Stay safe without looking super shiny or breaking out.
Courtesy of brands/Laneen Wells
If you have oily skin, you might be tempted to skip sunscreen in your skin care routine. And look, we get it: Any extra product—especially one that has a reputation for being thick and greasy—can make you worry that you’ll break out. Still, wearing sunscreen daily helps prevent hyperpigmentation, sunburns, and skin cancer. Thankfully, SPF has come a long way since the heavy, one-size-fits-all creams of the past. We spoke with dermatologists and referenced our past Healthy Beauty Awards to round up the best sunscreens for oily skin so you can stay protected without looking like a disco ball.
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1
EltaMD UV Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 46
Best Overall: Elta MD’s UV Clear is one of the most widely recommended sunscreens for people with oily and acne-prone skin, Elaine F. Kung, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Future Bright Dermatology in New York City, tells SELF. The formula is oil-free, so it shouldn’t add any slickness, and it’s non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores. One of its star ingredients is niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, which is an antioxidant that can help with skin-barrier repair and reduce oil production and inflammation.
- Mineral and chemical SPF ingredients: zinc oxide, octinoxate
- Other notable ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, exfoliating lactic acid
- Fragrance-free | Oil-free | Non-comedogenic
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2
CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body
Best Budget Buy: This 2023 Healthy Beauty Award winner is on the affordable side—ideal for a product you’ll apply (and reapply) from head to toe. Our tester loved the not-shiny-but-not-flat finish this drugstore pick gave their skin: “This sunscreen absorbs nicely, and doesn’t dry matte or greasy but rather as a nice in-between. I’ve noticed that my skin stays hydrated throughout the day and isn’t oily after hours and hours of wear.”
- Mineral and chemical SPF ingredients: homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, zinc oxide
- Other notable ingredients: hyaluronic acid, ceramides
- Water-resistant for up to 80 minutes | Non-comedogenic | Fragrance-free
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3
Hero Cosmetics
Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Best for Acne-Prone Skin: This gel-cream formula has a subtle green tint that helps tone down redness caused by acne. It also packs protective antioxidants, including anti-inflammatory green tea. “I have really frustrating acne, and I’ve struggled for years trying to find a SPF that doesn’t break me out—and this one doesn’t! It is also super lightweight; it doesn’t make my skin feel like it’s being suffocated,” one Ulta reviewer wrote. “The green tint doesn’t immediately tone down my redness, but after about 10 minutes, my skin is visibly calmer.”
- Mineral SPF ingredients: zinc oxide
- Other notable ingredients: vitamin E
- Fragrance-free | Non-comedogenic
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Best Splurge: Revision Intellishade Matte (SPF 45)”,”dek”:[[“div”,[[“p”,[[“strong”,”Best Splurge:”],” While it’s pricier than lots of other sunscreens, this product is a color corrector, moisturizer, and SPF all in one—and it comes highly recommended by “,[[“a”,{“href”:”https://www.westlakedermatology.com/lela-lankerani-do/”,”target”:”_blank”},”Lela Lankerani, DO”],”, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin. The mineral formula has a universal sheer tint, and the matte finish helps control shine and oiliness.”],[[“ul”,[[“li”,[[“strong”,”Mineral and chemical SPF ingredients:”],” octinoxate, octisalate, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide”],[[“li”,[[“strong”,”Other notable ingredients:”],” vitamin C, peptides, aloe vera, green tea, and soothing allantoin”],[[“li”,”Oil-free”]]],”functionalTags”:[],”id”:”64c7aee8a64687edfd925d3c”,”isHedClickable”:false,”isPromotion”:null,”name”:”Revision