Product

EltaMD UV Clear: Dermatologist Review

The sunscreen dermatologists hand out most often. It is a zinc-and-chemical hybrid with 5% niacinamide, built for skin that breaks out or flushes.

Last Updated: September 8, 2026

Dermatologist's Verdict

This is the sunscreen I recommend most often for oily, acne-prone and rosacea-prone skin. It is light and matte, so it does not leave the film that makes people give up on daily sunscreen. Apply a full quarter-teaspoon; most people use far less and get a fraction of the SPF 46. On deep skin tones, buy UV Clear Deep Tinted instead.

Strongly recommendedRecommendedMixedNot recommendedAvoid

The cheat sheetKey Facts

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Key active	Zinc oxide 9% + octinoxate 7.5% (SPF 46)
Texture	Lightweight, fluid lotion; matte finish
Best for	Oily, acne-prone, or rosacea-prone skin
Approximate price	$45
Fragrance	None
Essential oils	None
Drying alcohol	Phenoxyethanol
Lanolin	None

The short versionWhat It Is

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EltaMD UV Clear is a lightweight SPF 46 face sunscreen, 1.7 oz for about $45, sold mostly through dermatology offices and online. It comes untinted, tinted, and as a separate deep tinted version.

The filters are zinc oxide at 9 percent, a mineral that sits on the surface and scatters UV, and octinoxate at 7.5 percent, a chemical filter that absorbs it. The base is oil free and fragrance free and carries niacinamide at 5 percent, which lowers oil output and calms redness. It dries down matte, which is why people keep wearing it.

Where it earns its keepWhat It Treats

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Rosacea

Works some

Rosacea skin has blood vessels that dilate too easily, and both heat and UV set them off. Zinc oxide handles UV at the surface, and the base has no fragrance and no alcohol to sting. Niacinamide at 5 percent is in the formula specifically for redness.

Melasma

Works some

Daily sunscreen is the treatment for melasma, not an extra. The plain version stops UV but not visible light, which drives melasma too, so the tinted version is the one to buy here. The iron oxides are the part that blocks visible light.

Acne

Barely works

Acne treatments make skin burn faster — retinoids thin the outer layer and acids strip it — so sunscreen matters more here, not less. This one is oil free and does not block pores, and the niacinamide lowers oil production slightly instead of adding to it.

Oily Skin

Good fit

It dries matte and holds that for a few hours, which is unusual for a zinc sunscreen. Blotting paper lifts the shine without disturbing the film underneath.

Don't expect miraclesNot the Best For

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Dry Skin (Xerosis)

Poor fit

It finishes matte and is built for oily skin. Dry skin will want a moisturizer underneath, or EltaMD UV Daily instead.

How it feelsTexture

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A thin, fluid lotion that spreads easily and dries matte in about a minute. It does not feel like sunscreen once it is on.

No fragrance and no sting, and it sits under makeup without rolling if you give it that minute to set.

The untinted version leaves a white cast on deeper skin tones, and EltaMD says so themselves. The tinted version helps to a point, and for deep skin the separate UV Clear Deep Tinted is the one to look for.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Ointment

Almost all oil, no water. Sits on top and seals.

Good for very dry, cracked or raw skin. Easiest to use at night. Too greasy for most faces during the day.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Balm

Waxy and solid until it warms in your hands.

Good for dry patches, lips and hands. Useful in cold, windy weather. Heavy on the face.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Cream

Thick blend of oil and water.

Good for normal to dry skin. Good in winter. May be too thick for summer.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Oil

All oil, but spreads far thinner than an ointment.

Good layered over a moisturizer on dry skin. Sinks in faster than an ointment. Some oils clog pores on acne-prone skin.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Lotion · this one

Mostly water. Pours and sinks in fast.

Good for normal skin and for large areas like arms and legs. Comfortable in summer. Often not enough for very dry skin.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Gel

Water based, no oil. Cool and slippery.

Good for oily and acne-prone skin. Good in heat and humidity. The alcohol in some gels stings broken skin.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Serum

Thin and watery. Absorbs in seconds.

Usually carries active ingredients rather than moisture. Layers under a moisturizer. Rarely enough on its own for dry skin.

