Hailey Bieber’s Favorite Sunscreen Brand Has a New Formula That’s Designed for People Who Break Out Easily (Like Me)
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The biggest lie we were ever told as teenagers is that acne will one day disappear. This is maybe true for some grown-ups (luckies), but it’s never really been the case with me, a 36-year-old woman who has an arsenal of lotions and potions and prescription of tretinoin to keep the zits at bay. My high maintenance skincare routine means I have to be extra careful about the formulas I use, which includes sunscreen.
Sunscreen is, as you probably, an anti-aging non-negotiable. Any dermatologist will tell you it’s the best way to keep skin healthy and youthful (and cancer-free), but some formulas are better than others when it comes to blemish-prone skin. If you, like me, have a capricious complexion that breaks out the second someone even mentions the words “PMS” or “French fries,” then you’ll want to check out EltaMD’s newest sunscreen launch of 2026: The UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing SPF 50.
Ingredients:
-11% zinc oxide (mineral UV filter)
-3.5% octinoxate (chemical UV filter)
-5% niacinamide (helps with complexion)
-zinc-AOX Pro Technology (a blend of antioxidants that help protect the skin from UV rays, blue light, HEVL, smog, and diesel exhaust)
According to Dr. Brendan Camp of MDCS Dermatology and Dr. Jeannette Graf, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, who previously spoke to StyleCaster on best sunscreens for blemish-prone skin, the most ideal formulas are SPF 30+, fragrance-free, and are light-weight.
EltaMD’s UV Clear formula checks all the boxes from a dermatologist checklist standpoint, but did it actually work? For $49, this sunscreen is pricier than most, so I had high expectations of the formula—especially considering it’s one of Hailey Bieber’s go-tos.
Testing EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone SPF 50
I’ve been testing the EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone SPF 50 sunscreen for several weeks now. I’ve worn it by itself with just my skincare (complexion balancing toner, serum, and moisturizer in the morning) along with a full face of makeup (foundation, concealer, blush, bronzer, setting powder, and setting spray), because for $49, you should be able to wear SPF with and without other products. Tldr; it did not disappoint.
Using the recommended amount of SPF for full coverage (three fingers’ worth!), you can see from the photo on the left that the formula blends in beautifully without a white cast (although I do have really pale skin—I can’t speak to those who have more melanated skin than I have), and that’s thanks to its partial chemical formulation. It leaves behind a dewy (not oily) finish, but unlike tinted sunscreen formulas, you do need to use makeup products to cover up any discoloration you may have. Since I deal with redness and acne, I applied my go-to foundation and concealer (the finished product is on the right).
While the formula doesn’t hide existing blemishes, it doesn’t create them, either. At the end of my three weeks of testing, the inflammation from my acne has lessened, which goes to show the SPF didn’t make me break out even more. This is what my complexion looked like this morning after toner, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen about a week after the above photos were taken:
A lightweight formula really is key for finding a good SPF that won’t break you out, and this sunscreen has a texture that almost feels like whipped cream. It’s really light, and reminds me of water-based moisturizers that are hydration workhorses without the extra weight of oils. It’s one of those sunscreens you can keep layering and layering on, and the science behind it is so elite, it would never feel sticky or greasy.
Since you *will* need makeup if your goal is to conceal blemishes, the other great thing about this sunscreen is that it’s plays nicely with makeup. I use medium-coverage foundation (Bobbi Brown and NARS are current favorites), concealer (currently using an ILIA formula), as well as blush, bronzer, and setting powders and sprays. If pilling were to happen, I would have noticed it—but on one day of testing, my face stayed put from 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. at night. And it was a beauty event, you guys! My face had to look on point, and the combination of EltaMD’s SPF and my go-to makeup did not fail me.
While this is on the splurgier side for a sunscreen, I can’t get over what a perfect addition this SPF has been to my acne girl-friendly skincare and makeup routine.
