The Best Sunscreens For Oily Skin, According To Dermatologists

If you’re someone with oily skin, then you understand how easy it is to aggravate it — for it to get irritated and red, or be shiny and greasy. And because oily skin often means an excess of sebum (the fatty acid substance our body produces to moisturize and protect our skin), it can also mean clogged pores and breakouts. Which is why shopping for skincare products when you have oily skin can be challenging, and sunscreen especially.

The best sunscreens for oily skin are non-comedogenic, meaning they won’t clog the pores. And more often than not, the best options are mineral-based, according to board-certified dermatologist Heather D. Rogers, co-founder of Modern Dermatology in Seattle. Mineral-based sunscreens use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which sit atop the skin to reflect the sun’s ultraviolet rays (rather than a chemical one that soaks into the skin, absorbs the rays and then releases them as heat). This leaves the pores able to breathe more easily, rather than to fill up with sweat, sebum and grime.

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Dr. David Lortscher also prefers mineral options for all types of skin, not just oily: “Physical sunscreens start protecting immediately upon application,” he says, by comparison to the 15-30 minute absorption period required by chemical options. 

While they may be chalkier and slower to physically apply, mineral sunscreens also benefit oily skin in that you may need only one product instead of two: Rogers says that oily skin often negates needing to apply a moisturizer underneath your sunscreen (whereas other people should wear both). “Most sunscreens have some hydrating ingredients,” Rogers says, plus your naturally oily skin will stay hydrated beneath the sunblock. However, note that you’ll need to apply a standard moisturizer (ideally one with SPF) on “normal” days where you aren’t sitting out in the sun for hours. 

Here are the sunscreens Rogers and Lortscher recommend for oily skin.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Oil-Free SPF 50 Face Sunscreen

Lortscher loves this oil-free formula because it doesn’t leave a chalky, white cast in its wake, and it’is water-resistant up to 40 minutes. The non-comedogenic SPF 50 uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to shield from the sun’s rays, and feels light as a feather on your skin.

ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Tinted Sunscreen Zinc Oxide SPF 50

ISDIN is one or Rogers’ go-to SPF brands, for their powders, creams and more. This tinted, skin-toning blend uses zinc oxide to block the sun, and peptides, plankton enzymes and Vitamin E to repair existing damage to the skin. It’s as much of an anti-aging product as it as a sunblock — and one that won’t make an oily situation worse.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40

Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen is exactly that: an invisible oil-free defense, that gives skin a soft, natural finish. It also combines red algae, frankincense and meadow foam seed to soothe and hydrate skin, and to shield it from digital blue lights. (Did you know excessive blue light exposure from smart devices can cause discoloration?) Like every Supergoop product, it doubles as a moisturizer — this one using Vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba to keep skin nourished. It’s one of Rogers’ go-to brands and fits her advice for oily skin: You may be able to skip a daytime moisturizer if you use a sunscreen with as much nourishment as this.

Colorescience Brush-On Shield Powder Sunscreen SPF 50

With four colors to choose from, Colorescience’s mineral sunscreen brush is one of Rogers’ favorite options for oily skin. “It doesn’t get your hands goopy,” she praises, citing it as a good pick for outdoor athletes who need to grip a golf club, tennis racket or the likes. You can use this lightweight formula as a touch-up solution or as a sunscreen layer atop your favorite moisturizer. But don’t underesti