I have tried many sunscreens over the years. But for my face so far, Elta Md UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 Sunscreen has been one of my favorites. I first discovered Elta MD sunscreens while I was at my dermatologist’s office. While at a visit she gave me a huge stack of the little foil packets to sample.
I never had heavy acne or sensitive skin. But, my skin breaks out when I have tried many sunscreens on the market. I don’t know what ingredient in sunscreen my face hates. I tend to get whiteheads/blackheads/blemishes from using a sunscreen that has ingredients that my face can’t tolerate. So, when it comes to trying a new sunscreen, I am always slightly afraid.
The first time I tried Elta MD UV Clear SPF 46 I was going on vacation and used it for three weeks straight. On my trip, I didn’t have any adverse reaction from the sunscreen, and I loved how it worked with my makeup. So, since then, I was hooked on the Elta MD bandwagon.
What is Elta Md UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 Sunscreen?
It is an oil-free SPF that protects against UVA and UVB rays. Dermatologist recommend it for sensitive skin types and those who have acne prone skin. It protects against both UVA/UVA rays.
It is one of those hybrid sunscreens that is both a physical( due to the ingredient zinc oxide) and chemical( due to the ingredient octinoxate). There are many people out there in the beauty world and scientists who advise against the use of chemical sunscreens.
Ingredients in Elta Md UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 Sunscreen?
• Active:(9.0% Zinc oxide),( 7.5% Octinoxate)
• Inactive: Purified Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium, Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Transparent Zinc Oxide (9%) – Natural mineral compound that works as a sunscreen agent by reflecting and scattering UVA and UVB rays
What each ingredient does in Elta MD UV Clear SPF 46
- Zinc Oxide( 9 %)- It is a transparent zinc oxide and is noncomedogenic, sensitivity-free, fragrance-free and paraben-free. It is a natural mineral compound.
- Octinoxate (7.5%) – sunscreen active used to protect the skin, primarily against UVB rays.
- Niacinamide( Vitamin B3, 5% high purity) – It is an anti-inflammatory that reduces redness and minimizes the appearance of dry or damaged skin and restores suppleness. Niacinamide helps to treat hyperpigmentation and brighten skin tone.
- Hyaluronic Acid – It is a humectant that attracts and retains moisture, improving skin feel and restores suppleness. For someone like me, who uses tretinoin I need all the hydration I can get.
- Vitamin E – It is an antioxidant that reduces free radicals to help diminish the visible signs of aging.
How it applies and works under makeup
It is very moisturizing and lightweight. I love how it sinks right into my skin and doesn’t feel greasy. Most importantly is that it has never has caused me to break out or get any whitehead that I typically get from sunscreens. So, it doesn’t clog my pores.
On a daily basis, I typically use lightweight tinted moisturizers. And, this sunscreen applies beautifully under my go-to tinted moisturizers. I let the SPF sink in for around 20 minutes before applying my makeup. I do that for any sunscreen before putting on makeup. And, it leaves no white cast. If you use too much of this sunscreen before putting on a tinted moisturizer, it will pill a little. But, again, I never found any sunscreen that hasn’t pilled a little under makeup when you apply too much.
The only thing to remember when using this is that it probably won’t work well on your skin if you apply it over a full face of skincare products. For example, if you put on serum, a moisturizer, and some oil before putting on this sunscreen, your makeup will pill up badly. Also, it doesn’t apply well if you are using any products that are high with silicones or full of oils. If I have an important event or need to do a full face “glam” kind of makeup look I don’t put on this sunscreen. But, in general, I never found a sunscreen that worked great under full-coverage foundation.
Overall, this is the best sunscreen I have found for my everyday needs. Elta MD also has a few physical sunscreens I want to try one day, so hopefully, they are as good for sensitive skin as their UV Clear SPF 46.
For more info on their sunscreens visit https://eltamd.com/
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