The 10 best lightweight SPFs for oily skin

In this blog post, I’m going to be sharing the 10 best lightweight SPFs for oily skin to ensure you’re protected from the sun but non-greasy.

Wearing SPF every day is vital to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays and it helps prevent your skin from becoming wrinkly. There are plenty of SPFs on the market but some of them can leave your skin feeling sticky or can leave a horrible chalky cast. And we don’t want that.

To help tackle this dilemma, I’ve rounded up the top 10 lightweight and non-greasy SPFs to keep your skin healthy. These SPFs are also ideal for underneath makeup as they’re not heavy. If you’ve got drier skin, use a nourishing moisturiser under these products to keep your skin moisturised throughout the day.

Keep on reading to see the best lightweight SPFs on the market currently.

Important: You should always wear a dedicated SPF. If your moisturiser or foundation has SPF in, for instance, that’s better than nothing but it’s going to be a more diluted version. Opting for a dedicated SPF, like the ones listed here, will ensure vital protection from UV rays.

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1. Dr. Ceuracle Cica Regen Anti-Dust Sun Gel SPF50+

£25

Type of sunscreen: chemical

I was gifted the Dr. Ceuracle Cica Regen Anti-Dust Sun Gel SPF50+ (get 5% off at YesStyle with code CONFIDENCE10 – just click through the link), and I’ve been obsessed ever since.

This lightweight broad-spectrum Korean SPF doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It’s one of my personal favourites.

This sunscreen sinks into the skin quickly, which means you can apply makeup over the top immediately. On the skin, this SPF never feels sticky or heavy. In fact, it’s one of the most undetectable SPFs I’ve ever used and it doesn’t have a mattifying effect.

It also doesn’t leave a horrible ashy cast on your skin and once the SPF has absorbed into your skin, you wouldn’t know it was there. Admittedly, I’m not sure if this would leave a white cast on deeper skins as I’m pretty fair.

But for my melanin-rich girls, don’t worry, there are some tried and tested SPFs in this list that won’t leave a chalky cast on your skin!

2. Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream SPF50

£20

Type of sunscreen: chemical

The Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream SPF50 made an appearance in my April beauty faves last year and is one of the cheapest options in this list.

This K-beauty pick is very lightweight but still provides enough moisture to the skin. Offering high levels of coverage, this sunscreen feels more like an SPF-moisturiser hybrid and provides a gorgeous, dewy finish. Although I think this SPF would be suitable for oily skin, I also think drier skin types would enjoy the comfortable and moisturising feel of the sunscreen.

I personally like the added glow this SPF gives my skin but particularly oily skins might find this a bit on the heavy side.

3. Krave Beauty Beet The Sun SPF 40 PA+++

£17

Type of sunscreen: chemical

Krave Beauty’s Beet the Sun SPF40 promises to leave the skin grease- and cast-free. It doesn’t leave a sticky finish, something which is a nightmare for anyone with oily skin. Containing high levels of beetroot and some vitamin C, this chemical sunscreen is antioxidant-rich and will give you a stunning glow.

It also works as a non-oily makeup primer and who doesn’t love a multi-tasking skincare product?

4. Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor

£35

Type of sunscreen: chemical

If you bring up Rihanna’s makeup or skincare line, you immediately think of inclusivity. And the Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor is a fantastic option for all skin tones, especially darker skins.

I love the Hydra Vizor. It’s truly lightweight on the skin and after you’ve applied it, you’d hardly know it was there. Although it’s lightweight and non-greasy, I still find it delivers enough hydration to the skin to stop me for reaching for another moisturiser. This also plays very nicely with makeup.

Also, this SPF30 gives your skin a beautiful glow. Unlike certain sunscreens that can leave a chalky cast and make your skin look flat, this sunscreen livens up the skin and makes it look healthy. From all the pictures I’ve seen across social media, this SPF is made for, and truly flatters, people with darker skin. And as I’ve said before, we stan an inclusive brand.

If you’d like to hear my thoughts on Fenty Skin, why not check out my full brand review here?

5. ARK Skincare Skin Protector SPF 30 Primer

£38

Type of sunscreen: chemical

ARK Skincare gifted me the Skin Protector SPF 30 Primer to try and considering how much I’ve loved some of the brand’s products previously (the exfoliator and cleanser are my faves so far), I couldn’t wait to try this one out.

