Q: I wear the entire makeup layer on top of the sunscreen layer every day. Does it weaken my protection from UV rays?
The key to reducing the risk of skin cancer, black spots and wrinkles from sunburn is to incorporate sunscreen into your daily life, apply it correctly and reapply it.
Fortunately, there’s some good news when it comes to wearing makeup and sunscreen together, said Dr. Nikil Dingla, a dermatologist at Spring Street Dermatology in New York City: you. No matter how much foundation, concealer, blush or highlighter you apply between you or your makeup routine, you will be protected from the sun as long as you follow a few simple steps.
Apply products in the correct order
One of the key ways to make sure you’re really protected from harmful UV rays is to apply sunscreen before you start making up as the final step in your morning skin care routine.
Chemical sunscreens include filters that sink into the skin and absorb UV rays, while physical (or mineral) sunscreens are on the skin and scatter UV rays. Due to these processes, sunscreen is most effective when applied directly to clean skin.
After washing the morning glory and applying skin care products such as toner, serum, moisturizer, and oil to the sunscreen. Dermatologists are advised to use a minimum sunscreen factor of 30.
Wear enough sunscreen
Research found People generally do not use enough sunscreen for proper protection. Dr. Amanda Doyle, a dermatologist at the Rusak Dermatology Clinic in New York City, says that in most cases, only one-quarter of the required amount is applied to the whole body.You need about 2 milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, to achieve the advertised SPF.
This can mean more or less sunscreen, depending on the size of your face, as everyone is different.To make the application a little easier, New York-based esthetician Tiara Willis Sake is a liquor (Back the length of your middle and index fingers with sunscreen.) Measure a sufficient amount of sunscreen on your face and neck.
Let’s set
Wait at least 2 minutes before applying makeup on sunscreen to sink into your skin. Do not touch your face during this time. Dr. Kiran Mian, a dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology & Laser Surgery in New York City, said that applying makeup too early can dilute the sunscreen and interact with the ingredients, making them ineffective.
Consider applying sunscreen, which is like painting a room. Apply it to a uniform, thick coat and then dry it thoroughly before touching or decorating it. Dr. Mian suggested doing something like brushing his eyebrows after applying sunscreen and staying busy in the meantime. If the sunscreen base is properly dried and set, the makeup ingredients will not adversely affect SPF.
Don’t rely on SPF foundation
Many foundations, beauty balms, and color correction creams contain sunscreen. Sunscreen seems like a convenient way to protect your skin without compromising your makeup habits. However, make-up with SPF is not enough as the only sunscreen option. This is because you need to use a lot of SPF to effectively protect your skin.
Of course, when it comes to sunscreen, there’s often more, so it’s okay to add SPF from your makeup. 1 A study published in 2021 He even concluded that putting makeup on top of the sunscreen strengthened the perfect sunscreen. This is because all make-ups, including products without SPF, include filters similar to those found in physical sunscreens. This provides additional protection if the sunscreen base layer is not sufficient.
Reapply sunscreen regularly
Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating. Glass does not significantly block UVA or UVB rays, so it needs to be reapplied even if you are sitting near a window while working. Reapplying is usually as easy as applying it to another coat of sunscreen, but it can be difficult when applying makeup.
Somewhat disappointing news: There is not enough research to prove how effective reapplying SPF in addition to make-up is. And there’s a reason to think it’s not ideal. This is because sunscreen is most effective when applied as close to the skin as possible, and it is difficult to apply enough sunscreen on top of your makeup for adequate protection. For example, powder sunscreen is an attractive option for reapplying because of its portability and usefulness as a quick touch-up tool, but in reality, Cula Svidzinski, Medical Director of the Skin of Color Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He says, to reach the advertised SPF, you need to apply a teaspoon of powder sunscreen to your face.
SPF setting sprays, and common spray sunscreens, are attractive for their simple application, but in reality they need to be rubbed into the skin to adequately cover the sun, denying presumed convenience. To do.
Also note that SPF is not cumulative. “If the sunscreen is SPF 30 and you apply an SPF 15 moisturizer, there is no SPF 45 protection,” said Dr. Mian.
So what should you do? Experts say you need to use a method that encourages you to reapply sunscreen, as long as you understand that you may not get the full SPF advertised. Whether you’re reapplying powder sunscreen, drowning your face with an SPF setting spray, or spraying sunscreen lotion on the back of your hands and applying it over your makeup, experts say it’s better to boost your SPF even a little. increase.
Caira Blackwell is a Wirecutter staff writer covering health and sleep. Her work was previously published in Okayplayer, The Knockturnaland Nylon magazine.
