Applying – and reapplying – sunscreen on a daily basis is central to reducing your risk of skin cancer, as well as wrinkles and hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage.
If you wear makeup most days, that can be easier said than done. Here are a few simple steps that should make wearing both makeup and sunscreen a little easier, while ensuring you’re truly protected from harmful UV rays.
The order of application matters
Start paying attention to the order in which you’re applying your skincare products, sunscreen, and makeup, if you aren’t already, because it matters. To ensure your sunscreen is protecting you to the best of its ability, it should go on at the very end of your morning skincare routine, but before you apply any makeup.
Chemical sunscreens contain filters that absorb UV rays from within the skin, whereas mineral sunscreens scatter UV light from atop the skin. Because of the nature of these processes, sunscreen is most effective when it’s applied to clean skin.
Don’t skimp on sunscreen
Studies have shown that people generally aren’t using enough sunscreen to be sufficiently protected from the sun. In fact, most apply only a quarter of the recommended amount. To achieve the advertised sun protection factor (SPF), you need about two milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. (While we’re here, you should be using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.)
Here’s a tip to make that equation a little easier. Line the length of your middle and index fingers with sunscreen. That’s the amount of sunscreen you need for your face and neck.
Give your sunscreen time to dry
Once you’ve applied your sunscreen, give it at least a couple minutes to be absorbed by your skin before moving on to your makeup. Adding makeup before then could dilute your sunscreen or interact with its ingredients, making them ineffective.
If your sunscreen base is adequately dried, your makeup shouldn’t negatively affect its SPF.
Makeup with SPF shouldn’t be your only protection
If you’re thinking, “But my foundation contains sunscreen,” you should know that’s not enough. In order for makeup with SPF to effectively protect your skin, you’d need to use a lot of it – way more than you’re likely using on an everyday basis.
However, it’s great as a complement to sunscreen. A 2021 study found that layering makeup over sunscreen boosted sun protection. That’s because even makeup that doesn’t have SPF contains filters similar to those found in mineral sunscreens.
Reapplying is tricky, but necessary
The trickiest part of this is reapplying sunscreen. In short, there’s no great way to go about it when you’re wearing makeup.
Sunscreen should be reapplied every couple of hours, or after sweating or swimming. And, yes, you still need to reapply if you’re sitting next to a window while you work, because glass doesn’t sufficiently block UVA or UVB rays.
There aren’t enough studies yet to show how effective reapplying sunscreen over makeup is. But because we do know it’s most effective when it’s applied as close to the skin as possible, there’s reason to believe it isn’t ideal.
At this point, the best advice anyone can offer is: Do your best. Whether you use a spray or powder sunscreen or pat a dollop of lotion sunscreen over your makeup, even a little boost is better than nothing.
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