Best Sunscreen Sprays for Acne-Prone Skin Reviewed: Coola, Supergoop, Naked Sundays, Vacation
Last summer, I was outside like it was my job. Greece. Italy. A road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to SoCal for Disneyland and Universal. Time in Key West with my mom. Mornings in my garden. Evenings on the patio. All in all… A lot of sun. And with my acne-prone, aging skin, sunscreen isn’t optional. It’s part of my skincare strategy.
So I decided to test four of the best sunscreen sprays for acne-prone skin. All these face SPFs have fine mist spritzers, and I wanted to see how they actually performed IRL.
I used COOLA SunBlur Makeup Mist SPF 50 at home on gardening days. Mostly because the bottle is glass. Classy? For sure. Travel-friendly? Not so much. It stayed on my bathroom counter for my sunny days at home.
I packed Vacation Super Spritz SPF 50 and Supergoop (Re)setting Refreshing Mist SPF 40 for Europe. The Supergoop bottle won points immediately for size. It slid into my tiniest purses and fanny packs. Vacation felt appropriate for the vacation vibe.
And then there was Naked Sundays SPF50+ Glow Face Mist in SoCal. Disneyland and Universal heat in August was no-joke. It’s that relentless sun where you can feel your skin cooking. I sprayed my face and shoulders about once an hour (after a solid morning base layer), fully expecting to burn. To my surprise, I didn’t.
That alone earned Naked Sundays some mad respect. My only complaint? A little eye sting when sweat carries product south – even without heavy sweating. So… mostly impressive, but there’s some minor irritation.
Below, I break down each of these best sunscreen sprays for acne-prone skin individually via their ingredients, acne-friendliness, aging-skin support, and whether they’re actually worth the space in your bag or on your shelf.
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Vacation Super Spritz SPF 50
Vacation Super Spritz SPF 50 feels like that friend who says “relax” while quietly doing the most. Broad-spectrum chemical filters (avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene) give legit SPF 50 coverage, and it’s water-resistant up to 80 minutes, which is about the most you can expect from a non-zinc-based (+ no white cast) sunscreen. The extras for skin benefits are pretty great too; Aloe, green tea, and bisabolol are calming for aging skin. Shea oil and multiple seed oils though? They can be a bit clogging for the skin. So, is this one of the best sunscreen sprays for acne-prone skin? I did notice some skin purging around my nose and chin while using this one. It also includes alcohol and fragrance, and acne-prone, reactive skin might raise an eyebrow to these. If your barrier is strong and you want glow with coverage, it works. If you’re inflamed and breakout-prone, patch test like your face depends on it.
Acne Friendly: 5/10
Reapply Frequency: 8/10
Aging Skin Friendly: 7/10
Good Ingredients: 6/10
Mister Quality: 6/10
Bottle Quality: 8/10
Bang for Buck: 6/10
Bossy Recommended: 5/10
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COOLA SunBlur Makeup Mist SPF 50
COOLA SunBlur Makeup Mist SPF 50 is the overachiever with a green juice in hand. Avobenzone, octisalate, and octocrylene deliver solid SPF 50 coverage, and it’s water-resistant too, so from a sun-protection standpoint, it does the job. Then come the botanicals: raspberry seed oil, buriti oil, meadowfoam, and green tea. Aging skin loves those antioxidants! For acne-prone skin, though? It depends. There’s organic alcohol for quick dry-down and a plant-derived fragrance blend that can be sensitizing if you’re reactive. So, is this the best sunscreen sprays for acne-prone skin? Other reviewers praise the lightweight feel over makeup, when used as a setting spray. My take: great for normal to combo skin that tolerates fragrance. Sensitive, inflamed acne? Proceed with caution. I did see a few pimples with this one.
Acne Friendly: 6/10
Reapply Frequency: 8/10
Aging Skin Friendly: 8/10
Good Ingredients: 7/10
Mister Quality: 6/10
Bottle Quality: 4/10
Bang for Buck: 6/10
Bossy Recommended: 6/10
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Supergoop! (Re)setting Refreshing Mist SPF 40
Supergoop’s (Re)setting Mist SPF 40 is sunscreen disguised as a productivity hack. Broad-spectrum filters plus 40-minute water resistance mean real coverage. Silica and film-formers help set makeup and blur shine, so it’s great as a makeup setting spray. And, while aging skin appreciates the soft focus, acne-prone skin appreciates less midday oil all over. But here’s the recalibration: alcohol denat is high on the list, and peppermint, spearmint, and rosemary oils bring that cooling tingle some skin loves… and others absolutely do not. What about this one? Is this the best sunscreen sprays for acne-prone skin? If your breakouts are clog-based, you might be fine. If they’re inflammation-based, the essential oils could tip the scale. Performance? Strong. Sensitivity tolerance? Personal.
Acne Friendly: 6/10
Reapply Frequency: 7/10
Aging Skin Friendly: 7/10
Good Ingredients: 6/10
Mister Quality: 6/10
Bottle Quality: 9/10
Bang for Buck: 6/10
Bossy Recommended: 7/10
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Naked Sundays SPF50+ Glow Face Mist
Naked Sundays SPF50+ Glow Mist feels like the minimalist who still gets results. Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene deliver high SPF 50+ protection, which is strong on coverage while still invisible. The inactive list is shorter: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, Kakadu plum for antioxidant support, plus watermelon seed oil for glow. Aging skin likes the hydration and the hyaluronic acid. Acne-prone skin may appreciate the simpler formula. However, alcohol 40-B is prominent, and there’s added fragrance. Fast-drying, yes. Potentially irritating if your barrier is fragile, also yes. What do you think? Is this one of the best sunscreen sprays for acne-prone skin? I personally experienced the least breakout concerns with Naked Sundays, and it has the best mister. I just recommend it as a top-up as it’s less water-resistant, which is why it ran into my eyes with just a little sweat, and that did cause a little eye irritation. I recommend covering your eyes up to your brows with your other hand while spraying your forehead to help with this.
Acne Friendly: 8/10
Reapply Frequency: 7/10
Aging Skin Friendly: 7/10
Good Ingredients: 7/10
Mister Quality: 9/10
Bottle Quality: 8/10
Bang for Buck: 7/10
Bossy Recommended: 8/10
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TheBossySauce Overall Pick
with honorable mention for Supergoop! (Re)setting Refreshing Mist SPF 40
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