The Ultimate Guide To Sunscreen Based On Skin Type And Makeup Base

Whether you have dry, combination or oily skin, read our edit of the latest sunscreen products as we head into the height of summer sunshine

Finding the right sunscreen is crucial for protecting your skin from harmful UV rays while keeping your complexion healthy and radiant. However, not all sunscreens are created equal, and choosing the best one for your skin type and makeup routine can make all the difference. Whether you have oily, dry, sensitive, or combination skin, whether you prefer a mineral or chemical sunscreen, or whether your makeup is water or silicone-based, this guide breaks down the best options to suit your needs. Explore our curated list of sunscreens that work in harmony with your makeup base, ensuring long-lasting protection and a flawless finish.

Firstly, to determine if your sunscreen or makeup is water-based or silicone-based check the ingredients list:

Water-Based Products:

Water (Aqua) is the first ingredient, and no silicones are listed in the first few ingredients—common ingredients: Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol.

Silicone-Based Products:

Silicones are among the first 3-5 ingredients. Look for ingredients ending in “-cone,” “-siloxane,” or “-conol” like: Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, and Trimethylsiloxysilicate.

Why This Matters for Makeup Compatibility

Water-based makeup pairs best with water-based sunscreen to prevent pilling.
Silicone-based makeup sits best over silicone-based sunscreen for a smooth finish.

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Here’s a curated list of sunscreens tailored to different skin types and makeup bases, categorized by mineral and chemical formulations for the perfect match to get you summer ready.

Sensitive Skin

Chemical (Sensitive Skin)

Silicone-Based:

Clé de Peau Beauté UV Protective Cream SPF 50+ 
Transcending basic sun protection through unparalleled skincare formulation offers not just defence against UV rays and photoaging, but provides hydration that keeps your skin smooth while also working to reduce the damage caused by environmental stress. The consistency is luxuriously creamy yet lightweight and absorbs easily into the skin to improve makeup application.

Dior Solar The Protective Face Cream SPF 50 
High protection with a fresh, light texture, providing a pleasing application on the face. Also, a hydrating sun care product that moisturizes and enhances your skin leaving you with a satin glow. Also, available with an SPF 30 variant for those who would prefer slight tanning.

Water-Based:

Sisley Paris Super Soin Solaire Facial Sun Care SPF 50+ 
As a youth protector, helps protect skin from photo-aging, such as wrinkles, dark spots and loss of firmness. A silky smooth cream texture with shea butter, camellia oil and mango extract that helps to recover moisture. Water-resistant and non-comedogenic. Does not leave a white cast on the skin after application.

Mineral (Sensitive Skin)

Silicone-Based:

La Mer The Broad Spectrum SPF 50 UV Protecting Fluid 
Lightweight and luxurious lotion that works with a potent anti-irritant with cell-renewing qualities that reenergize the skin and maintain its health. Well-crafted ingredients infuse skin with sea-sourced energies and are recommended to be worn over a moisturizer and work well under makeup.

Water-Based:

Dr. Barbara Sturm Sun Drops SPF 50 
An innovative sun serum that doubles as skincare while providing sun protection against UVA and UVB rays. Vitamin E and Beta-Glucan work to protect your skin from oxidative damage, and Purslane calms the skin while reducing signs of irritation, all the while, aiding in anti-ageing. Lightweight application and extremely gentle enough for sensitive skin.

Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ 
Instantly hydrates upon application and protects from UVA and UVB rays along with premature ageing. Resistant to water and sweat along with non-comedogenic and non-irritating to sensitive skin. Formulated without: Fragrance, mineral oil, sulfates, detergents, parabens, urea, DEA, TEA, or phthalates.

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Oily Skin

Chemical (Oily Skin)

Silicone-Based:

Chanel UV Essentiel SPF 50+ 
It provides protection from UV rays, pollution, and oxidation all at once. The gel-like texture leaves a thin layer upon application, instantly protecting and hydrating. Also offers an 8-hour non-stop hydration ensuring glowy and protected skin all day.

Lancôme UV Expert Aqua Gel Defense SPF 50 
Utilizing the Airy Defence technology by Lancome, the sunscreen promises weightless, breathable and invisible protection against UV rays (with SPF 50), pollution and oxidative stress. Ingredients such as Edelweiss flower strengthen the skin barrier, Rose Gallica reduces skin redness with soothing properties, and the Moringa seeds in the cream protect the skin against pollution. Works well as a primer under makeup and it’s non-comedogenic and suitable for sensitive skin types.

