Best Sunscreen for Sensitive and Acne-Prone Skin – Tried and Tested

Best Sunscreen for Sensitive and Acne-Prone Skin – I have tried so many sunscreens in the past few years for my sensitive skin. I have spent money on sunscreen that went viral on Instagram, rated best on Amazon, or recommended to me by a dermatologist.

Sunscreens never worked for me! (till I turned 27)

From my teenage to early 20s, I had a hard time figuring out which sunscreen was best for me. I started with commercial Brands I grew up watching on TV such as Lotus, Lakme, and Neutrogena, and in the end, I always had to face acne.

I reached the conclusion that Sunscreens are not for me and I ultimately stopped using them.

Back in my mind, I knew that Sunscreen is an important step for our skin but what could I do? None of the sunscreens were working for my sensitive and acne-prone skin.

I got to know more about Sunscreens in my mid-20s.

Years passed by, social media started to evolve, and the cosmetic Industry especially in India started to evolve.

People became more aware of the ingredients and skin types. Eventually, there was a huge shift in the beauty industry.

Upon reading articles, I learned that there are types of Sunscreen and not every sunscreen works for everyone. I am talking about the year 2018!

I got to know about terms like physical vs chemical sunscreen and ingredients that should or should not be for a particular skin type.

What Type of Sunscreen is Best for Acne-Prone Skin?

Go for the ones that have Zinc oxide and Titanium Dioxide in the ingredients if you have sensitive and acne-prone skin.

The reason is, sunscreens with zinc oxide or simply put physical sunscreens are ideal for people with skin sensitivity. The sunscreen sits on top rather than being absorbed by your skin.

Ingredients like Oxybenzone and Avobenzone are absorbed by the skin and are found in chemical sunscreens that can lead to reactions and allergies.

Well, I am not an expert with ingredients so yes, there are so many other ingredients that should or should not be in your sunscreens such as parabens or added fragrances but these were the two main ingredients that I realized in my experience, make a difference.

Basically, physical sunscreens are more suitable for people with allergies as compared to chemical sunscreens.

3 Best Sunscreens for Sensitive and Acne-Prone Skin

Before I share my favorites, let me tell you that these sunscreens can be used on both, Male and Female skin types and also by dry and oily skin types. I have sensitive and acne-prone skin with a history of eczema if that helps.

1. ISDIN Fotoprotector Fusion Water Sunscreen SPF 50

Update (July 14, 2024): Despite the sunscreen working great for me, after getting clarification that ISDIN Fusion Water is now a chemical sunscreen with Avobenzone, I am not comfortable keeping it as one of my top sunscreens.

This sunscreen was advised to me by my dermatologist especially when dust allergies and eczema were on its peak. I was having intense flare-ups resulting in painful redness and rashes and ISDIN was the only sunscreen that worked for my severe eczema skin.

It is designed for sensitive and acne-prone skin and its liquid consistency makes it ideal for sensitive skin. It is absorbed by the skin within seconds without leaving any heaviness or sweaty feeling.

ISDIN is by far the best sunscreen I have ever tried. I have tried, tested, and finished the entire tube. I do have an in-depth review of ISDIN sunscreen on my blog.

Here is a detailed review of ISDIN Sunscreen.

2. Brinton UV Doux Blue Light Sunscreen

Available at Brintoncare, Clinikally, and 1mg.

After I finished my ISDIN sunscreen I wanted to explore more options for my skin type. Buying ISDIN frequently looked like a costlier option to me so I wanted to know what other options were there for my skin type.

After days of research and going through genuine customer reviews on Amazon and Nykaa, and trust me, filtering those reviews is not easy, I finally decided to spend my money on UV Doux Sunscreen.

A little truth about Amazon and Nykaa Reviews…

The reason I mentioned that about Amazon and Nykaa reviews is that most of them are paid reviews. Now being a blogger, I am not saying that paid reviews are bad. But having seen this closely, I confirm that not all those reviews are true.

Most of the Amazon and Nykaa reviews are posted by random people who were paid to simply paste a text. I have seen my review being posted by 5 other people. Most of them are even on the same dates!

I receive so many messages where I will be reimbursed for a product to review and I don’t even respond to them.

Most of the e-comm reviews are not even genuine

It is not like reviews in exchange for products won’t be genuine. But what’s going on with these e-commerce reviews is a next-level dark side. People do leave 5-star reviews just because they received a product for free. At this point, a quick glance at the writing style of those reviews reveals if it is fake or genuine.

Due to this marketing scam, those few people who genuinely loved the product even in exchange for the product are considered fake.

I am not kidding when I say spend a huge amount of my time filtering Amazon reviews.

Coming back to the UV Doux Sunscreen…

There were so many variants of Brinton UV Doux but the one with the Blue Light filter excited me the most. I wanted to make sure the sunscreen is offering broad spectrum protection that is from UVA and UVB rays and also offers a high protection grade that is PA+++.

Also, Read: Breaking Down Sunscreen Labels: What SPF, Broad Spectrum, and PA+++ Really Mean

UV Doux Sunscreen offers a silicone-like matte texture without harming my skin plus it is mildly tinted. The tint doesn’t really make a difference but it feels nice. Even after offering a matte texture, it doesn’t feel dry on my skin. It is also sweat and water-resistant so it legit ticked all the points.

It worked so well for my sensitive and acne-prone skin that I even recommended it to my friends as it not only suits acne-prone skin but also fits in budget. At least when compared to ISDIN.

There were no breakouts, teary eyes, or rolling up of sunscreen and it works great under makeup.

If not ISDIN, UV Doux Sunscreen is what you need for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Here is a detailed review of UV Doux Sunscreen.

3. Nykaa SkinRx Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++

Available at Nykaa.

Nykaa Sunscreen feels exactly like UV Doux Sunscreen, only not tinted. The matte and silicone texture feels exactly the same.

The UV Doux has a slightly smoother texture while Nykaa sunscreen is a tad bit thicker.

Worked well under makeup and under the sun without causing any sunburns. Neither does it wash out with sweat.

Here is a detailed review of Nykaa Sunscreen.

There are so many sunscreens that I tried and even worked for my acne-prone skin but they either did not provide enough sun protection and caused sun rashes, rolled up on the skin, or made my skin itch. They did not lead to acne but were not a full package.

(Reviews) All the Sunscreens I have ever tried

If in the future I feel a particular sunscreen should be added to this list, I will definitely come back here and update the article.

Summing Up

These were the sunscreens that I feel like were 10/10. These are the best-fit sunscreens for sensitive and acne-prone skin. They are neither too drying nor too heavy. They not only are suitable for acne-prone skin but also offer high Sun protection and actually work under the Sun.

There are sunscreens like Dot & Key that claim to have SPF 50+++ but I still somehow faced rashes and redness under sun. Those who face Sun rashes know how red, itchy, and painful they can turn.

Deconstruct Gel Sunscreen REVIEW: Here is What I Feel

Did you spot your favorite or find the one you were looking for a review of? Let me know in the comments below.

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