The Best Sunscreens for Rosacea That Won’t Further Irritate Your Skin
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More than 14 million people in the U.S. deal with rosacea, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine , which is a skin condition marked by long-term redness, a flushed-looking face, broken blood vessels, a burning sensation, and the occasional pus-filled bumps . If you have fair skin or are between the ages of 30 and 60, you're more likely to experience rosacea, and though the cause of it is not known, rosacea tends to flare up from extreme temperatures, stress, the ingestion of spicy foods, and other factors. Sun exposure, though, is one of its most prevalent triggers.
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As the Mayo Clinic reports, people with "skin that burns easily in the sun" have a higher probability of developing the condition, so, of course, sun care and rosacea treatments go hand in hand — with daily sunscreen application being essential for managing the inflammation and overall "angriness" of your skin barrier.
Dermatologists and other experts advise turning exclusively to mineral as opposed to chemical sunscreen formulas if you have rosacea-prone skin, as the former sits on top of it while the latter is absorbed and can therefore irritate your face to an even greater extent, cause serious stinging, and generate versus halt pigment production. Similarly, fragrance-free and noncomedogenic options are the way to go, and so are broad-spectrum sunscreens (that block exposure to two types of rays, UVA and UVB).
Given the fact that rosacea is such a visible affliction, the best color-correcting or tinted sunscreens can also do double duty as means of coverage and sun protection.
Here, our beauty editors round up the five most effective sunscreens for dealing with (and healing) rosacea, from mineral ones with green undertones to calming, hydrating, and lightweight selections that are regularly shouted out and prescribed by derms.
EDITOR'S CHOICE
EltaMD UV Skin Recovery Red Color Correcting Green Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Clinically tested; fragrance-free; noncomedogenic; hypoallergenic
$52
$52
Our team's go-to sunscreen for everyday protection and skin health
support is EltaMD, the #1 dermatologist-recommended professional sunscreen brand.
We've tried practically every last offering on EltaMD's roster, from the released-this-year UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen
to the celebrity-worn UV Daily
bestseller, but no offering is as tailored to rosacea as the color-correcting UV Skin Recovery, a 100-percent mineral suncreen that promises to be "more than just a cover-up": instead neutralizing
redness (reducing its appearance by as much as 14 percent in as little as 15 minutes, per an EltaMD study), balancing the complexion, repairing the skin barrier, and doing all that without leaving heaviness or greasiness in its wake.
We like that the product has a silky-smooth feel, blends in seconds, can be worn under makeup
, and boasts a green hue with as potent of an effect as your favorite CC cream
. More resilient skin will be the ultimate result here, what with the sunscreen's carefully developed concoction of ceramides, herbal extracts, sun-filtering zinc oxide, and EltaMD's patented amino acid blend.
GOOD UNDER MAKEUP
Tower 28 SOS FaceGuard Sunscreen PA+++ SPF 30
$32
Tower 28 is trusted by everyone from Lorde to Hailey Bieber, and its founder, Amy Liu, launched the brand with a simple mission: to develop skin care that wouldn't hurt her own sensitive, eczema-prone skin. The clean, vegan, and cruelty-free company now specializes in facial sprays, lip jellies, and more. In the sunscreen department, one of its most viral-slash-desirable rollouts is the SOS FaceGuard SPF 30 — a clinically tested sunblock that has received a literal seal of approval from the National Rosacea Society
.
Guaranteed not to incite net-new breakouts, leave a white cast, clog pores, or burn eyes, the sunscreen also won't pill when you layer it under a concealer or foundation; has a sumptuous, whipped consistency; and was vetted by dermatologists and ophthalmologists alike. That "PA+++" labeling alludes to its high protection against UVA rays, and the SOS FaceGuard's inclusion of allantoin ensures it can hydrate skin on a cellular level.
A bonus? You have the option of grabbing it in a travel size
, too, for all future getaways to sunnier environs. Because rosacea shouldn't stop you from living your very best life.
HSA-ELIGIBLE
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Mineral Light Fluid SPF 50
$39.99
Frequently praised in the r/rosacea Reddit thread
, La Roche-Posay's Anthelios Tinted Mineral Light Fluid SPF 50 is a matte, antioxidant-infused sunscreen that won't further aggravate symptoms of rosacea like swollen bumps, thickened skin, persistent redness, and tenderness. In fact, the formula is inherently soothing (a godsend for the sensitive-skinned among us) and even contains a "tropical leaf extract known to defend skin cells in the upper layer of skin against damaging free radicals caused by the sun," as the company puts it.
