EltaMD UV Clear Review: Your Dermatologist’s Favorite Sunscreen

IT SEEMS LIKE not a day goes by that I don’t talk to a dermatologist. It’s part of my job as a grooming editor to interview skin doctors about a variety of topics (best moisturizers, face washes, etc.), and in over a decade of speaking to these professionals, patterns have emerged. One of those patterns is their advice to wear sunscreen. Nearly every one of them then goes on to recommend EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 Face Sunscreen in some capacity, and after regularly using the cream it’s clear why.

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Every single dermatologist I have ever spoken to recommends sunscreen not only as a means of skin cancer prevention, but for overall skin health. Many even go so far as to say that there is no more powerful anti-aging skincare product than sunscreen since much of the signs of aging we see in our skin are caused by exposure to UV rays. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day that has a minimum of 30 SPF and is water resistant.

The problem is that many people hate wearing sunscreen for a variety of reasons: it’s too goopy, too greasy, too heavy, or leaves a white cast on their faces. So, when I ask a dermatologist for sunscreen recommendations, nine out of 10 of them will usually say EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46. Why? To hear them tell it, it’s one of the few that strikes the perfect balance between wearability and protection. But, as a grooming editor, it’s also part of my job to not just take their word for it, but give it a shot myself—which is why I’ve personally been wearing UV Clear for years.

I am a religious sunscreen wearer, but I am also very picky about which ones I put on my face, and in all my years of testing, I go back to EltaMD UV Clear over and over. It’s one of the most effective and easiest-to-wear sunscreens I’ve ever found. As someone who also manages rosacea and the occasional breakout, it’s one of the few sunscreens that not only avoids making these issues worse, but actually helps manage them. It came as no surprise then when our panel of testers declared UV Clear the best SPF moisturizer for acne-prone skin, as well as the best overall facial sunscreen.

I keep multiple bottles of it around—in my medicine cabinet, my gym bag, my travel Dopp kit—so I’m never caught sunscreen-less and more often than not, it’s on my face. After all, sunscreen doesn’t do you any good if you’re not wearing it and UV Clear is one of the most pleasant to wear.

There are two types of sunscreens: chemical and mineral. We could spend the next hour debating the pros and cons of both, but at the base level, they work in different ways. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays and disperse them into your skin as heat; mineral sunscreens provide a protective barrier on the outside of your skin that reflects rays away. Chemical sunscreens are usually a bit more comfortable to wear since they’re clear and lighter weight. Mineral sunscreens are usually thought to be better for sensitive skin but sometimes leave a white cast. Choosing which to use can be tricky, but EltaMD UV Clear solves that problem by using both.

The formula contains mineral-based protection from zinc oxide, a standard physical sunscreen, and chemical protection from octinoxate. There is slightly more mineral than chemical sunscreen (9 percent versus 7.5 percent respectively), but the two work together to deliver well-rounded broad-spectrum UV protection.

Personally, I am usually more of a chemical sunscreen person if I’m wearing it on a normal day (I favor mineral when I’m going to be outside or exposed to sun longer), but I like that this daily cream offers both forms of sunscreen so you get the benefits of each at once. It also contributes to the relatively high SPF protection (46 is way higher than 30) and could be why I’ve never once gotten a sunburn when wearing UV Clear.

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Compared to many other daily sunscreens I’ve tried, the texture of UV Clear is thick. It’s more on par with a moisturizer, which is a good thing if you’re hoping to combine two steps or you feel like your skin isn’t dry enough to warrant using both a sunscreen and moisturizer. Truthfully, the formula is moisturizing enough that I often wear it in place of my moisturizer.

That said, because it is on the thicker side and does contain mineral sunscreen, it can take a while to rub into my skin. It’s also easy to use too much, which increases the risk of leaving a white cast. I’ve found that this sunscreen can also easily get stuck in my facial hair, so I am careful when applying it to not get it in my mustache. I appreciate the thickness of the product, and I honestly don’t mind the extra time it takes to rub in, but those who are concerned with a white cast may find the process taxing.