‹ HeavierLighter ›

Spray

A fine mist. Barely there.

Good for the back and other spots that are hard to reach. Easy in summer. Does little for very dry skin.

The house rulesHow to Use EltaMD UV Clear

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How much: About a quarter teaspoon for the face, a nickel-sized blob. SPF 46 is measured at a set thickness, and using less does not scale down gently — it drops the real protection sharply.

Where: Face, ears, neck and hairline. Let it set a minute before makeup.

Reapply: Every two hours outdoors, and after sweating or swimming. Over makeup, a powder or stick sunscreen is the practical way to top up.

What to expect: It works the moment it is on and stops when it comes off, so there is nothing to build up to. Breakouts are uncommon. If you see a white cast, the tinted version is the fix.

Where It Fits in Your Routine

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Pick what fits you and the routine rebuilds around it. EltaMD UV Clear is marked in the steps it belongs to.

This product is good for

What's insideHow EltaMD UV Clear Works

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A sunscreen filter does one of two jobs. Mineral filters like zinc oxide sit on the surface and scatter and absorb UV before it reaches living cells. Chemical filters like octinoxate soak into the very top layer, take in UV energy and release it as heat. This one uses both, which is how it reaches SPF 46 while staying thin enough to disappear.

Calling it a mineral sunscreen is the most common mistake made about it. It is a hybrid, and if you are avoiding chemical filters on purpose, this is not the product you think it is.

The rest of the appeal is what it leaves out. Oil free, fragrance free, non-comedogenic, plus niacinamide at 5 percent for oil and redness. That is why it suits skin that breaks out or flushes. The sunscreen that protects you is the one you actually wear.

Tap an ingredient to see where it works

In the pore

Sunscreen works before anything else does: it stops the light that switches pigment cells on and damages DNA from reaching them. Nothing that fades a mark can outrun light still landing on it every day. A mineral filter. It sits on the surface and covers UVA and UVB.

Zinc oxide sits on the skin as a mineral particle and does not cross the barrier. Staying on top is the requirement, not a limitation — it has to be between the light and the skin.

The outer film of dead cells and oil. It holds water in and keeps irritants out, and it is thinner than a sheet of paper. Almost every dry, itchy, stinging skin problem starts here.

The outer layer, and the only one anything in a jar reaches. It renews itself constantly: a cell made at the bottom takes about a month to reach the surface and flake off. Most of what a skincare product does, it does here.

The living layer underneath, holding the blood vessels, the nerves and the collagen. It is where lasting change happens and it is hard to reach: most of what is sold for the skin never gets this far.

Short list or longNumber of Ingredients

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This is how many ingredients are on the label. The more a product contains, the more chances one of them bothers you. That matters most if you have sensitive skin, eczema, or a known allergy. If your skin tolerates most things, a long list is not a problem by itself.

This product has
16 ingredients

16 ingredients

EltaMD UV Clear · this one

18 ingredients

EltaMD UV Daily

19 ingredients

EltaMD UV Clear Tinted

27 ingredients

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen

39 ingredients

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Ultra-Light Face Sunscreen

51 ingredients

SCINIC Enjoy All Round Airy Sun Cushion EX SPF 50

1651

21 sunscreens reviewed, from EltaMD UV Clear (16) to SCINIC Enjoy All Round Airy Sun Cushion EX SPF 50 (51). Tap a dot to see which.

Full Ingredient List

Active ingredients: Zinc Oxide 9.0% Sunscreen Octinoxate 7.5% Sunscreen Inactive ingredients: Purified water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN Labeling RM8518 Box UC UV Clear 1.7oz

The fine printA Dermatologist’s Concerns

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May leave a white cast: the white cast is real on deeper skin tones. EltaMD's own page states the untinted version works best on fair to medium skin. Take that seriously.

The tint does not cover deep skin: the Tinted version does not fully fix it — it is scoped to light through medium-deep. For deep skin, EltaMD makes a separate UV Clear Deep Tinted.

It contains a reef-restricted filter: octinoxate is banned from sale in Hawaii and Key West on coral-reef grounds. That is an environmental restriction, not a safety finding about your skin.

