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I Tested EltaMD’s Most Innovative, Acne-Safe Sunscreen to Date — Here Are My Thoughts

The #1 dermatologist-recommended professional sunscreen brand just came out with an SPF formula that not only soothes blemishes but actively works to reduce them.

By Stacia Datskovska Plus Icon

Stacia Datskovska

Senior Commerce Writer for WWD

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April 21, 2026, 11:45am

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bottle of eltamd's new sunscreen for blemish-prone skin photographed on a wooden surface; author's photo with the eltamd sunscreen on her face; best eltamd sunscreens to shop

Courtesy WWD/Stacia Datskovska

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As a beauty writer, there are a few celebrity-endorsed brands I’ve come to recognize over the years as actually worth the hype. EltaMD — which had its start in 1800s rural Switzerland as a healing ointment provider — is one of them, being regularly shouted out by the likes of Drew Barrymore and Hailey Bieber while creating the types of sun-care offerings that are science-backed and live up to the highest industry standards. This latter aspect is how EltaMD was able to become the #1 dermatologist-recommended sunscreen company, and it’s continuing the hot streak with an SPF formula that takes sunscreens for acne-prone skin to a whole new level.

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Earlier this year, I had the privilege of dropping anchor at Colgate-Palmolive’s R&D headquarters in New Jersey ahead of the product’s release, where I was introduced to the award-winning scientists responsible for it. EltaMD’s resident team of experts spent years engineering a sunscreen that not only had a palliative effect on acne but could visibly reduce blemishes, oil, shine, and pore size in users. The result? EltaMD’s latest and greatest UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen SPF 50, an extension of the brand’s already-beloved UV Clear line.

EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen SPF 50

$49

Buy Now at eltamd

$49

Buy Now at amazon

Price upon publish date of this article: $49

Considering that sunscreens capable of correcting versus just calming breakouts have been practically unheard of until EltaMD came out with its own, I was eager to test out the Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing arrival and see how it stacked up against competitors — particularly the buzzy Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen (which is also SPF 50) and Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen (sitting at a slightly higher SPF rating of 70).

Months of dedicated efforts went into developing the new, acne-safe sunscreen’s texture alone, as the EltaMD team fiddled with the chemical composition of its zinc oxide, a key component, to ensure the sunscreen went on smoothly, absorbed effortlessly, and had no white cast. In my personal testing, these were all major considerations, and so was the formula’s scent, how long it stayed on my face before demanding reapplication, whether or not it left greasiness in its wake, and how heavy it felt. In other words, would my pores experience a clogged sensation or could EltaMD’s UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Sunscreen consistently be described as lightweight?

Below, my thoughts on what just might be EltaMD’s most innovative rollout to date.

Editor’s Review: EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen

Consistency of EltaMD’s newest sunscreen after initially applying it on my face; consistency after rubbing it in slightly; consistency after the sunscreen was fully absorbed, following only a few seconds of rubbing. Courtesy WWD/Stacia Datskovska

EltaMD’s new-for-2026 UV Clear sunscreen is already a #1 bestseller in Amazon’s “Facial Sunscreens” category, and it’s not hard to see why. When I first put it on my hand as a swatch sample, I noticed right away how airy the sunscreen’s constitution was, as compared to its Neutrogena counterpart’s thicker, richer, and whiter look and feel. What this meant: After just a few seconds of gently rubbing in the sunscreen, it took on a transparent finish, serving up covetable dewiness sans any trace of grease. Given that the UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Sunscreen promises to balance skin’s oil generation, I was happy to discover that it didn’t enhance it, which would be detrimental to those dealing with acne-prone skin.

The sunscreen’s barely there scent was neutral enough not to aggravate my sensitivity to fragrances typically found in the beauty world, while still leaving behind a pleasant trail of aromatic freshness. After taking it for a spin on my hand, I proceeded to apply the sunscreen on my face. As you can see in the visuals above, it went from white to invisible in no time at all, bestowing upon my cheek a slightly mattified look yet still salvaging glowiness. Throughout my day in the office — stepping out into the bright sunshine for lunch, breaking a sweat when walking around the block, hopping on a Zoom with my boss, and otherwise engaging with my surroundings — I constantly felt the soothing presence of the UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen and only reapplied it when walking back home from work in the still-intense sun. That being said, EltaMD recommends treating your face and neck to the sunscreen 15 minutes before sun exposure, liberally, and repeating the process at least every two hours if staying outside.

From left to right on my hand, testing the EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen along with Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen and Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen. The right-hand photo displays the three sunscreens’ textural makeup after a bit of rubbing. Courtesy WWD/Stacia Datskovska

I also preferred the EltaMD launch to Supergoop!’s weightless, colorless, and scentless Unseen Sunscreen mainstay, for a few specific reasons. First off, EltaMD’s UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Sunscreen avoids both a Vaseline-like consistency and post-application shine. Yes, I know I said before that you’ll still be getting some dewiness here, but it’s not the same as the slick top layer that the Supergoop! alternative put on my skin (despite claiming to “disappear into all skin tones”). On a purely sensorial level, the EltaMD sunscreen I trialed beat out its rivals, and it doesn’t hurt that the proprietary technology it runs on helps block five environmental aggressors: blue light, smog, and diesel included.

Since I got my hands on the sunscreen in question more than a month before it went live in a B2C capacity, I was already able to observe its longterm blemish- and oil-eliminating powers firsthand. Right now, taking advantage of the Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen SPF 50 at least four times a week and multiple times a day, I’m noticing less net-new breakouts, less redness, a more uniform skin texture, and an overall tighter appearance as it relates to my pores. It doesn’t hurt that EltaMD’s novel creation also works marvelously well under makeup — acting as a kind of primer that amplifies the look of my foundation, bronzer, and other go-tos.

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As for the main drivers behind these tangible benefits? EltaMD’s non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic sunscreen is comprised of a blend of antioxidants, which famously flaunt anti-aging properties; the aforementioned zinc oxide (an anti-inflammatory UV blocker); and niacinamide, an ingredient respected in the industry for its ability to keep oil production in check, improve skin tone, and alleviate redness.

EltaMD ran a 12-week study with the UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen, tapping subjects between the ages of 18 and 45 and asking them to use the sunscreen daily, according to brand (and dermatologist) guidelines. Once the testing period was over, changes in the subjects’ complexions were assessed quantitatively. EltaMD found that their blemishes were visibly reduced by 65 percent, oil and shine had a 61-percent decline, and pore size was bumped down by 25 percent. Greater radiance and the minimization of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation were changes similarly pointed out in EltaMD’s findings.

EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen SPF 50

$49

Buy Now at eltamd

$49

Buy Now at amazon

Price upon publish date of this article: $49

Ready to pamper your skin with this Rolodex of perks while protecting yourself from the sun as the weather gets warmer? EltaMD’s UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen can now be bought directly on the company’s site or at Amazon. It’s priced at $49.

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Meet the Author

Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on industry-defining releases in skin care. She visited EltaMD’s research and development headquarters to meet the team behind its newest sunscreen, experience the product firsthand, and learn about its benefits for acne-prone skin.

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I Tested EltaMD’s Most Innovative, Acne-Safe Sunscreen to Date — Here Are My Thoughts

Recent Articles by Stacia Datskovska

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EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen SPF 50

Editor’s Review: EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen

EltaMD UV Clear Blemish-Prone & Oil Balancing Face Sunscreen SPF 50

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