Water-Based:

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 42 
Double-used as a face primer that controls oil and mattifies skin while the Hyaluronic acid in the ingredients keeps the skin hydrated and helps retain moisture. This sunscreen also converts sunlight to target dry areas on the skin.

Mineral (Oily Skin)

Silicone-Based:

Augustinus Bader The Sunscreen SPF 30 
This vegan sunscreen provides broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection against UVA and UVB rays using four clean UV filters. It helps reduce wrinkles, and even skin tone, and prevent redness caused by sun exposure while protecting against premature ageing. The lightweight formula delivers lasting hydration, leaving skin with a luminous, effortless glow. Powered by Professor Bader’s TFC8® technology, it guides key nutrients and natural ingredients to the skin, supporting cellular renewal for healthier, firmer, and more even skin over time.

Water-Based:

Zelens Daily Defence Sunscreen SPF 30 
Using velvet-touch fluid emulsion, a new generation of eco-friendly organic UV filters, to deliver broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection against UVA and UVB rays. Enriched with powerful antioxidants, it helps reduce free radical formation, prevent visible sun damage, and reinforce the skin’s natural barrier to combat premature ageing. Developed by Dr. Marko Lens, this sunscreen combines sustainable active ingredients that work in synergy to protect, repair, and strengthen the skin while providing superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ 
Eryfotona Actinica is an ultralight, fast-absorbing mineral sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection while helping repair existing sun damage with patented DNA Repairsomes. Its silky, non-greasy formula contains plankton-derived photolyase and vitamin E, which work to boost skin defences, reduce signs of ageing, and protect against environmental stressors. Designed for daily, year-round use, it melts into the skin effortlessly, creating the perfect makeup base without a white cast.

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Combination Skin

Chemical (Combination Skin)

Silicone-Based:

Valmont Restoring Perfection SPF 50 
This high-protection SPF 50 anti-ageing cream shields skin from UV damage while stimulating collagen production with its Silicon D² complex. Infused with Triple DNA for intense hydration and Liposome RNA to boost cellular activity, it helps repair UV-damaged cells and combat daily sun stress. It is ideal for year-round use in the sun or city and creates a radiant, protective veil that nourishes and rejuvenates the skin.

RéVive Soleil Superiéur SPF 50 
Luxuriously lightweight, ultra-transparent sunscreen provides SPF 50 protection while helping repair visible signs of ageing. Powered by an advanced UV Defense System and Bio-Renewal Technology, it shields against UVA/UVB rays, prevents cell damage, and supports skin renewal. Fast-absorbing and safe for all skin types, it offers invisible, non-comedogenic protection ideal for extended sun exposure.

Water-Based:

Lancôme UV Expert Youth Shield SPF 50 
UV EXPERT Milky Bright is a multi-protection cream that defends against UV rays and urban pollution while preventing dark spots. Its lightweight, milky texture hydrates, smooths, and mattifies the skin, reducing the appearance of pores. Offering all-day hydration and protection, it leaves skin feeling comfortable, fresh, and radiant.

Mineral (Combination Skin)

Silicone-Based:

La Prairie Cellular Swiss UV Protection Veil SPF 50
UV-filtered sunscreen that combines powerful antioxidants to shield against UVA/UVB damage while providing long-lasting hydration. A liquorice-based brightening complex helps control melanin production, improve skin tone, and reduce irritation while exfoliating properties refine skin texture. Enriched with minerals and trace elements, its liposome-encapsulated formula ensures deep, prolonged moisture for a healthier, more radiant complexion.

Water-Based:

EVE LOM Daily Protection SPF 50 
Lightweight daily moisturizer with SPF 50 protects against UVA/UVB rays and environmental damage while nourishing the skin. Formulated with niacinamide for hydration, a vitamin C derivative for brightness, and paracress flower extract for firming, it promotes a radiant, lifted complexion. Oil-free and non-comedogenic, it offers broad protection without zinc, titanium dioxide, or parabens.

Dr. Dennis Gross All-Physical Lightweight Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 
An oil-free, fragrance-free 100% mineral sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB, pollution, and blue light protection while preventing photoaging and fine lines. Its lightweight, non-greasy formula blends seamlessly, offering long-lasting hydration and a smooth base for makeup. Powered by transparent zinc oxide and antioxidant-rich botanicals, it defends against environmental stressors without chemical UV filters.