To further that point, darker skin tones may find it leaves a white cast no matter how well they rub it in. While I personally don’t have this problem, over the years I’ve talked to many people of varying skin tones about this issue and some have said they find that the original version leaves a white cast no matter what they do.

The brand has addressed this issue by creating tinted versions of UV Clear. It now comes in a lighter and deeper tint to address the concerns of pretty much every skin tone. I have used the lighter tint and find that it completely erases any trace of a white cast. I use the original and tinted versions almost interchangeably, but my advice with the tinted is to make sure you put on your shirt before applying it and wash your hands very well afterward to avoid it rubbing off on your clothes.

Apart from the use of mineral sunscreen which comes from zinc, an ingredient shown to help soothe irritation and help control oil production, EltaMD UV Clear is especially good to use on sensitive, redness, and acne-prone skin for two reasons. First, it’s oil-free, which means it’s not going to further clog pores and potentially lead to more acne (not something many other sunscreens can claim). Second, it contains niacinamide, which helps to soothe and calm irritation. Dermatologists routinely note all of these aspects when recommending this sunscreen for acne-prone skin specifically and I can cosign that.

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While I don’t have chronic acne, I do get breakouts fairly often, especially when I use heavier or oilier products. UV Clear has never once made me break out. Most of all, even though there is chemical sunscreen in the formula which can sometimes lead to irritation on sensitive skin, UV Clear has never flared my rosacea. I can’t say for sure that it’s led to less redness in my skin, but I do know that using it in a wider redness-reducing routine has been effective and it’s never made my skin more red when using it.

I have the same issues with sunscreen that most people do. Many of them feel too heavy or greasy on my skin, especially when you’re planning to wear them all day. EltaMD UV Clear does not. After rubbing it in sufficiently to avoid a white cast, as noted above, it feels completely neutral on my skin. While it’s still slightly heavier than a moisturizer, it’s definitely not the kind of sunscreen that you can feel sitting on your face all day. However, this is a true daily sunscreen.

It is not water resistant, so if you sweat or are exposed to water (getting in a pool, getting caught in the rain, etc.), it will run. I’ve worn it at the pool before and can confirm that as soon as you get in water, it will run into your eyes. If you’re planning to be active outside or at the beach, this is not the sunscreen you want. On a daily basis, though, it is more than sufficient. Even with most daily sunscreens, by the end of the day, my eyes sting a bit as it slides down into my eyes. I never have that happen with this one.

I will also note for the sake of transparency, dermatologists recommend reapplying your sunscreen every two hours or so. I don’t know anyone who does this unless they are at the beach (myself included). It’s something to keep in mind, and while I’m not trying to say that UV Clear maintains its UV protection all day. It does not—which is why experts tell you to reapply—so if you’re especially prone to burning, you may want to plan to reapply more often.

EltaMD UV Clear will run you $44 for a 1.7-ounce bottle. The bottle is on the small side, but that’s your standard size for a daily sunscreen (plus, it’s TSA-friendly) so it’s not really worth pointing out. However, when you break it down, that comes to $25.88 per ounce of sunscreen, which is pricey. Certainly, you can find cheaper sunscreens out there, but given the skin benefits, the high UV protective factor, the unique formula, and the ease of wear, I think it’s a worthy investment. After all, if you’re going to invest more money in a skincare product, it might as well be the most important one.

Sunscreen will always be a personal choice because the most important factor in which sunscreen you choose is that you can tolerate wearing it every day. However, out of the hundreds of sunscreens I’ve tried, I believe that EltaMD UV Clear is one of the best you can possibly find.

The combination of mineral and chemical sunscreens, the fairly lightweight texture, the minimal white cast (or tinted option if you want it), the additional skin-beneficial ingredients, and the fact that it’s suitable for all skin types make it a solid option for nearly everyone, as long as they’re willing to pay the slightly higher price. After all, it’s the most recommended sunscreen for a reason.

SHOP ELTAMD UV CLEAR SPF46 ON AMAZON

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