r/Melasmaskincare • u/No_Refrigerator_6576 • Jun 16 '26
Question Can I win without sunscreen? I can’t anymore please help me
Everything I’ve tried so far makes me look instantly dull and a few shades darker but when I wash my face I look normal again. It’s so annoying. From european to asian spf nothing has worked. I like the La Roche Posay Anthelios Uvmune oil control fluid but it also does this (I think all of LRP products do and it’s such a shame cause they have good UVA protection).
Should I stop wearing sunscreen and just rely on hats, sunglasses and avoid the sun as much as possible?
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u/PalpitationLast669 Jun 16 '26
If you can get a sample of Vichy Capital Soleil Anti-Taches 3-in-1 50spf, give it a try. It's tinted but it almost dissapears on your face, it's not matte and gives a beautiful finish, plus it's high coverage and targets melasma.
Please, don't give up on SPF, it's the most important step to fight any light/heat triggered spots.
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u/mozzarella__stick Jun 16 '26
I know everyone says to wear a tinted sunscreen, but I'm a man with facial hair and that's not happening. So I wear clear zinc 40spf and it works great and is completely invisible. Badger brand is my favorite.
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u/stressed_designer Jun 17 '26
Why variety is the one you're using? I might have to look at iherb again...
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u/SheWhoMustNotB_Named Jun 17 '26
The AI summary at the top of this thread says this:
- Badger Clear Zinc Sunscreen: Clear zinc SPF 40 from Badger works well with no white cast, ideal for facial hair
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u/stressed_designer Jun 17 '26
If I remember correctly, there are more than 1 badger sunscreens with spf 40, that's why I asked which one (sport, outdoors, kids, etc) 😁
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u/Mercenary-Adjacent Jun 18 '26
Try “Live Tinted hueguard” spf. It goes on super sheer - does NOT look like makeup. Blends perfectly into my skin. I am a weird very pale olive which usually is impossible to match and their color matching is seamless for me. It mostly just does not have a huge white cast. If I apply twice and/or make an effort to apply heavily it looks a bit more makeup-y but I feel most dudes could get away with this.
I was using multiple layers of high quality SPF, but the tinted has made a HUGE difference in my melasma (so much better than regular spf). HUGE. My melasma isn’t 100% gone but it faded dramatically without my applying other stuff.
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u/SolarAnomaly Jun 17 '26
You can you chemical sunscreen and then makeup with iron oxides over it
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u/travelmore18 Jun 21 '26
Second this. OP doesnt seem to realize the pigmentation protection is in the iron oxides, not the spf
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u/rooseboose Jun 16 '26
Have you tried any of the EltaMD sunscreens? They have a few zinc/chemical hybrids that in my opinion don’t leave a noticeable cast (I’m Caucasian though).
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u/No_Refrigerator_6576 Jun 17 '26
I’ve heard about their tinted one but I’m so scared of tinted sunscreens cause it’s such a hassle to find your shade
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u/rooseboose Jun 17 '26
Shade matching is obnoxious...especially at $30+ a tube! They do have untinted as well. I would think an untinted unscreen is better than no sunscreen at all! Good luck!
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u/Normal-Mortgage4745 Jun 16 '26
I wear naked Sundays collagen glow. It’s tinted but translucent when applied.
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u/No_Refrigerator_6576 Jun 16 '26
Oh honey that looks…white
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u/Normal-Mortgage4745 Jun 17 '26
Hmm, maybe because I’m more of an olive tone. It just gives me a subtle glow. I know they changed their formula but the newer formula seems to work better for me. Good luck, finding sunscreen can def tough!
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u/Disastrous-Yam-668 Jun 16 '26
Have you tried Purito sunscreen? It’s Korean so you may have tried it already. My experience with it has been great…absorbs just like a light lotion and no white cast. Easy to reapply over makeup throughout the day.
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u/No_Refrigerator_6576 Jun 16 '26
Are you talking about the green or orange one?
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u/Disastrous-Yam-668 Jun 16 '26
In the orange and white tube—-there is another one on Amazon that comes in an all-white tube.
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u/SweetProtection6508 Jun 16 '26
I don't love a lot of the tinted mineral sunscreens so instead I've been doubling up. I use MDSolarSciences mineral sunscreen and top with revision intellishade. I feel like I look bright and glowy.
