When you’re technically supposed to be applying sunscreen 365 days a year how do brands expect us to pay $35+ for a measly 2-4 oz bottle? Finding a budget-friendly and acne-prone skin safe sunscreen is tricky! There’s no need to break the bank, I’ve done the digging for you! So go catch some rays with one of these cheap acne-prone skin friendly suncreens!
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1. Coppertone Pure & Simple For Face 2oz $3.97
This sunscreen has a slightly watery cream consistency and blends out with minimal effort. I have a very fair skin tone and could not see any white cast but it did leave a slightly dewy finish. This would most likely leave a slight white cast on deeper skin tones.
This feels slightly moisturizing and matte to the touch after drying but leaves the skin with a subtle glow. It also contains tea leaf and giant kelp extract! You can definitely feel that it’s on your skin but it does not leave a greasy film.
- Water Resistant 80 minutes
- SPF 50
- Reef Safe
- Mineral Sunscreen
- Fragrance Free
- White cast warning for deep skin tones
2. Rohto Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel 4.9 OZ $18-19
Rohto Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel is one of the best sunscreens I have ever used! This is an extremely watery formula that applies like a lightweight moisturizer. It does has a slight alcohol scent during application but this quickly dissipates after it dries.
It doesn’t leave the skin looking greasy; that’s a consistent struggle I have with waterproof sunscreen formulas. It left my skin feeling pleasantly moisturizer but not oily. It comes in a handy pump that dispenses the perfect amount of product to cover your entire face.
- Water Resistant
- SPF 50/PA ++++
- Chemical Sunscreen
- Fragrance Free
3. Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel 1.4 Oz $12-13
This is a lightweight gel formula that can be easily worn under makeup or alone. It is slightly moisturizing as well and leaves a subtle dewy look to the skin. Canmake is a Japanese brand and you can buy via Amazon here or on YesStyle. This is a great sunscreen formula for acne-prone skin but I was very confused to see that it isn’t waterproof? You would think that if you’re naming a product “Mermaid Skin” you might want it to be water-resistant…..
This product is sold in two finishes, a clear gel, and a white tinted finish. Take careful note of which version you are buying if you are worried about having a white cast after application.
- Alcohol Free
- SPF 50/ PA++++
- Chemical + Mineral Sunscreen
- Fragrance Free
- White cast warning for deep skin tones
4. Badger – SPF 30 Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Cream – Unscented – Broad Spectrum 2.9OZ $13-14
This refreshingly simply formulated sunscreen has just 5 ingredients: non-nano zinc oxide, organic sunflower oil, organic beeswax, sunflower vitamin E, and organic seabuckthorn extract.
Badger is family-owned and based out of New Hampshire. They sell numerous mineral sunscreens and other various skincare products. They’ve knocked it out of the park with their sunscreen formulas but I recommend that you steer clear of their skincare (waaaaay too much fragrance in those products).
- Alcohol Free
- Water Resistant 40 Minutes
- SPF 30/PA +++
- Reef Safe
- Mineral Sunscreen
- Fragrance Free
Badger also carries a clear version of this product. It’s called the Badger – SPF 30 Clear Zinc Sunscreen Cream. The only difference between the formulas is this version has “Uncoated Clear Zinc Oxide (18.75%)” instead of non-nano zinc oxide. This version is still technically reef safe but not quite as iron clad as the version above. You can learn more about how mineral nano-particles have the potential to harm marine life here.
5. Coppertone Defend & Care Oil Free Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 50 3 oz $6-7
Anyone struggling with acne and oily skin will love this one! This contains aluminum starch which helps control excess oil without aggressively leaving the skin matte. This can leave a white cast on deeper skin tones. This is carried at most drugstores/box stores but the cheapest price I’ve seen is here on Amazon.
- Water Resistant 80 Minutes
- SPF 50
- Chemical Sunscreen
- Fragrance Free
- Reef Safe
6. Banana Boat Simply Protect Kids SPF 50 9 oz $9-10
This is your classic thick cream mineral formula. This will leave a slight white cast so if you do not have a fair skin tone keep scrolling. It’s a basic but sturdy formula and is sold almost everywhere. Just because it’s formulated for kids doesn’t mean you can’t use it to protect your gorgeous face!
- Water Resistant 80 Minutes
- SPF 50
- Mineral Sunscreen
- Fragrance Free
- Reef Safe
Sunscreen Ingredients to Avoid for Acne-Prone Skin
Sun exposure by itself makes your skin more susceptible to irritation. It can sensitize your skin to ingredients that usually wouldn’t provoke a reaction. Even if you don’t usually have issues with using products with fragrance or other potentially irritating ingredients it’s best to avoid using these ingredients when exposing skin to sunlight for extended periods of time.
- Fragrance
- Citrus Extracts
- Essential Oils
- Oxybenzone, Avobenzone, & Octinoxate
Cheap Moisturizers with SPF for Acne-Prone Skin
7. Differin Oil Absorbing Moisturizer 4 oz SPF 30 $10.49
This is a great everyday moisturizer with an added punch of SPF 30. This also contains aluminum starch like the Coppertone sunscreen above and dries to a matte finish. I highly recommend using a higher SPF over your daily moisturizer but if you want to keep things as simple as possible this is a good option. This is also an extremely close dupe to the Cetaphil PRO Derma Control Oil Absorbing Moisturizer. If you happen to like the Cetaphil formula this little guy will save you some cash in the long run!
- SPF 30
- Fragrance Free
8. CeraVe Face Moisturizer with SPF 30 | 1.7 Ounce $14-15
This is one of the more expensive products in this budget-friendly sunscreen line up but it has definitely earned a place here! CeraVe is an amazing drugstore brand that includes ceramides and hyaluronic acid in all of their products. Hence the name CeraVe. This moisturizer mixes one of my favorite hydrating formulas with the added protection of SPF 30.
- SPF 30
- Fragrance Free
Are Chemical or Mineral Sunscreens Better for Acne-Prone Skin?
If you have extremely sensitive skin a mineral sunscreen is the safest option. But many people with acne-prone skin can successfully use chemical formulas without breaking out! It all boils down to what’s in the formula.
Both kinds of sunscreen use UV filters to reduce the amount of UV rays that penetrate the surface of your skin. Chemical sunscreen absorbs into the skin and converts UV rays into heat, which then dissipates from the body. Mineral/physical sunscreens form a protective barrier on top of the skin which reflects the UV rays away.
You can safely use chemical sunscreen with sensitive skin, but you are more likely to experience skin irritation simply due to the fact that multiple ingredients are used to achieve broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Chemical sunscreens also absorb into the skin instead of sitting on the surface which increases the chances of a reaction.
There are countless kinds of ingredients used in chemical sunscreens, but only two kinds of minerals that make up physical sunscreens: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These minerals are both non-comedogenic and are highly unlikely to cause breakouts! If you have struggled with breakouts after using chemical sunscreen it is your best bet to switch to using mineral formulas.
