I don’t know about where you guys are from but here on the East Coast things went from Winter to Summer real fast.

And I know, the desire is to tan as fast as possible but when you get older you’re gonna be paying out the rear-end to get rid of sunspots with laser treatments, chemical peels… and heaven forbid… skin cancer.

It’s important to have fun in the sun, but also to protect yourself!

… And if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin like me then this might be a harder task. Yes it’s easy just to skip the sunscreen, but here are the products I’ve found don’t break me out, with some insight into why.

Things to take into consideration:

Physical vs Chemical Sunscreen
Personally, my skin reacts best to physical sunscreens like zinc oxide and titanium oxide. I tend to have hormonal acne, so chemical sunscreen ingredients like Oxybenzone break me out (think BIG cystic break outs). If you’re way past the stage of hormone issues in your life (you lucky duck) then the chemical sunscreens do tend to sit better under make up and are better incorporated into lotions seamlessly.

Oily vs Dry Skin
Some sunscreens provide moisture, and others dry you out. My skin is quiet oily, so physical sunscreens like zinc oxide that tend to dry people out are my best friend. But if you have drier skin you might experience redness and irritation from such drying ingredients, and maybe chemical sunscreens are best for you.

 

So let’s get into the best in each category of sunscreen!

 

Clothes/hats can also provide sun protection

If all else fails… or if your super sensitive to the sun, get a fancy hat or some fancy thin clothes that have UV protection! Sometimes you just want to have fun in the sun without re-applying every 2 hours (which you are supposed to do by the way) I looked on amazon and discovered the term “UPF”

I really liked this hat since I have a sensitive scalp!

Best under Mineral Make up Sunscreen

BareMinerals Prep Step Mineral Shield Daily Prep Lotion SPF 50
– This is unfortunately discontinued… so its a little on the expensive side which is a shame because it’s my favorite mineral primer for powder foundations. I like to use it with the Ulta mineral foundation for a satin-natural look. It amps up the coverage and never breaks me out! It is a silicone free, physical sunscreen… please bring it back bareminerals!

 

Best Traceless Sunscreen

La Roche Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60
– If you don’t use a lot of serums during the day this is the best traceless sunscreen. The only reason I say that is if you put this on top of a primer or really thick moisturizer you can get some peeling. Generally if you put foundation or anything on top of this sunscreen you shouldn’t have too much issue with it. This is a chemical sunscreen that doesn’t break me out! (which is super rare for me) It’s silicone free!

 

Best Setting Powder with SPF

IT cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder SPF 50 

Still hate the idea of putting an extra layer on your face? With a setting powder with SPF 50 you really have no excuse! This leaves a satin finish so it’s great for both oily and dry skin types. You do need to use a decent amount of it to get the SPF benefits, so don’t think you can barely dust it on your face to get a benefit. It doesn’t have much coverage, and it’s my go-to on beach days along with the La Rosay Posay sunscreen under it.

 

Best Mix in Powder

Zinc Oxide Powder Non Nano Uncoated Cosmetic Grade, 1/2 Lb

Still unwilling to change anything about your sensitive skin care routine for sun protection? Maybe I can coax you with this powder. This is a white pure zinc oxide powder (One of the main physical sunscreens) that you can mix in with moisturizers or even foundation. If you have oily skin it can actually help mattify you. I don’t personally have dry skin so I can’t speak to what this does if your skin is super oily. It reminds me of the whole Urban Decay Velvetizer craze where people were mixing powder into foundation to change the consistency… but zinc oxide powder will give you sun screen benefits as well!

 

What are your favorite sunscreens? I think it’s very important to protect yourself so stay healthy and happy everyone!

-RicaIsHungry

 

******FULL DISCLOSURE: This are my personal experiences and thoughts. I am not being paid by the brand or the company to review this product or talk about any claims. This product was not sent to me. Links in this post are a part of the amazon affiliates program.*******