When writing my last article on the best products for acne-prone skin by La Roche Posay, I decided to leave out the sunscreens and make an entirely new article because they have quite a variety of products to cover.
To be totally transparent, La Roche Posay sunscreens are not my personal favorite choice, except for a few I use for my morning walk or when going for a swim due to their excellent sweat and water resistance.
I usually go for something that keeps my skin matte all day long, such as the Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 by Paula’s Choice.
However, since La Roche Posay sunscreens are easily available and some of them have decent prices, here’s my list of seven best La Roche Posay sunscreens for acne-prone skin:
Anthelios Mineral Ultra-Light Fluid SPF 50 – $34
The Anthelios Mineral Ultra-Light Fluid SPF 50 is a sunscreen that’s incredibly popular in the US.
It’s currently not being sold in Europe, and I’m not sure what the reason for this is, but nevertheless, it’s still a good sunscreen that’s suitable for acne-prone skin.
It is 100% mineral and relies on zinc oxide and titanium dioxide for broad-spectrum UV protection.
Mineral sunscreens may be a better option for anyone who has extremely sensitive skin and doesn’t tolerate chemical filters so well, and it’s also suitable for anyone who is currently taking some sort of acne medication or undergoing prescription topical treatments as these are known to make the skin super sensitive.
The Mineral Ultra-Light Fluid SPF 50 doesn’t contain oil, but it does have some emollients, which is why it doesn’t dry matte, and it leaves a little bit of shine behind.
If this is not your thing or if you have very oily skin, you may not like this product.
Best for all skin types, including ultra-sensitive skin.
RELATED: Best Sunscreens to Use While on Accutane.
Anthelios Tinted Mineral Ultra-Light Fluid SPF 50 – $34
This is the tinted version of the Anthelios Mineral Ultra-Light Fluid and is equally lightweight with an elegant finish.
It comes in three shades which range from lightest to medium, dark beige, and while these shades won’t be ideal for many people, they can still give an even layer of protection and act as a base for a foundation or concealer.
I am not a fan of the shade range, but I sometimes prefer using tinted sunscreens even when they don’t match my skin tone very well because this is how I can clearly see the areas I’ve missed and apply more sunscreen.
Besides that, I’ve noticed that many tinted sunscreens start off by looking a little crazy on my skin, but the shade tends to come closer to my skin tone within a few hours, which I’m guessing is due to oxidation which gives them the ability to adapt to the skin tone.
In any case, it doesn’t really bother me, especially if I’m going to be using makeup after applying the tinted sunscreen.
Best for all skin types, including sensitive skin.
Anthelios Ultra-Light Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 60 – $30
The Anthelios Ultra-Light Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 60 is very similar to the two sunscreens mentioned above; however, this one is a chemical sunscreen and offers slightly higher protection.
It contains four stable chemical filters and is free of oxybenzone, which is the super controversial chemical filter everyone wants to avoid.
Besides that, it also contains alcohol denat and silica which are both ingredients that aim to make the formula lightweight and cosmetically elegant.
I am not a fan of alcohol denat in products such as cleansers and serums, but I think it’s totally fine in sunscreens because it’s very efficient in giving the consistency a weightless feel.
Best for all skin types.
RELATED: Ingredients to Avoid in Facial Cleansers.
Anthelios AOX Daily Antioxidant Serum SPF 50 – $45
The Daily Antioxidant Serum is a lightweight sunscreen serum with SPF 50.
It is a chemical sunscreen that contains Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, and Oxybenzone as protective filters, and these ingredients make up for a very elegant finish with zero white cast.
However, since it’s a very lightweight serum, you need to use a lot to get the protection that’s written on the bottle and this can be rather expensive because the product will run you $45 for only 30ml.
A better option to ensure maximum sun protection is to use the SPF serum after cleansing but follow it up with a second layer or with another sunscreen once it dries down.
The product is very hydrating and leaves a healthy, glowy finish.
Best for dry/mature/acne-prone skin.
RELATED: Best Antioxidant Facial Serums.
Anthelios 100% Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 30 – $35
Anthelios 100% Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 30 is everything you need for an outdoor activity that doesn’t require you to wear makeup or look glamorous.
It is also suitable for children because it contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to prevent sunburns and sun damage.
The zinc oxide is quite high at 10%, which is why this sunscreen leaves a severe white cast. You will be looking like a ghost no matter how pale you are when using the proper amount of two-finger lengths.
It also contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and it leaves a semi-matte finish which makes it sweat and water-resistant.
It’s a great summer sunscreen, but unfortunately, it isn’t cosmetically elegant.
Best for all skin types, including sensitive and children.
Anthelios XL Anti-Shine Dry Touch Gel-Cream SPF 50 – $20
Anthelios XL Anti-Shine Dry Touch Gel-Cream SPF 50 is an excellent sunscreen for outdoorsy people because it offers incredibly high protection with super-stable filters, and it’s so thick and heavy that it won’t rub off no matter how much you sweat.
It contains nine UV filters – eight chemical and one physical – titanium dioxide.
Unfortunately, it’s not available in the US due to containing Ethyhexyl Triazone – a new generation, chemical UV filter that gives the highest photo-stable absorption of all available UVB filters but is currently not regulated by the FDA.
I’m a little confused by the “gel” part in the name of this product because it implies that the formula should be lightweight while this is, in fact, heavy cream all the way and has nothing to do with gel or being lightweight.
It’s excellent for people with dry, acne-prone skin who tend to do a lot of outdoor activities.
It doesn’t contain fragrance or drying alcohols, which means it can be used on sensitive skin, too, but definitely don’t expect this to have a matte finish if you are super oily like me cause it will definitely make you even oilier after a couple of hours.
Best for normal/dry/sensitive/acne-prone skin.
Anthelios Anti-Imperfections Corrective Gel-Cream SPF 50 – $20
Anthelios Anti-Imperfections Corrective Gel-Cream is actually very similar to the XL Anti-Shine Dry Touch Gel-Cream.
It has a thick, creamy consistency and a dryish, semi-matte finish that lasts for a very short time on my excessively oily skin.
It is free of fragrance and alcohol, and it contains two excellent ingredients for acne-prone skin, including salicylic acid and niacinamide.
Salicylic acid shouldn’t be used on its own during the day, however, when formulated in sunscreen, it can help regulate the pH level of the formula, and it’s usually used in very small amounts.
However, with all the good, there are a couple of things I didn’t like about this sunscreen.
The first one is that it’s definitely too heavy for my excessively oily skin and it may be better for someone with normal, dry, or dehydrated skin.
And second is that it pills badly and doesn’t sit well under makeup at all, which is why I only use it when I go for my morning walk in summer.
Best for dry/dehydrated/acne-prone skin.
My name is Simone and I am a certified skin specialist. I created this website to teach my readers how to take great care of their skin and I also like to occasionally share my honest opinions on skincare products I’ve tried. You can learn more about me here.
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