Skincare Intellishade Matte SPF 45″,”offers”:[{[{“offerUrl”:”https://www.walmart.com/ip/REVISION-Skincare-Intellishade-SPF-45-Matte-1-7-oz/167171192?”,”price”:”$78″,”currency”:”USD”,”purchaseUri”:”https://cna.st/p/2h8zKZvUAqv9bHZhFkHz2iUt285Cj1HJNPiQ7Vn71N3kB2dv71TskdTuW9hUVuqJeHhyH56iyUZKwoq7cMyK72HgCt65eukM5kFuVkY7SSJn8MTySu3WsPipx3rNCPPAADQ5rsB9dixiB6YsBbPP2bPmtdq6BX6uJgLdMoaCUzjssuoDRY”,”sellerName”:”Walmart”,”countryCode”:”US”,”reducedPrice”:””},{“offerUrl”:”https://www.dermstore.com/revision-skincare-intellishade-matte-age-defying-tinted-moisturiser-45-spf48g/13339907.html”,”price”:”$84″,”currency”:”USD”,”purchaseUri”:”https://cna.st/p/2h8zKZvUAqv9bHZhFkHz2iUt285Cj1HJNPiQ7Vn71N3kB2dv71TskdTuW9hUVuqJeHhyH56iyUZKwoq7dDdDb9buHSBLkabFrPpwBWDKLccusu5hKbPRxEPTin2uZJyyGwSW5nT8WEMxdAcc88vH5FYxP8iSfsPPbEudquSmrTU9a6LTdx”,”sellerName”:”Dermstore”,”countryCode”:”US”,”reducedPrice”:””},{“offerUrl”:”https://www.amazon.com/Revision-Skincare-Intellishade-SPF-Matte/dp/B007GIXD4Y”,”price”:”$84″,”currency”:”USD”,”purchaseUri”:”https://cna.st/p/2h8zKZvUAqv9bHZhFkHz2iUt285Cj1HJNPiQ7Vn71N3kB2dv71TskdTuW9hUVuqJeHhyH56iyUZKwoqAc9e1Yd5T9CVvVrw3MErodckm4XmuY1VXt6kJoiwXVgk8RzE4hMrs5L7CQdLHRKeA5xXYL9XVdjZoQWouGfsKiMazbYgoWo9xsY”,”sellerName”:”Amazon”,”countryCode”:”US”,”reducedPrice”:””}],”promotionHed”:null,”promotionText”:null,”socialIconsProps”:{“links”:[{[{“network”:”Pinterest”,”label”:”Post to Pinterest”,”url”:”https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.self.com%2Fgallery%2Fbest-sunscreen-for-oily-skin&media=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.self.com%2Fphotos%2F65143aee2dcd5fbeeffb64b3%2Fmaster%2Fw_1200%2Cc_limit%2FRevision%2520Skincare%2520Intellishade%2520Matte%2520SPF%252045.png&description=Revision%20Skincare%20Intellishade%20Matte%20SPF%2045″}]},”itemSocialSharesProps”:{“showBookmark”:false,”links”:[]},”showLocalisedOffers”:true,”isUpcEnabled”:true,”index”:3,”showClampedProductDescription”:false,”order”:3,”totalCount”:12,”preHeaderOne”:”4″,”showOrderedGallery”:true,”hasAffiliateLinkDisabled”:false,”layout”:”ProductEmbed”,”component”:”unified_product_card”}”>
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Best Splurge: Revision Intellishade Matte (SPF 45)
Best Splurge: While it’s pricier than lots of other sunscreens, this product is a color corrector, moisturizer, and SPF all in one—and it comes highly recommended by Lela Lankerani, DO, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin. The mineral formula has a universal sheer tint, and the matte finish helps control shine and oiliness.
- Mineral and chemical SPF ingredients: octinoxate, octisalate, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide
- Other notable ingredients: vitamin C, peptides, aloe vera, green tea, and soothing allantoin
- Oil-free
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5
Dr Loretta
Urban Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 40
Best Tinted Sunscreen: A lot of products geared toward oily skin have a matte finish, but this SPF offers a nice glow without…over-dew-ing it. One former SELF editor enjoyed it so much that she had to repurchase it, despite the higher price point: “This mineral sunscreen leaves a gorgeous luminous finish and a peach tint that blends seamlessly into my medium tan skin tone.”
- Mineral and chemical SPF ingredients: homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide
- Other notable ingredients: peptides, glycerin, hydrating jojoba seed oil, aloe vera
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6
Colorescience
Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50
Best Powder SPF: You should use a liquid or cream sunscreen for your first application, but for touch-ups, a powder SPF is super convenient—plus, it’ll absorb excess oil. This one “has a very subtle shimmer that helps give that enviable glow yet still manages to mattify on a hot summer day,” Rachel Westbay, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City, previously told SELF. Sweep the brush around your face at least once in small circular motions to make sure you apply enough for adequate sun protection.