The price has gone up: it was under $40 a few years ago. It is $45 now, for 1.7 oz.

What it runsPrice per Ounce

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EltaMD UV Clear costs $26 per ounce. That is cheaper than 6 of the other 19 sunscreens priced on Dermapedia, which run from $6.33 to $233 per ounce.

Sunscreen only performs at the amount it was tested with, which is about a quarter teaspoon for the face, used again during the day. That empties a bottle much faster than the price per ounce suggests.

This product costs
$26 per ounce

$6.33 per oz

Black Girl Sunscreen $6.33

$22 per oz

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen $22

$24–$25 per oz

EltaMD UV Daily $24

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Ultra-Light Face Sunscreen $25

$26–$28 per oz

EltaMD UV Clear · this one $26

EltaMD UV Clear Tinted $28

$233 per oz

Supergoop! (Re)setting Powder $233

$6.33$233

20 sunscreens priced, from Black Girl Sunscreen ($6.33) to Supergoop! (Re)setting Powder ($233). Priced on the 1.7 oz size at $45.00. The scale is logarithmic. Tap a dot to see which. Prices current as of September 2026.

Its siblingsThe Rest of the Line

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EltaMD's daily sunscreens share the same zinc-plus-chemical filter approach. The choice is how heavy the base is, and whether you want a tint.

Matte and oil-freeDewy and hydrating

UV Clear

The untinted original. Oil-free and matte, with niacinamide, built for skin that breaks out or flushes.

You are here

UV Clear Tinted

The same formula with iron oxides. The tint cancels the cast and screens visible light, which matters for melasma.

UV Daily Tinted

A dewier base with hyaluronic acid, also tinted. Pick it if your skin is dry rather than oily.

UV Daily

The same dewy base without the tint.

Shop aroundSimilar Products

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These are the options if you want a true mineral filter, a lower price, or a better match for deep skin. Wearability matters more than filter type.

EltaMD UV Clear Tinted

The same formula with iron oxides. The tint cancels the white cast and blocks visible light, which matters for melasma or dark marks.

About the same

EltaMD UV Daily

The same two filters in a richer, dewier base with petrolatum and hyaluronic acid. Pick it if your skin is dry rather than oily.

About the same

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen

An SPF 60 chemical fluid that spreads like water and leaves no cast on any skin tone. Better if a zinc sunscreen looks ashy on you.

About the same

Questions Patients Ask

Is EltaMD UV Clear a mineral sunscreen?

No. It is a hybrid — zinc oxide and octinoxate, a chemical filter.

Does EltaMD UV Clear leave a white cast?

The untinted version can on medium-to-deep skin. The Tinted version helps to medium-deep; for deep skin, use UV Clear Deep Tinted.

Is EltaMD UV Clear good for acne-prone skin?

Yes. Oil-free, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, and the niacinamide helps breakouts and redness.

What is the SPF of EltaMD UV Clear?

SPF 46, broad-spectrum.

Why is EltaMD UV Clear more expensive than drugstore sunscreen?

You are paying for the light feel, the niacinamide and the finish. Cheaper broad-spectrum options work — the one you will wear is the one that protects you.

References

EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46Confirms the formulation: active ingredients Octinoxate 7.5% and Zinc Oxide 9.0% (a hybrid mineral-plus-chemical filter), 5% niacinamide, and oil-free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic base.
Nicotinamide: Mechanism of action and indications in dermatologySupports that niacinamide has anti-inflammatory effects (inhibits IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF, reducing erythema) and strengthens the skin barrier by increasing ceramides/free fatty acids and reducing transepidermal water loss.
Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatologyPeer-reviewed review confirming niacinamide is an established topical dermatologic active with vasoactive, photoprotective and anti-inflammatory (NF-κB-mediated) mechanisms, backing that it is a real functional ingredient, not a label filler.
DailyMed - octinoxate sunscreen drug labels (U.S. National Library of Medicine)Government drug-label database confirming octinoxate is a chemical (organic) sunscreen UV-filter active ingredient, supporting that this product is a hybrid rather than an all-mineral sunscreen.