Product

EltaMD UV Daily Tinted Sunscreen

EltaMD UV Daily with a sheer tint. The hydrating base plus iron oxides — a moisturizer, sunscreen, and light tint in one step.
At a Glance
Recommended

The tint here comes from iron oxides, and they do two useful things. They cancel the white cast that zinc oxide can leave, and they block visible light, not just UV. That matters for melasma and dark marks, which visible light drives and plain SPF does not stop.

The base is hydrating, with hyaluronic acid and petrolatum, so on dry or mature skin it can replace your morning moisturizer. Folding moisturizer, sunscreen, and tint into one step usually means it actually gets done.

This is a hybrid of zinc oxide and octinoxate. Both mineral and chemical filters protect well; what matters most is using enough and reapplying.

Key facts

Key activeZinc oxide 9% + octinoxate 7.5% (SPF 40)
TextureDewy, tinted lotion
Best forNormal to dry or mature skin that wants light coverage
Approximate price$37–45

How it works

The hydrating version of EltaMD's sunscreen, with iron oxides added.

The iron oxides cancel the zinc's white cast and add visible-light protection — which matters for melasma and dark marks, because visible light drives both and plain SPF does not stop it.

The base hydrates. Hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, dimethicone. On dry or mature skin this can replace your morning moisturizer entirely.

For anyone whose routine is "moisturizer, sunscreen, tinted something" — this collapses three steps into one, and that usually means it actually gets done.

Everyday habits

How to use it
  • When: Every morning, as the last step in your skincare.How much: About 1/4 teaspoon for the face. Most people use too little. Where: Face, ears, neck, and hairline. Reapply: Every 2 hours outdoors, and after sweating or swimming. Shade note: This is a sheer-tinted formula. The standard tint suits medium-light to medium-deep skin; for deeper tones, look for the Deep Tinted version.
Who should be careful+

The standard tint is not made for deep skin tones. EltaMD scopes it to medium-light through medium-deep. UV Daily Deep Tinted is the version to look for otherwise.

Too dewy for oily skin. Look at UV Clear Tinted instead.

Sheer tint, not coverage. It evens tone. It does not conceal.

Questions people ask+
Is this mineral or chemical?Both. It uses zinc oxide and octinoxate.
Does the tint match deep skin?The standard tint is scoped to medium-deep. Deeper tones should use the Deep Tinted version.
Is it good for oily skin?Not really. It finishes dewy. UV Clear is the matte option.
Does it help with melasma?The iron oxides block visible light, which helps.
What SPF is it?SPF 40.
Full ingredient list+

Active ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5% Sunscreen Zinc Oxide 9.0% Sunscreen

Inactive ingredients: water, petrolatum, isopropyl palmitate, dimethicone, cetearyl alcohol, oleth-3 phosphate, phenoxyethanol, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, polyisobutene, cetearyl glucoside, polyether-1, butylene glycol, PEG-7 trimethylolpropane coconut ether, sodium hyaluronate, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, citric acid, tocopheryl acetate, triethoxycaprylylsilane, iron oxides

References+

1. Photoprotection beyond ultraviolet radiation: A review of tinted sunscreens (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32335182/) — Confirms that iron oxides in tinted sunscreens provide visible-light protection while nanoparticle zinc oxide leaves a white cast and does not block visible light, and that this benefits melasma and other hyperpigmentation disorders. 2. Enhancing Photoprotection: Assessing Visible Light Photoprotection in Tinted Inorganic Sunscreens (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42310896/) — Clinical study showing a tinted iron-oxide mineral sunscreen significantly reduced visible-light-plus-UVA1-induced pigmentation and erythema compared with a zinc-oxide-only formula, supporting the claim that added iron oxides add visible-light protection. 3. Sunscreens part 1: Mechanisms and efficacy (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38772426/) — Reviews sunscreen active ingredients, inorganic (zinc oxide) filter mechanisms, iron oxide and visible-light protection, and sunscreen efficacy against pigmentary disorders including melasma. 4. Attitudes on, Practices, and Recommendations for Visible Light Protection Amongst Dermatology Practitioners (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39496128/) — Survey of dermatology practitioners finding iron-oxide additive sunscreens are the most recommended visible-light protection for managing melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, supporting why visible-light protection matters for those conditions. 5. EltaMD UV Daily Tinted Broad Spectrum SPF 40 (https://eltamd.com/products/uv-daily-tinted-broad-spectrum-spf-40) — Manufacturer page confirming the product's active ingredients (zinc oxide 9.0%, octinoxate 7.5%), inclusion of sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) and iron-oxide tint, and that the shade is scoped to medium-light through medium-deep skin tones.