Everything You Need to Know About Wearing Sunscreen When You’re Pimple-Prone, Plus Product Recommendations for Zit Friendly SPFs

Every skin type needs to wear sunscreen, but many spotty skin havers aren’t feeling great about wearing sunscreen and reapplying.

Not to worry- we’ve heard you- and beyond creating a range of acne-safe sunscreens, we’re answering all the topics you want to know about acne, the odd pimple and sunscreen. 

What Sunscreen Should I Use For my Skin Type?

It's important to have a sunscreen that suits your skin and how it interacts with products. Sunscreen is a daily ritual, so let’s find your perfect fit.

Did you know? You can be prone to acne but have a dry or combination skin type- not all acne-prone skin is automatically oily.

Here are our picks based on skin type: 

• For oily skin types prone to shine, use a gel or water-based sunscreen like CabanaClear™ Water Gel Serum SPF50.
• For dry and dehydrated skin, use a hydrating sunscreen like CabanaCrème™ Hydrating Sunscreen Moisturiser SPF50
• For sensitive or reactive skin, use a gentle sunscreen like Collagen Glow Mineral Perfecting Priming Lotion SPF50+ 

Finding a sunscreen that matches your skin type can help make sure you enjoy applying and reapplying, which ultimately gives your skin better protection from damaging UV rays. 

Can Sunscreens Cause Breakouts?

There is always a chance that a skincare product (regardless if it's a sunscreen or not), can cause breakouts. 

But we hear you, you’ve had a bad time with sunscreens in the past. Let’s trouble shoot the common reasons why your skin isn’t agreeing with sunscreen.

Check the expiry date

Sunscreen expires just like all skincare products, but it's particularly important to be diligent with sunscreen because UV filters lose effectiveness past the use-by or open-by date.

Cleansing properly

You might not be cleansing off your sunscreen properly, especially after a long day of reapplying and sweating. 

Sunscreen is made to create a light film on the skin to help protect you from the sun. Because of that, the film formers can be a bit extra tricky to break up when cleansing.

Ways to Cleanse Away SPF or Congestion

1. Use an oil based cleanser as a first cleanse, like our Strawberry Glow Oil Cleanser, then follow up with your usual cleanser

2. Remove grime from the day using a micellar water and cotton round, then follow up with your usual cleanser

3. Cleanse with your usual cleanser twice

4. Cleanse for a full 60 seconds- here’s a great video below:

Either way, you want to remove what's on your skin first before you're actually cleansing your skin.

Sensitivity or allergies

It happens. You could be allergic or sensitive to an ingredient in a sunscreen or skincare formula. If you’ve had a reaction to a product, stop using it immediately.

Patch testing is a method you can use to find out if your skin is reactive to a particular product. 

It's really disappointing when products don’t suit us, but you’re not alone when it comes to having fussy skin- don’t give up on finding your SPF match.

Are Mineral Sunscreens Better for Acne-Prone Skin?

Many people with acne-prone skin report that they love our Collagen Glow Mineral Perfecting Priming Lotion SPF50+.

Zinc, a UV filter known for its calming and soothing properties, can be a perfect match for sensitive or reactive blemish-prone skin. 

Iron Oxides and Post-Acne marks

Mineral sunscreens, like our Collagen Glow, often have iron oxides. 

Not only do they help counteract the white cast usually associated with mineral and zinc SPFs, they also work to help protect against visible light, which can darken marks left by blemishes. 

What Ingredients Should I Avoid in SPF for Acne-Prone Skin?

There are ingredients that have a bad wrap for pore clogging- but firstly: It’s important to listen to your skin, and what you may have reacted to in the past.

Sometimes, it’s easier to know a product has been created to work for your skin type.

Try looking out for:

• Lighter, gel textures
• Labels like non-comedogenic (not pore clogging)
• Products created for sensitive skin
• Read reviews from people with your skin type

Can You Skip Your SPF If Your Acne Treatment Already Has Sun Protection?

To get the labelled amount of sun protection factor (eg: SPF50), you need to use quite a generous amount of SPF (specifically a ¼ teaspoon just for the face). 

It's unlikely that you're using your treatments to that amount. 

Beyond applying the correct amount, having a dedicated sunscreen is essential when you're using many of the ingredients people with blemish-prone skin can use, like salicylic acids and vitamin A. 

Stronger active ingredients can photosensitise your skin to the sun.

Further reading: The Real Difference Between SPF30 and SPF50 and Why Skincare Lovers Use SPF50

What's most important is that you find an SPF that works for you, and we're passionate about finding what that is.

Often spotty skin havers are choosing between:

• Opting for gel and light weight formulas like our CabanaClear™ Water Gel Serum SPF50, which is a good fit if you’re oily and acne-prone.
• Opting for soothing and smoothing formulas like our Collagen Glow Mineral Perfecting Priming Lotion SPF50+, which is a good fit if you’re sensitive and acne-prone.

We’ve curated a collection of acne-prone favourites here, and we’ll include some really helpful reviews we’ve received from some amazing creators who are prone to blemishes - so you can see what they've enjoyed from our range, too. 

Disclaimer

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. Wear protective clothing, a hat, and eyewear when exposed to the sun. Avoid prolonged sun exposure and reapply sunscreen frequently.