- Mineral SPF ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide
- Other notable ingredients: hyaluronic acid, glycerin
- Water-resistant for up to 80 minutes | Oil-free | Fragrance-free
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7
La Roche-Posay
Anthelios Mineral Ultra Light Face Sunscreen SPF 50
Lightweight Formula: Mineral sunscreens get a bad rap for being thick and pasty, but this one is anything but that: “It has a fast-absorbing, lightweight texture and leaves a matte finish,” Marisa Garshick, MD, New York–based dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells SELF. Its thin texture also makes it great for layering underneath makeup.
- Mineral SPF ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide
- Other notable ingredients: smoothing dimethicone
- Water-resistant for up to 40 minutes | Oil-free | Fragrance-free | Non-comedogenic
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8
Supergoop!
Mineral Matte Screen SPF 40
Best Matte Finish: Dr. Garshick also recommends this mattifying sunscreen, which is designed to act like a makeup primer too. Its whipped consistency contains dimethicone (a derivative of silicone) to smooth over pores and has a peachy-tan tint to offset a potential white cast.
- Mineral SPF ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide
- Other notable ingredients: dimethicone, bamboo extract (antioxidant)
- Oil-free | Non-comedogenic
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9
Olay
Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
Best Soothing Formula: One SELF editor recommends this to anyone with both oily and sensitive skin, since it’s fragrance-free and contains calming ingredients like colloidal oatmeal and niacinamide. “My favorite part is that this sunscreen has a cooling effect on my face, which is perfect for those really hot summer days or any rosacea flare-ups,” she says. “It’s SO lightweight and soothing.”
- Mineral SPF ingredient: zinc oxide
- Other notable ingredients: glycerin, peptides
- Fragrance-free | Oil-free
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10
SkinCeuticals
Physical Matte UV Defense SPF 50
Best Pore-Minimizing Pick: This sunscreen, which also features dimethicone, helps blur the look of pores for a smoother base, according to Dr. Garshick. It also contains oil-absorbing silica and—especially nice for skin that tends to get greasy—dries to a powder finish.
- Mineral SPF ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide
- Other notable ingredients: dimethicone, jojoba oil
- Non-comedogenic | Fragrance-free
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11
Charlotte Tilbury
Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50
Best Brightening SPF: This creamy sunscreen contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help even out dark spots and discoloration while also protecting your skin from future damage. Dr. Garshick calls this a “weightless primer,” adding that it absorbs easily.
- Mineral and chemical SPF ingredients: octocrylene, titanium dioxide
- Other notable ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin E
- Fragrance-free
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What to look for when shopping for sunscreen for oily skin
First, mineral sunscreens (which are made with zinc oxide or titanium oxide) are often a better choice for people with oily skin because they tend to be slightly more drying than chemical sunscreens. Look for one with a minimum of SPF 30 and broad-spectrum coverage, too.
It’s ideal to look for an SPF labeled “non-comedogenic,” which means it’s less likely to clog your pores—a common concern for folks with oily skin, Dr. Lankerani says. She also recommends avoiding sunscreens that have occlusive ingredients, like mineral oil, coconut oil, and petrolatum, because they create a physical barrier to stop water loss and maintain hydration in the skin. While these can be beneficial for various skin types, occlusives can also trap excess oil, acne-causing bacteria, and dirt, leading to clogged pores. Protecting your skin while allowing it to breathe is key, which is why Dr. Lankerani recommends sunscreens with oil-free and lightweight formulations, like gels, thinner lotions, or liquids.
After graduating from her degree in Journalism and Communications, Clare went back to train as a makeup artist and study skincare. She has done makeup for fashion shoots, TV, weddings, theatre and events. With over 15 years experience in fashion and beauty and having worked on every type of complexion… Read more
Jessica is a writer on SELF’s commerce team and covers beauty, health, and fitness products. Previously, Jessica was the beauty editor at USA TODAY’s product review website, Reviewed, where she wrote and edited stories about the best makeup and skincare products and practices. Jessica earned a B.S. in journalism from… Read more
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