Doubling up as a primer and SPF, this lightweight option delivers hydration to the skin while protecting you from the sun’s harmful rays. It contains skin-loving ingredients like vitamin E, shea butter and glycerin to ensure your skin is moisturised throughout the day, while providing the perfect luminous base to apply makeup over the top. This is a great option for people with oily skin that don’t want to apply a primer after their sunscreen.

If I were out in the sun for an extended period of time, I’d probably apply one of the SPF50s listed above over the top for optimal protection.

6. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF50+

£19.90

Type of sunscreen: chemical

Perhaps the most iconic sunscreen in this list, the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF50+ is a trustworthy and affordable option for oilier skins.

This popular SPF is lightweight and offers broad-spectrum coverage, while being suitable for people with sensitive skin as it is non-irritating. La Roche-Posay also promises that this well-loved sunscreen is water-, sweat- and sand-resistant, making it the perfect choice for when you’re on the beach.

Caroline Hirons consistently recommends La Roche-Posay’s excellent SPFs.

7. Heliocare Gel Oil-Free SPF50

£28.15

Type of sunscreen: chemical

Another product I’m including in this list of the best lightweight SPFs for oily skin is the Heliocare Gel Oil-Free SPF50.

Heliocare is recognised for its brilliant SPFs and the Gel Oil-Free version is a fantastic choice for oily skins due to its ultra lightweight and matte formula. It sinks into the skin instantly and won’t leave your skin feeling sticky, which is ideal for when you’re out in the sun for extended periods of time.

Although this formula is designed specifically for people with oily skin in mind, this lightweight gel would be fantastic for when the weather is particularly hot as there’s nothing worse than a greasy SPF if you’re a bit sweaty!

It also contains vitamin C for some added glow, which is always a bonus.

8. Dermatica SPF 50 Photodamage Defence Sunscreen

£15.95

Type of sunscreen: chemical

The Dermatica SPF 50 Photodamage Defence Sunscreen is an excellent lightweight and non-greasy SPF for oily skin. This is a fairly new sunscreen, but it provides great protection from UVA and UVB rays at SPF50. It doesn’t leave a white cast and absorbs fairly quickly. I’ve used more absorbent sunscreens, but this had the added benefit of being hydrating, so oily skins could consider skipping moisturiser if they feel this provides enough moisture for their skin.

9. Abib Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar SPF50

£26

Type of sunscreen: chemical

The Abib Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar SPF50 (get 5% off at YesStyle with code CONFIDENCE10 – just click through the link) is the most convenient sunscreen on this list. This solid SPF bar requires no rubbing in and no washing of your hands afterwards. It simply glides across the skin, melting instantly, for a very comfortable, lightweight, and non-sticky finish.

This sunscreen is completely invisible once applied and has a second-skin satin finish. It’s lightly hydrating and leaves no white cast. It’s ideal for oily skin.

10. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Pure Mineral Relief Daily Sunscreen

£20.46

Type of sunscreen: mineral

The Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Pure Mineral Relief Daily Sunscreen (get 5% off at YesStyle with code CONFIDENCE10 – just click through the link) is the most lightweight mineral SPF I’ve tried.

It’s non-greasy, lightweight, and absorbent with a natural radiant finish. This won’t make your skin look flat and one-dimensional like many other mineral sunscreens. It’s surprisingly not a thick formula either, which makes it very easy to work with.

This sunscreen does leave a very minimal white cast. It does disappear on my skin after about 30 minutes and is hardly noticeable on application, but darker complexions might find that this makes their skin look ashy. It works well on my light skin.

Final thoughts on the best lightweight SPFs for oily skin

These are 10 fantastic and non-sticky SPFs for people with oily skin. However, they are also fantastic options for people looking for an undetectable sunscreen or one that plays well underneath makeup as they’re not heavy on the skin.

Although my skin leans more towards normal/oily, I’d still pick these options if I had drier skin and opt for a more nourishing moisturiser instead as I think this combination works really well.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found this post helpful!

What’s your favourite SPF? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below

Sarah Sarsby is the owner of A Woman's Confidence. With over 5 years' experience of writing in the fields of beauty and lifestyle, Sarah is passionate about all things content, makeup, skincare, wellness, and lifestyle. She has oily skin, is obsessed with lip gloss, and loves cookie dough.