Ah, the challenge of choosing the best sunscreen for oily skin. At first, it really seems like a Catch-22. On one hand, you know you need to use sunscreen – it is, after all, one of the first lines of defense against wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. But at the same time, you can’t stand the thought of that heavy, greasy stuff on your already oily skin.
What if we told you there are weightless sunscreens that protect your skin from those harmful UV rays, prevent your skin from aging prematurely, subdue those oil glands, and help keep your skin matte? Sounds like a deal, doesn’t it?
Regardless of the additional benefits of a sunscreen, its primary job is to protect your skin from the sun. You want a sunscreen that provides broad spectrum protection that shields your skin from both ultraviolet A rays that age the skin and ultraviolet B rays that damage the upper layers of the skin and put you at risk for skin cancer.
The following sunscreens all provide broad spectrum protection. All are water resistant, paraben-free, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic (won’t clog your pores). None of them is tested on animals. And each has its own particular ingredients of protective, beneficial ingredients.
Read on to choose from the best sunscreens for oily skin on the market today!
Quick Note on Sunscreens
For those of you with darker skin, you’re correct in thinking that the melanin in your skin offers some natural protection from the sun, but you still need protection from harmful ultraviolet rays.
You need sunscreen even when it’s overcast. UV light pierces right through the clouds.
Snow, sand, and water increase the need for sunscreen protection because they reflect the sun’s rays.
SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of the sun’s UV rays. Higher-number SPFs block slightly more, but no sunscreen blocks 100 percent of the sun’s rays.
Now that you know what’s up in regard to sunscreen, on with the show!
Skincare Oil-Free Daily Matte Moisturizer 32 SPF
- IMAGE Skincare Prevention+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+, 3.2 oz.
- IMAGE Skincare Prevention+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+, 3.2 oz.
- IMAGE Skincare Prevention+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF 32+, 3.2 oz.
You want powerful, broad spectrum sun protection that lasts and true hydration that keeps your skin supple and moisturized – without an oily sheen, right? Well, you’ll want to try Image Skincare’s Daily Matte Moisturizer.
It’s oil-free, shine-free and quite possible the best sunscreen for oily skin – especially if you’ve got dry patches as well that need the hydration. Best part? No sticky-icky feeling, just an all-day glowy matte that lasts.
PCA Skin Weightless Protection Broad Spectrum SPF 45
- Its unique quick-absorbing and light finish makes weightless protection spf 45 ideal...
- Caffeine provides additional protection against cell damage
- Octinoxate (75%) - absorbs and filters UV rays
This sunscreen contains ultra-sheer zinc oxide that reflects, scatters, and absorbs UV rays and octinoxate that absorbs and filters the rays. Silybin (milk thistle) and caffeine also protect the skin from sun damage. Vitamin E softens the skin and prevents premature signs of aging. Hyaluronic acid moisturizes.
The skin absorbs this gentle sunscreen quickly for a lightweight finish. It has visible benefits to the skin over and above protecting it from sun damage. Some users have seen facial lines reduced, even old discolorations fading, and a noticeable improvement in the texture of the skin.
It has received the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of approval.
Coola Suncare Mineral Face Sunscreen Matte Tint SPF 30
- Natural Cucumber Scent
- Immediate line-smoothing finish
- Water Resistant (40 minutes)
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provide the ultimate in protection from the sun. Organic botanicals are as beneficial to your skin as the ingredients found in a high-quality moisturizer. Organic rose hip oil protects from free radical damage. Organic evening primrose and flax seed oils calm the skin, improve elasticity, and keep the skin hydrated. Phytoplankton (a type of micro-algae) penetrates deep into the skin to deliver essential nutrients.
This lightly tinted sunscreen absorbs pore-clogging oil. You will see a smooth matte finish as soon as you apply it, so smooth and matte that Coola Suncare could double as your primer. It also has the fresh natural scent of cucumber.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dry Touch Sunscreen for Oily Skin SPF 60
- Face sunscreen for oily skin with broad spectrum SPF 60 protection; Sunscreen absorbs...
- 100 percent oil free, dry touch texture
- Won’t cause breakouts
The Cell-Ox Shield antioxidant formula is exclusive to La Roche-Posay products. Avovenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene combine to provide strong protection against the sun’s rays. It also protects the skin from the damage done by free radicals that prematurely ages the skin. The “Anti-shine Complex,” perlite and silica, does a great job of absorbing oil even when the weather is hot and muggy.
The lightweight formula is new. If you tried this product in the past, you already know it is a very effective sunscreen. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is it no longer is as thick and it no longer leaves a whitish cast on your face. You owe it to your skin to try it again.
Anthelios Dry Touch goes on smoothly, penetrates deeply, and immediately transforms your skin to a lovely matte finish. Use it as a base for your makeup and you’re good for the rest of the day.
André Lorent Daily Rehydrating Sunscreen SPF 30+
Sundrisol™ is unique to André Lorent products. It is “state of the art” in sunscreen technology, providing exceptional protection from sun damage while it reverses the signs of aging and moisturizes your skin. Vitamins B, C, and E work on the lines and wrinkles, improve collagen production, and hydrate the skin. Extracts of seaweed, algae, orchid, and papaya also hydrate, nourish the skin, and stimulate cell renewal.
Daily Rehydrating is absorbed quickly and leaves your skin silky and radiant. The benefits are so all-inclusive that you may want to use it for your everyday moisturizer—in the sun, out of the sun, and during the day as a moisturizer for oily skin.
If you need additional information before you considerate trying one of these lightweight, bonus-filled sunscreens, maybe we can “scare you straight.” There are approximately 74,000 new cases of invasive melanoma diagnosed every year in the U. S. And if that isn’t enough to motivate you, dermatologists estimate 80% of the aging that you see in your skin is due to excessive sun exposure.
Expert dermatologists also advise those with oily skin to choose a sunscreen with an SPF of no more than 30, since higher SPFs contain more intense concentrations of sun-blocking ingredients, which can feel greasy and make oily skin even shinier.
