Finding the Right Sunscreen for Your Skin Type

It Takes Experimentation

Finding the right sunscreen for your skin type is critical. You have to feel comfortable wearing it daily because if you don’t then the likelihood is you won’t wear it— and that’s not good!

The issue for any skin-care product, but especially sunscreen, is that it can feel heavy, greasy, clog pores, cause irritation, or not be moisturizing or mattifying enough. It always takes some amount of experimenting to find the right one for you, but following the guidelines below can help you finally discover the perfect sunscreen for your skin type and preferences!

• If you have combination skin, use sunscreens with a lightweight, silky feel that provide slight hydration and have a matte finish.
• If you have oily skin, consider using a combination of foundation with sunscreen and pressed powder with sunscreen and be sure to apply them liberally.
• If you have sensitive skin or rosacea, choose sunscreens that only use titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide as the active ingredients. More often than not, these sunscreens have a thicker, creamier texture but a satin matte finish.
• If you have dry skin, a more emollient moisturizer with sunscreen is perfect (and there are plenty of options).
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• If you have very dry skin you may need to apply a more emollient moisturizer first and then apply a moisturizing sunscreen over it.

What About Higher SPF Ratings?

Although most people can use sunscreens without incident, sunscreens with higher SPF numbers (think SPF 30 and up) have a greater risk of causing irritation. You can test a sunscreen on the inside part of your arm over a period of days to see if your skin reacts. That isn’t always 100% accurate for your face, but it can help reduce the chance of a reaction. Generally, to avoid stinging around the eyes, you may need to stick with a sunscreen with mineral actives of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. And of course, wearing sunglasses is an extra measure of protection to keep the eye area from showing signs of aging.