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e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30.

e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30
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Sunscreen
About this product

A tinted SPF 30 chemical sunscreen with a shimmery finish, designed to provide UV protection while creating a luminous glow and serving as a makeup primer.

Full ingredients

Water (Aqua), Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Niacinamide, Trehalose, Silica, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Stearyl Heptanoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Acrylates/​Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Palmitic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylate-13, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

More from e.l.f. 58 products · Guru Score 89% →

Guru Score

76%

Yay

9 experts · Strong agreement

What the gurus are saying

This tinted sunscreen earns widespread praise for its luminous, filter-like finish and affordable price, many gurus call it a budget dupe for pricier glowy sunscreens and love how it works as a one-step base for makeup. Dermatologists found it hydrating, non-irritating and genuinely wearable day to day, with one on her second tube and fielding viewer requests about it constantly. The main split: those with chemical-filter sensitivity or rosacea may experience mild redness, and one reviewer wished for a mattified option, but most agree the glow and performance make it worth trying, especially at fourteen dollars.
Synthesized from 9 expert reviews · most recent take September 2025

What they liked

  • Luminous, bronzy tint without glitter
  • Works as primer under makeup
  • No white cast

What they flagged

  • Not water resistant
  • Contains niacinamide, skip if sensitive

Type

SunscreenLiquid

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

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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
"It's SPF 30. And remember, if your sunscreen's SPF 30, it's enough. [...] You're still going to get that luminous finish. It's still that affordable formula that's going to double as sunscreen and a hydrating primer. It's enriched with aloe and squalane for all day comfort and it's slightly more dewy. [...] So, if you're somebody who has more mature skin like me or you've got some wrinkles you need to plump or you have normal to dry skin, this one might actually be better for you."
✓Yay
"I'm a huge fan of elf's Whoa Glow, the tinted sunscreen."
All 11 takes from Dr Dray
Minimalist Travel Skincare Routine | Travel Vlog
"I have Whoa Glow from e.l.f. as my sunscreen."
Skincare I Haven't Tried Before | Skincare Travel Vlog
"I'm going to do my skincare routine this morning which I'm just going to come in with sunscreen straight to my face doing the e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow. Almost finished with this, this is my second tube of Whoa Glow."
NEW e.l.f. Tinted Sunscreen & My Nutcracker Tree 🎄🧴
"A few weeks ago I purchased this e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow. [...] e.l.f. has quite a few newer sunscreens out. Several months ago I [...] tried one of their tinted like BB cream SPFs and it was super drying, like I could not hack it, but they have really been sneaking out a few sunscreens here and there. This particular one comes in three shades. I got the lightest shade, it's Sunbeam. It's a little bit shimmery, but honestly it's not bad overall. [...] It comes out kind of peachy."
Skincare, Makeup, & Chatting 💁🏻‍♀️💄
"I find using a little tinted sunscreen strategically kind of helps with the makeup adherence but also just a little bit of complexion correction. Obviously I would not be putting this on so sparsely if this were the only sunscreen I had on."
November 2023 Skincare Fails & Favorites
"It goes on a little bit slightly shiny sparkly but it ultimately goes down and the shine is not as obvious. It's moisturizing, it's not greasy, and it's a really great option as a base for makeup. It is an organic, AKA chemical, sunscreen, but in my experience with it, it has not caused any burning, stinging, or irritation around my eyes. I really rather enjoyed it and I look forward to trying out some more of the elf sunscreens."
Best Affordable Sunscreens For Face (NO WHITE CAST)
"I tried out this past year the Suntouchable Whoa Glow sunscreen, I'm on my second tube. [...] I keep getting comments every time I wear this like in a TikTok video or a YouTube short or on my YouTube video asking what are you wearing on your face, I need to know. [...] It's usually this e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow sunscreen. So it's a tinted organic sunscreen. This one's not water resistant, SPF 30, going for $14, so a little more on the expensive side."
Skincare Love For Valentine's Day | Skincare Vlog
"For my sunscreen I'm going to come in with the e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow. I'm almost finished with this. [...] It's got a little bit of that metallicky patina look a bit but it's really not too glittery."
Skincare & Visiting Project Row Houses | Skincare Vlog
"My sunscreen base layer is basically a primer it just helps the makeup stay on better and doesn't crease as much like a lot of sunscreens are a really good primer like the e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow it builds itself as a sunscreen moisturizer makeup primer"