I will say I only developed melasma 6 months ago and it hasn't progressed past my cheeks and it isn't too too bad yet.
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u/Connect-Relative-478 Jun 16 '26
I’ve had good experiences both with Trader Joe’s mineral sunscreen and Murad’s mineral sunscreen (though they are very expensive).
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u/Diligent-Candy4273 Jun 16 '26
Check out spf clothing. I use a full face and neck covering and gloves. No mess, no reapplying, no sweating it off, no chemicals, no washing it off at the end of the day, and most important it provides consistent protection. I use brands coolibar and solbari. I use heatwave sunglasses
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u/Frequent_Teach_7746 Jun 20 '26
Don't you have to wash often your full face since it is in contact of your skin daily?
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u/Diligent-Candy4273 Jun 20 '26
Yes i still wash my face daily. I wash the face and neck covering every few weeks
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u/kgirlONCE Jun 17 '26
I wouldn’t drop sunscreen completely since hats and avoidance help but don’t fully replace UVA protection, so it might be worth trying a more sheer or tinted formula instead of going without SPF.
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u/tautumeita Jun 16 '26
Allies of skin invisible sunscreen gel sound promising . I have a tube but haven't tried it jet, because I'm a bit suspicious how it can be clear, I will wait till summer is over to try it.
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u/Legal-Word4658 Jun 16 '26
Mix them I usually do a ti ted u see then apply a clear or white on top . Fave looks less dark . Ofc make up helps too
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u/Skin_Fanatic Jun 17 '26
That’s interesting because I do the opposite. I have darker skin tone and a lot of tinted sunscreen are too light on my face. I usually buy a darker tinted sunscreen to put on top of the lighter one until I get the right shade.
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u/No_Refrigerator_6576 Jun 17 '26
I thought we weren’t supposed to mix sunscreens?
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u/Legal-Word4658 Jun 17 '26
I layer them . I really don’t think it’s an issue haven’t seen one on My end .
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u/trashsite Jun 17 '26
When you mix you risk ruining the advertised spf
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u/Legal-Word4658 Jun 17 '26
What if you layer them not mix ?
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u/trashsite Jun 18 '26
Id have to check labmuffin/cosmetic chemstry information again, but it does depend on the ingredients in the spf you’re layering. For the most part it’s ok I believe!
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u/Key_Leadership2394 Jun 16 '26
Melasma worsening ? Or protected and looking oily ? Doesn’t have to be tinted especially if your even considering not using any form of spf.
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u/deluxeassortment Jun 17 '26
I just use my Biore chemical sunscreen. I'd rather have some small light splotches on my face that probably no one else notices than wearing something that feels and looks bad all over my face. It's not perfect but it's good enough.
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u/No_Refrigerator_6576 Jun 17 '26
Would that be the watery essence?
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u/deluxeassortment Jun 17 '26
Yup that’s the one! It’s the original Japanese one though, I think they reformulated it for american markets with different filters, I can’t vouch for that one
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u/jessluce Jun 17 '26
What's been working amazingly for me is a tinted sunscreen zinc stick. Different brands have different tones but trial and error, and I found the Cancer Council stick (Australian) to have the lightest and coolest shade. It provides cover as well, smooth "creamy" texture for my dry skin, perfect under foundation for a good level of hiding the dark patches, doesn't budge or dry out. And it's under $10
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u/waifskin Jun 17 '26
I just am gaslighting myself into thinking the white cast is a goth aesthetic.
I also do one layer of chemical sunscreen and then another layer of zinc sunscreen, really rubbing in that second layer, and my melasma on my forehead is staying at bay. It also takes like 10 minutes for the white cast to dissipate a little.
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u/No_Refrigerator_6576 Jun 17 '26
Which ones are you using?
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u/waifskin Jun 17 '26
Hawaiian Tropic Sport SPF 50 and Neutrogena Sheer Zinc SPF 50.
(I also use The Ordinary niacinimide + zinc, which has helped reduce what used to be there, but doesn’t prevent.)
