EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 for oily skin
Superior
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best sunscreens for oily skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Excellent suitability for your oily skin as niacinamide and lactic acid work synergistically to control sebum production and regulate desquamation, effectively addressing oily shine.
- The formula provides robust UV protection with zinc oxide and octinoxate, while sodium hyaluronate ensures adequate hydration without clogging pores.
- This product is safe for your skin, featuring soothing ingredients and avoiding harsh components, making it ideal for daily use without irritation concerns.
How to apply
- Apply this sunscreen during your AM routine every single day. Reapply every two hours if you are staying outdoors.
- Apply the sunscreen as the final step of your morning skincare routine after your moisturizer. Allow your moisturizer to absorb fully before putting it on.
- Squeeze a generous amount and pat it gently all over your face and neck. Avoid rubbing the product harshly into your skin.
- Apply the sunscreen directly onto dry skin to ensure it forms an even and protective layer against the sun.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop using it if any irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 66.3k+ reviewsA smaller number of users report occasional pilling or a white cast on deeper skin tones, and some with dry skin find it not moisturizing enough.
Highlights
Acne-safe, non-comedogenic Mostly Mentioned
- “Only SPF that doesn't break me out”
- “Safe for my acne-prone skin”
- “Cleared up my blemishes”
Lightweight and non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “Disappears into skin”
- “Not oily at all”
- “Feels like nothing on”
Excellent makeup primer Sometimes Noted
- “Sits beautifully under makeup”
- “No greasy residue”
- “Grippy base for foundation”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Too expensive for the size”
- “Pricey for daily use”
- “Wish the bottle was bigger”
Pilling and peeling Sometimes Noted
- “Pills under my foundation”
- “Flakes off if I touch my face”
- “Balls up over moisturizer”
Not moisturizing enough Rarely Noted
- “Clings to dry patches”
- “Too drying for winter”
- “Need a heavy moisturizer underneath”
White cast on dark skin Rarely Noted
- “Leaves a grey cast”
- “Not truly clear on dark skin”
- “Looks ashy on me”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, walmart.com, eltamd.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes EltaMD UV Clear one of the best fits for oily skin?
This sunscreen is a great fit because niacinamide and lactic acid help control oily shine while sodium hyaluronate keeps your skin hydrated without clogging pores. It also gives you strong sun protection with zinc oxide and octinoxate, and it is gentle enough for daily use.
Which ingredients make this sunscreen a good fit for oily skin?
This sunscreen is a great fit for oily skin because niacinamide and lactic acid work together to control shine and balance your skin. It also contains zinc oxide and octinoxate for strong sun protection, alongside sodium hyaluronate to keep your skin hydrated without feeling heavy.
What does Niacinamide do for oily skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily skin by significantly reducing excess oil production and shine. It is well tolerated and may improve skin texture without clogging pores.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Antioxidants, 2021
What does Zinc Oxide do for oily skin?
Zinc oxide helps oily skin by calming redness and reducing blemishes. It has antibacterial properties and may help control excess oil.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023
Where does this sunscreen go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This sunscreen goes on last in your morning routine, right after your moisturizer. It is lightweight and keeps oily shine under control without clogging your pores.
Can I use this sunscreen with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this sunscreen in the morning as the last step before makeup, well after applying your evening retinol. The formula is safe for your skin with soothing ingredients and no harsh components, making it ideal for daily use without irritation concerns.
How often should I use this sunscreen?
You can use this sunscreen every day as part of your morning routine to protect your oily skin without clogging pores or causing irritation.
Can this sunscreen clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This sunscreen is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it contains lightweight hydrators that keep skin balanced without heavy oils. It is safe for daily use and helps control oily shine without irritation.
Is this sunscreen fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
The application of a sunscreen formulation containing ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, and octocrylene does not significantly affect critical acne-related species such as Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, refuting the induction of facial dysbiosis in men.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024Multilamellar liposomes containing octyl methoxycinnamate increased stratum corneum accumulation and reduced deeper skin penetration compared to conventional emulsions and small unilamellar liposomes in six volunteers, resulting in a slightly better sun protection factor.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2008Liposomal encapsulation of octyl methoxycinnamate increases its safety, skin affinity, and in vivo solar photoprotection factor while slowing its release and enhancing retention in the stratum corneum compared to a conventional formulation.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2013Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Biomimetic hyaluronic acid-stabilized zinc oxide nanoparticles selectively inhibited C. acnes, outperformed erythromycin in preclinical acne models, and safely reduced acne lesions and redness in a clinical trial.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2025Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 0.5% hyaluronic-ZnO nanogel applied twice daily reduced inflammatory-lesion counts by 58% at week four in human subjects compared to baseline without causing erythema.
Biomedicines, 2025Nels cream achieved a similar reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts compared to 5% benzoyl peroxide in acne vulgaris patients, but caused significantly fewer side-effects such as peeling and dryness.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2000Topically applied coated and uncoated zinc oxide nanoparticles under flexing and massage are retained in the stratum corneum with no significant penetration into the viable epidermis and no cellular toxicity in human skin.
Nanomedicine, 2016Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Zinc Oxide, Octinoxate, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Peg-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyl Stearate, Iron Oxides, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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