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"I'm a huge fan of elf's Whoa Glow, the tinted sunscreen."
*NEW* Drugstore Skincare Dupes You Won't Believe!
"I've been trying the Suntouchable e.l.f sunscreen, I'm actually wearing it currently. I have the SPF 30 one. It's a tinted organic sunscreen with niacinamide. It's really nice."
Sunscreen Empties
"The tint on this is glowy, so it gives you almost like a bronzy glow, which I kind of liked, I would often get comments asking what I was wearing. [...] It's not glittery like some other glowy tinted sunscreens. [...] It's marketed as sun protection plus makeup primer and it does do well under makeup, you put it on, let it absorb and dry down fully, then you can apply makeup over it without issues. [...] This does have niacinamide, so if you're sensitive you'd want to avoid it."
✓Mixed
"I was wearing this on the days when I was not going to leave the house, maybe days I'm working from home and it's really really horrible outside, but otherwise not really sure this is one that I'm going to reach for over and over again. It was super cheap, I think it was 15 bucks for 50 ml. I like it, I wish I could get it to work and maybe I'll experiment a bit more with it. I gave it a 4 out of 10. I don't love it but I like it, so maybe I can find a way to make it work."
✓Yay
"If you're looking for a great sunscreen that gives you that shimmer healthy glow that hydrates your skin that primes your skin with makeup that offers good coverage against UV and visible light damage, this elf one is affordable, effective, and a really nice elegant product to try."
All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
Dermatologist picks for budget-friendly skincare alternatives | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you're looking for a great sunscreen that gives you that shimmer healthy glow that hydrates your skin that primes your skin with makeup that offers good coverage against UV and visible light damage, this elf one is affordable, effective, and a really nice elegant product to try."
Best Drugstore Skincare of 2023 Picked by a Dermatologist
"This is from e.l.f. and it's their Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30. When I initially tried this one they only had one option and it was like the peachy sheen, I think it's called Sunbeam, that was like a peachy tint and it's just lovely because number one it's tinted, it's got the shimmer, it's got nice elegant chemical filters to offer broad-spectrum protection so you can literally use it all over your face for a healthy shiny glow."
✓Nay
"The e.l.f. Cosmetics Suntouchable Whoa Glow Sunscreen, I want to love it, I actually accidentally bought that product because I was so excited when it came out, especially since they said it was going to be more like a mattified base for makeup. [...] But it has chemical sunscreen ingredients in it, unfortunately, so it's a pass for me, but I want to love it, especially with the exclamation point."
✓Yay
"It's like putting a filter on your skin so it almost has like a little bit of a makeup effect. For somebody who's trying to have that no makeup makeup look this might be a really good option as your one step sunscreen so you don't even have to put on foundation. It's fragrance free, blends super well with the skin. This is something that a lot of people are gonna like and it's only $14, which is pretty incredible. That's a really really good price for a sunscreen like this."
✓Yay
"The elf one I still use, very, very nice. Made my rosacea a little bit red, a little bit rosacery. But to be honest with you, I expect that from chemical filters. It's something that triggers my skin. So I'm at a stage, though, where the sun will trigger my rosacea or sunscreen will, unless it's like a real zinc sunscreen. So it's just a thing for me. I'd rather wear sunscreen if I'm going to flush either way. How it looks on the skin and how it feels on the skin was really, really nice."
✓Yay
"This is the elf Suntouchable Whoa Glow broad spectrum glowy sunscreen. [...] This is brand new, I just barely got this in PR so I'm really excited to try this out. This is in the shade Sunbeam, I think they only have one shade right now. I guess this is supposed to be a dupe for the Supergoop sunscreen, which I love. [...] Oh, this is pretty. Oh, look at the glow. Yeah, you guys are definitely going for a glowy fresh lightweight kind of a makeup look."
✓Yay
"I would say that for the majority of people who are trying to save money, especially if you're using this for like a glowy look under foundation, the elf Woglow is an absolute dupe. When I first tried this I had gotten it wrong, so now I am standing corrected."

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

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

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30?

A tinted SPF 30 chemical sunscreen with a shimmery finish, designed to provide UV protection while creating a luminous glow and serving as a makeup primer.

Is e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 worth it?

Mostly yes. 7 of the 9 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 76%.

What is e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30's Guru Score?

e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 holds a Guru Score of 76%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 9 expert reviewers we have collected.

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