Ultra Sheer sunblock is a chemical-based sunscreen.
The main thing to know is that chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the skin, compared to physical ones where it sits on top of the skin. Therefore, physical sunscreens are lightweight options.
This Neutrogena sunscreen cream is thick, but it spreads easily and absorbs quickly. Plus, the good thing about this sunscreen is that it’s non-greasy once you massage it onto your skin. And the scent is light enough to not bother you.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50+ has an SPF of 50 and it offers both UVA and UVB protection. Its active ingredients are Mexoryl (chemical UVA blocker) and Titanium Dioxide (physical UVB blocker). This combination makes the La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50+ a chemical AND a physical sunscreen.
While the texture is creamy and thick, it will not feel oily once it’s on your skin, ensuring comfortable wear throughout the whole day. You may be glad to know that there is also no smell and no white cast with this sunscreen.
Perhaps, what makes the La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50+ popular among beauty lovers is that it has a cellular protector, is water-resistant and that it does not contain parabens. This means you can wear it while swimming or at the beach.
The Heliocare 360 Gel Oil-Free Sunscreen has SPF 50 and provides very broad-spectrum protection. Combining mineral filters and non-mineral filters, as well as Fernblock, makes it quite an advanced UV protection formulation.
As a non-greasy gel sunscreen, the formula is fast-absorbing and is known to do well when worn under makeup as well as lasts for hours. It’ll also leave no white cast and provide the benefit of helping to slow down the skin-ageing process.
Moreover, the product has a dry-touch formula, which will leave your skin feeling lightweight and comfortable while providing an invisible matte finish.
The Dermedic 50 Sunbrella Sunscreen provides SPF 50, translating into effective and long-lasting protection from UVA and UVB radiation. Its formula contains mineral filters to act as physical barriers when it comes to protecting the skin.
Not to worry about the formulation; this one is exceptionally well-tolerated by children’s sensitive skin. Additionally, the product is hypoallergenic and works to calm irritations as well as seborrheic inflammation.
Other than that, the formula will intensively nourish dehydrated skin and leave it smooth. Do remember that because it’s a mineral sunscreen, it’ll leave a white cast if you don’t massage it thoroughly.
CERAVE Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen is rated with an SPF 50 and is formulated with 3 essential Ceramides to help restore the skin’s barrier and provide long-lasting hydration. As an addition to benefit acne-prone skin, there's also Niacinamide in the formula to help calm your skin.
Not only is the formula hydrating, but it’ll also help to reflect the sun’s UVA and UVB rays without irritating sensitive skin due to its mineral filters. An interesting observation is that this sunscreen is able to give your skin a healthy glow without leaving any white cast.
There is no doubt that there are many sunscreens that do not blend well onto your skin, leaving your skin with another visible layer on it.
Luckily, the 3W CLINIC Intensive UV Sunblock Cream has SPF 50 with a water-based cream formula. This would highly benefit those with tanned or have a darker complexion, as it would suit you perfectly due to the fact that it won’t leave a white cast and make you look grey.
The texture is quite thick, creamy, and moisturising but it doesn’t leave any white cast. The product sinks in quickly and has no smell.
Which sunscreen ingredients should acne-prone skin avoid?
According to Dr. Ingky, founder of SkynFyx which is Malaysia’s first Digital Skin Doctor, many people with acne-prone skin struggle to find the perfect hypoallergenic sunscreen. So, don’t be disheartened if it’s all confusing to you.
In terms of his view on sunscreens, it is his absolute, number one must-have product. Dr. Ingky has also personally tried most types and formulas available to bring you this list of sunscreens for acne-prone skin.
According to his notes and experiences, those with acne-prone skin should stick to sunscreens that are free of fragrances, silicones, and sodium lauryl sulfates, which can irritate the skin or clog pores.
If you need something stronger than drugstore acne creams and you can’t get an appointment with your usual dermatologist, come and talk to the skin doctors at Skynfyx! Skin doctors like Dr. Lim have several years of experience in the skincare field and are happy to assist you and suggest the next steps for treatment via online chat.