Sunscreen. Six months ago, you could not tell me to put sunscreen on. Now, I’m consistently testing sunscreens (without oxybenzone) to figure out what is the best sunscreen for oily skin.
Finding the right sunscreen is not only important for the summer, but for everyday use. One of my major skincare mistakes over the years is not using sunscreen to protect my skin from all the damaging UVA/UVB rays. I was consistently told that I should try to put on sunscreen by dermatologists, but I avoided it like the plague because I thought I was allergic to all forms of sunscreen. Turns out, I wasn’t. I just needed to find the right sunscreen that fit my oily skin and did not break me out in hives.
My quest of finding the best sunscreen for oily skin
My criteria may be different from what other people are looking for in a sunscreen, so outlining my requirements would be helpful in understanding whether you are looking for the same holy grail product as me.
- At least an SPF 30. According to the Mayo Clinic, experts recommend that we use at least an SPF 30 in our daily routine. Although SPF 50 sounds like a much bigger jump, it actually only provides a “small increase” in UV protection.
- Doesn’t cause my skin to produce any more sebum than it does. I am an oily skin girl and I’ve already accepted that years ago, but I would rather not become oilier than what I already am.
- Doesn’t burn my eyes. I didn’t know that sunscreen could even cause such a reaction until I truly started my skincare journey this year. It’s a sensation that is a little bit hard to describe, but if I had to it kinda feels like when you’ve been cooking something with a lot of spices and it sticks to your lashes.
- Doesn’t pill or feel excessively heavy on my skin. I live in California where it is hot 90% of the time especially with global warming. I don’t use heavy creams until nighttime where I am able to relax with my air conditioning on blast and my silk pillowcases to protect my hair and skin.
- An overall good experience. You know what I mean. It’s that feeling that you are putting something on your skin that it accepts wholeheartedly without question.
Did I find the best sunscreen for oily skin?
Yes, for now. I think it is important to consider that skincare may need to be adjusted for the current season and to satiate your skin’s needs. My skin definitely prefers one sunscreen over the other time and time again.
Mini sunscreen reviews
I will be starting this review section with my least favorite product to my favorite product so far. I’ve linked the products below so you can check it out.
- Biossance Squalane Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30. ($30) I think this may be my least favorite product due to the fact that I had SUCH high hopes for it. It has been rated highly in reviews. It is on the EWG’s Best daily-use SPF list. It just did not really work for me. It felt entirely too heavy that I reached for other products over it constantly despite having purchased it as one of my first sunscreens. It would probably work better for dry skin since it is pretty thick and moisturizing, but I’ll have to pass on this one.
- Farm Stay Cica Farm Nature Solution Sun Cream SPF 50. ($11) I hate that I have to rate this product lower. I love the product overall. Some people say that it has a little bit of a nature smell, which I don’t really mind. It just smells like trees. What really hurt my heart on this one is that it burned my eyes. Not always. But half the time. But as an empath that constantly gets teary eyed over sad videos, this really couldn’t work for me in the long run.
- Hello Sunday Sun Primer SPF 50. ($19) I was surprised about the amount of times I’ve reached for this product. It has a vaseline to powder consistency, but I never feel oily when I use it. It is a different texture than what I’m used to, but I’m likely to purchase this product again. I typically keep it in my office and use it to reapply throughout the day.
- make p:rem Daily Sun Essence SPF 50. ($28) My absolute favorite sunscreen. Need I say more? It feels like a light lotion that sinks into the skin perfectly. I have it in my purse so I have it all the time. I like carrying it around just in case I forgot to put SPF on in the morning, or if I’m dropping off the kids and rushing through my morning. It just melts so perfectly, I couldn’t ask for a better sunscreen, for now at least.
Last Thoughts
Please keep in mind that we all have different skin. What works for me, might not work for you, especially if you have dry skin. I have sensitive, oily skin. I wish my skin was more resilient, but I’m repairing my skin barrier for the 30 years that I haven’t worn sunscreen. Anyways, let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and whether they worked for you or not. 🙂
