Will waterproof sunscreen give you acne?

Tree asks…The sales assistant in a makeup store told me I shouldn’t be using waterproof sunscreen because it’s too heavy for me. The sunscreen contains zinc oxide. She recommended me another one that doesn’t contain parabens and is also lighter. I don’t care about parabens but is waterproof sunscreen something I should stay away from?

The Beauty Brains respond:

I see the logic behind this: if something is waterproof it must be so oily and heavy that it HAS to clog your pores, right? Not necessarily.

Whether or not a sunscreen will cause acne depends on the comedogenicity of the ingredients in the formula. Some ingredients are more likely to form comedones (the “plugs” that contribute to acne.) If the product contains these ingredients it may cause you to break out.

Unfortunately, even though you can look up comedogencity of some ingredients, it’s not an exact science and you can’t predict what a blend of ingredients will do. Your best bet (even though it still doesn’t guarantee anything) is to look for a sunscreen that has been tested and labeled as “non-comedogenic.”

The risk of a little acne is worth getting good protection from skin cancer!