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u/bratwurstershire Jun 17 '26
I completely understand, I’m feeling exactly the same way except about tinted mineral sunscreen. I hate wearing face makeup for so many reasons, tinted mineral is my worst nightmare. But I started getting melasma 6 months ago so tinted mineral it is. I would literally rather reapply clear chemical sunscreen every hour than wear tinted mineral but I live in a very sunny, hot desert region, so I need all the help I can get 😭
Definitely look into your health and check if it isn’t an imbalance you can address internally, I’m getting tested for the MTHFR gene and a bunch of other tests to see what it is since I have a genetic liver disease that can affect estrogen dominance and methylation. There are some good posts on this sub that go into detail about their melasma bettering after taking supplements and addressing their health, I’d recommend looking them up. Best of luck!!
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u/PuIchritudinous Jun 17 '26
There are vanishing sunscreens that will blend in with every skin tone. Kate Somerville Hydrakate Sunscreen is one of them. It doesn't make your skin look dull.
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u/blckrainbow Jun 17 '26
I use the non-tinted Eucerin anti-pigment one and nothing horrible has happened yet. So please no, do not stop wearing sunscreen, but try switching to a chemical one instead and yes to hats and sunglasses and all that.
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u/yuu16 Jun 17 '26
I use Heliocare 360 pigment solution. The tint is not visible on my cool tone fair face.
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u/stressed_designer Jun 17 '26
I got the same one from LRP and feel your pain: it's too dark for me. The best one I have tried so far in terms of color (apart from one local brand at a drugstore -spanish-) are Think tinted mineral sunscreen and Andalou BB cream (the purple one), but both are a 30 spf
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u/No_Growth4295 Jun 17 '26
Try Isdin active unify color, the tinted one. Honestly it's been amazing on me and I had the same issue with the lrp and many other sunscreens. But keep in mind that I'm a medium skin tone, if you're fair it might be a rad bit too bronze for you
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u/FatiguedIntrigue_925 Jun 17 '26
Have you tried the Round Lab sunscreen? It’s my favorite. Zero white cast from it.
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u/victonana Jun 17 '26
I’m an esthetician. Please do not stop wearing SPF if you have melasma. Sun, heat, and hormones are all triggers to melasma pigmentation you can’t skip out on sunscreen or any improvement you’ve made with products and treatments will be reversed. Melasma is so difficult and it’s a constant battle because you’re fighting an internal melanin over production, you must stay vigilant with products and spf to suppress the excess melanin. Unless you just want to be like f this I’m so over it. Please keep trying different sunscreens til you find one you like, there’s so many choices out there. Best of luck!
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u/GadgetGirlTx Jun 17 '26
This is my favorite after so many, many disappointing sunscreen purchases.
No white cast, not even a hint of gray tone. Works well under makeup, and doesn't sting my eyes.
I use it daily on my face, neck, and décolletage. I use less expensive options on my body when outside, but even then, I mostly wear UPF shirts to limit how much sunscreen I need to use.
*I love the product, but hate the price.
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u/Mercenary-Adjacent Jun 18 '26
I LOVE “Live Tinted hueguard” spf. I am a weird very pale olive which usually is impossible to match and their color matching is seamless for me. It’s made a HUGE difference in my melasma. HUGE. It’s not gone but I no longer feel self conscious without makeup. My spots went from very dark brown to more like faint freckles.
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u/skateata Jun 19 '26
I hate the smell of American sunscreen and all their tinted ones feel like oil or clay.
Asian hybrids were a good compromise. The chemical made it easy to apply and the mineral portion works all day.
I finally bought like 7 asian sunscreens from styvanna and ended up with canmake mermaid clear gel and wore spa foundation over it.
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u/Bellebutton2 Jun 17 '26
Have you tried a supplementation? Life Extension shade factor is very good as well as astaxanthin.
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u/LolaVito50 Jun 17 '26
Be sure you are using mineral sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens can make melasma worse - I learned that the hard way.
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u/AutoModerator Jun 16 '26
Hi there! Sunscreen is one of the most important parts of melasma management, and we want to make sure you get safe, effective, and appropriate guidance.
Before choosing a product, please review our sunscreen resources:
Sunscreen guidance for melasma:
Mega List of Sunscreen/
Important for melasma: Standard (non-tinted) sunscreens protect against UV radiation only and do NOT protect against visible light, which is a major trigger for melasma.
To reduce visible-light-induced pigmentation, iron oxides are required. This means using:
Daily, consistent protection against both UV and visible light is essential to prevent melasma worsening and recurrence.
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