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EltaMD

UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36.

EltaMD UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36
Sunscreen

About this product

A tinted mineral-only facial sunscreen with SPF 36, featuring niacinamide and a dewy, luminous finish.

Full ingredients

Guru Score

71%

Mixed

4 experts · Moderate agreement
4Gurus
3Yay
0Mixed
1Nay

What the gurus are saying

The dewy, luminous glow and high mineral content (20% zinc oxide without titanium dioxide) draw strong praise for both sun protection and finish. Niacinamide and other skin-loving ingredients support hydration and brightness, and the formula really holds moisture throughout the day. However, those with oily or acne-prone skin may find it too heavy and greasy, so it's better suited for dry or mature skin.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take May 2024

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
~Yay
"I love this um I didn't know they had a shade lighter than Sunbeam for some reason I thought Sunbeam was a lightest shade this is the one I use"
~Nay
"And then also the UV glow by elmd was a UV no for me"
~Yay
"They have the glow sunscreen, which again normally $45, $50. They're on sale for 30. EltaMD is amazing for anti-aging if you're looking for really good cruelty-free sunscreens that doctors and derms recommend."
~Yay
"The EltaMD UV glow is really hydrating and gives you a nice glow finish."
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All 4 takes from The Budget Dermatologist
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"The EltaMD UV glow is really hydrating and gives you a nice glow finish."
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"I love EltaMD UV Glow. This contains niacinamide and it finishes with a very luminous look on the face. This one is tinted with iron oxides only."
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"This has 20.2 zinc oxide so this is mineral only and that's actually like an unusually high percentage of zinc oxide for a facial sunscreen so this is probably pretty good protection. It comes in a tinted form because I always go for tinted options because they have iron oxides in them and that gives you even more complete protection against blue light from the sun. You can also see that this has niacinamide in it so it's great for the skin barrier and it has a few other added ingredients that really help brighten the skin and just make it look glowy and more luminous. It has a very dewy finish with a little bit of shimmer and it actually matches my skin tone pretty well. ELTA tends to be a little bit more tinted than some of the other options for me like that pigment. All in all I think that this is actually a really good match. This one is normally 38.50 which is kind of a lot for a sunscreen especially because there's so many really great more affordable options out there, but in the sale this is 20 off which means it's gonna be just over thirty dollars so it's a really great option."
Which EltaMD Sunscreen Should You Buy? | My Review + 20% OFF Sale
"UV Glow is one of the newer ones that came out more recently and one that I have used so much. This has SPF 36, so notably it is a little bit lower than all the other ones I have shown, but if you use enough of it that is going to give you enough sun protection. It has 20.15 percent zinc oxide only, so no titanium dioxide, and it has a lot of skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, aloe and coconut extract, vitamin E, and then mica to give a dewy luminous finish on the skin with a lot of antioxidant protections. I would say be cautious if you have really oily or acne-prone skin you might not like this one because it is a little bit heavier, thicker, and it could feel greasy if you have that skin type. I recommend this one if you have dry skin, mature or aging skin, or normal skin. If you want thicker coverage and you want a glow, this is really going to give you much more of a luminous kind of shimmery finish than any of the other ones by EltaMD. This is actually one of my two favorites from EltaMD. I use this one all the time when I don't do any other makeup over it because I really don't wear makeup that much and this takes the place of it because it has pretty good coverage, it really holds in moisture, and just gives that nice glowy finish."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Alpha hydroxy acids

Alpha hydroxy acids loosen the bonds holding dead cells at the surface. The evidence supports smoother texture and more even tone over time, and they can leave skin more sensitive to sun.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Sunscreen filters

Sun protection is the best evidenced way to slow visible ageing, and the filters are what does the work. Mineral and chemical filters both protect when a product is applied thickly enough and often enough, which is where most people fall short rather than on the choice of filter.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is EltaMD UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36?

A tinted mineral-only facial sunscreen with SPF 36, featuring niacinamide and a dewy, luminous finish.

Is EltaMD UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36 worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 71%.

What is EltaMD UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36's Guru Score?

EltaMD UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36 holds a Guru Score of 71%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.

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EltaMD UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36: a Guru Score of 71% from 4 experts on The Guru Index

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