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Every Physical Sunscreen Breaks Me Out

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(@siennaavivian)

Posted : 08/12/2014 10:37 pm

Hey guys , I really hope someone here can help me out.

So like many people, I realize the importance of wearing spf everyday but it's really hard to do that when every sunscreen you've tried on the market has broken you out from mineral based to chemical based. Here's a little background on my skin...

18 yr old female (Not on any medications/prescriptions)

Asian .. Fair Skin (Around NC20)

Little Acne (Acne is most prominent on the apples of my cheeks and in b/n my eyebrows) .. Chin/forhead/nose .. etc is clear
Allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide
Quite a few Hyperpigmentation from past acne scars

I've read everywhere that physical sunscreens are recommended for acne prone skin but I seriously feel they still break me out. Chemical sunscreens break me out too but that's a given. I really don't know if it's the titanium dioxide or the zinc oxide that is breaking me out . Here's a list of sunscreens i've tried in the past (I tried to find the concentration of the active ingredients)

Clinique SPF 40 Super City Sunblock (8.8% Zinc Oxide, 7.5% Octinoxate, 6.6% Titanium Dioxide, 2% Octisalate)
COOLA SPF 20 Mineral Sunscreen (4.2% Titanium Dioxide) No Zinc Oxide
Shiseido Sun Protection Cream for Face SPF 50 (13.9% Zinc Oxide, 7.4 Octinoxate)
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion for Face/Body SPF 50 (Canadian Version) ... Difficult to find the ingredient list
Vichy SPF 45 Capital Soleil for Face&Body (5% Octocrylene, 3.3% Titanium Dioxide, 3% Avobenzone)
Clarins UV Plus HP SPF 40 (8.1% Titanium Dioxide) ... I don't think this has Zinc Oxide either

Clarins Sun Care Milk for Children SPF 50 (15.6% Titanium Dioxide, 5.8% Zinc Oxide)

Smashbox BB Cream SPF 35 (Octinoxate 7.5 %, Octisalate 4% , Oxybenzone 2.5 % ,Titanium Dioxide 1.10%)
Ponds BB+ Cream SPF 15 (7.49 Octinoxate, 5.12% Zinc Oxide)

Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer SPF 15 (3% Avobenzone, 7.5% Octinoxate, 2% Octisalate)
Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 (5% Homosalate, 7.5 Octinoxate, 2% Oxybenzone)
Olay Daily Defense Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin SPF 30(7.5 Octinoxate, 2.5% Octisalate, 2.5 Octocrylene, 6% Zinc Oxide)

Bottom line is as you can see I wasn't joking when i said I tried almost every sunscreen on the market and they ALL break me out. I REALLY want to wear sunscreen but it's hard to cross eliminate which ingredient is the culprit. I really hope someone can help me out... Thank you so much!

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197
(@lilly75)

Posted : 08/13/2014 7:10 am

Moved to cosmetics and grooming forum

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(@moxx)

Posted : 08/13/2014 7:06 pm

I have the same skin as you, pretty much. I'm also allergic to BP (it actually made my acne worse and created 10 million more acne scars, which is great)

I like the glo therapeutics line. It's a really good skincare range. This is the one I use. It's amazing for sensitive skin.

[removed]

If nothing seems to be working maybe go to the doctor.

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173
(@green-gables)

Posted : 08/14/2014 10:25 pm

I think that every sunscreen you listed contains silicones. These are ingredients ending in -cone, -conol, -silane, -oxane, and -hexane.

Silicones or "plasticizers" are notorious for causing acne.

You might want to try the Badger Baby sunscreen instead. It's a physical sunscreen without any silicones or any synthetic ingredients at all. I have never broken out from it.

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20
(@acnewonderland)

Posted : 08/15/2014 3:52 pm

On 8/15/2014 at 9:25 AM, Green Gables said:

You might want to try the Badger Baby sunscreen instead. It's a physical sunscreen without any silicones or any synthetic ingredients at all. I have never broken out from it.

the main ingredient for spf is zinc oxide or something else too? so can u maybe just use plain zinc cream then (cointains only zinc oxide + vaseline)?

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173
(@green-gables)

Posted : 08/16/2014 12:12 am

You could just use zinc oxide cream (zinc + vaseline), but it's not very cosmetically elegant. It's like smearing diaper rash ointment on your face.

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(@acnewonderland)

Posted : 08/16/2014 9:19 am

You could just use zinc oxide cream (zinc + vaseline), but it's not very cosmetically elegant. It's like smearing diaper rash ointment on your face.

lol yea i guess bt tehnically its the same as wearing spf then..
bt hey what if u like put a thick layer on ur face like a mask for overnight then at the morning wipe of the excess and whiteness, wont zinc be like soaked/absorbed pretty alot in ur skin by the morning, so wouldnt that be enough for protection?
how often do u even need to reapply spf?
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173
(@green-gables)

Posted : 08/19/2014 5:13 pm

No, the whole point of a physical sunscreen is that it has to sit on top of your skin to block/scatter light rays. It does not "absorb" into your skin. If you wipe it off, it's off.

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(@acnewonderland)

Posted : 08/19/2014 9:00 pm

bt then it has to b supervisible then? n its prolly shiny or smthn like tht?

tbh i just cant stand sunscreen n i just dnt wanna apply some unnecessary ingredients to my skin tht arent moisturising/healing or repairing. it feels like wasting/wearing out ur face in a way? mayb im wrong bt nyway it makes u butterface

do we rly rly need it?

even if u move like mostly in shadows n under trees n dont go in direct contact with sunlight almost never?

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(@icterical)

Posted : 10/14/2014 11:17 am

Have you tried eucerin adjunctive hydrating care? It's a facial moisturiser designed to be used in conjunction with acne treatments. My derm recommended it to me because I also react heavily to sunscreens (have been broken out in hives by several "hypoallergenic" sunscreens). It's my absolute favourite product, so it might be worth looking into?

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(@seliana)

Posted : 10/24/2014 3:25 pm

I feel your pain girl. I finally found one I really like from vitacost store online, Blue Lizard SPF for Face. I think it's only 30 SPF but it works really well and doesn't even make my very sensitive eyes water. Caution, if you do try it, don't try to wear makeup primer over it, or it balls up and looks gross.

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58
(@noche)

Posted : 11/23/2014 4:44 pm

I have never been able either .they break me out .

My daughter can't use them either , and if you notice most make-up has titanium dioxide, even soaps and creams and food.

Read about titanium dioxide and nanoparticles,nanotechnology, no wonder the dermatologist assistant told me that she didn't recommended using sunscreens ,I mean , and titanium dioxide is supposedly the one recommended for sensitive skin.

 

Oh and apparently Cameron Diaz is allergic to sunscreens too .I think she can only use them on make-up powders , but I guess she has no choice.

Titanium dioxide holds the make-up really well.

Titanium dioxide powder make-up can be set on top of foundation or liquid concealers or bb creams and kind of make that pimple or that brown mark dissapear,a little.

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(@kimchiimonsturr)

Posted : 11/30/2014 3:53 am

EltaMD is the best sunscreen for acne prone skin! Been using it for a year and it hasn't broken me out! Also it's void of harsh chemicals!

http://www.acne.org/elta-md-uv-physical-broad-spectrum-spf-41-sunscreen-reviews-1557/#review105541

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(@triplen)

Posted : 11/10/2015 8:10 pm

Neutragena makes a sunscreen called "Clear Face". It is specifically made to NOT cause breakouts. I personally have not broken out from using it. Give it a try!

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