Unlike many counterparts, the beloved sunscreen absorbs in the blink of an eye, operates on the basis of multiple
targeted mineral filters to keep you safe from photoaging, and actually doles out a natural glow you're sure to appreciate.
We're burying the lede, though: This La Roche-Posay buy is also tinted, and it's freshly available in a more inclusive range of shades directly at laroche-posay.us
.
BEST DRUGSTORE PICK
CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
$13.97
The most budget-conscious pick on this list, CeraVe's Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen is nonetheless an efficient sun care solution that will make your rosacea feel cared for — finally. The star players in this purchase are three ceramides and niacinamide, locking in moisture and remedying redness while brightening skin tone, respectively. In that, the sunscreen will mimic the best serums
and moisturizers
of our time while prioritizing broad-spectrum sun filtering and compatibility with your skin care routine at large.
Approved by the Skin Cancer Foundation and National Eczema Association, the under-$15 investment lacks any and all components that might bother your rosacea-laden skin. Peace of mind during all your indulgent days out in the sun? Secured, thanks to this highly rated sunscreen that many reviewers share has left them "very happy."
BEST LUXURY PICK
Augustinus Bader The Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
$145
The price tag on this Augustinus Bader The Mineral Sunscreen
SPF 50 is no walk in the park, but your skin is worth it (and, in the long run, $145 is much more affordable than laser therapy procedures meant to correct sun damage combined with rosacea). You already know that the label frequently appears in the beauty bags of Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, and dozens of other tastemaking A-listers, but the pictured sunscreen is a sleeper hit — being Augustinus Bader's first-ever expansion into the sunscreen category, released only last year.
Powered by proprietary TFC8 technology that optimizes cellular communication and renewal, diminishes the visible signs of aging, improves elasticity, and shields against environmental stressors, The Mineral Sunscreen furthermore claims to "preven[t] the appearance of redness": making it a rosacea nonnegotiable.
With an airy, luxe sensation and an ingredient list that benefits all skin types, from the dry to the oily, this high-end sunscreen will completely transform your face for the better: helping heal your main concern, yes, but also boosting luminosity, ironing out fine lines, and contributing to a healthier look over time.
What to Look for in the Best Sunscreens for Rosacea
Mineral vs. chemical composition:Sunscreens can be sorted into two main buckets — mineral or chemical — based on how they interact with skin. Mineral sunscreens sit on top of skin to create a physical barrier while reflecting and scattering UV rays away from the face; chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, absorb into skin just as they absorb said rays, converting them into heat that can then be released by your skin back into the atmosphere.
Mineral (and not chemical) sunscreens are most beneficial for sensitive and rosacea-prone skin, as they don't contain chemicals, clog pores, trigger those telltale rosacea "flushes," or permeate the barrier. That being said, they're not completely flawless either — oftentimes being less lightweight and harder to spread than the alternative. Mineral sunscreens typically feature the UV filters zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, so look out for these ingredients when you're shopping the product category.
Fragrances:By nature, rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that can get worse with even minor exposure to irritators like fragrances. Translation — for best results, see to it that the sunscreen you end up buying doesn't have a strong scent (also coming with labels like "noncomedogenic," "oil-free," "alcohol-free," and other signifiers of a clean, safe, gentle formulation that leaves flare-ups in the rearview mirror).
Color correction:It's completely your choice whether to go with a color-correcting sunscreen or stick to a basic white one, but we think green-tinted options really go the extra mile to address the top priority in question — rosacea. They do so by neutralizing red undertones, and the most worthy ones manage to bypass that dreaded white cast. Tinted sunscreens across common skin shades also act as a cover-up layer for the redness while evening out skin tone.
Rosacea-friendly ingredients:Most sunscreens these days are backed by ingredients that aren't necessarily crucial for sun protection but work to improve skin in a more holistic sense. In context of sunscreens for rosacea, common suspects include ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, which are antidotes to inflammation, irritation, dryness, aging, and beyond. Using one such sunscreen consistently will eventually reveal a brighter, smoother, and more supple complexion, meaning you can kill multiple metaphorical birds with one stone rather than only calming your rosacea.
SPF rating:Regardless of what your skin is currently going through, medical professionals urge individuals to shop for sunscreens with an SPF rating of 30 or higher, which refers to the product's ability to block approximately 97 percent or more of the sun's UVB rays when applied correctly. (That is, when you cover all exposed areas of your face with the sunscreen, about 15 to 30 minutes before you go outside, and reapply it every two hours or after each swim.)
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Meet the Author
Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, wrote about tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor's degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on derm-approved, clinically tested sunscreens for specific skin concerns worth shopping online.
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