You probably consider yourself a smart, beauty-savvy girl.  You wear sunscreen when you are at the pool or beach and are careful to choose a foundation with an SPF.  BUT!  Is the SPF in your liquid or powder foundation enough?   Does it protect your face from BOTH cancer-causing UVB rays and photo-aging UVA rays?   The following information may surprise you, but no, it doesn’t.  In fact, you need to apply approximately seven times your normal amount of foundation and fourteen times the normal amount of powder to get the benefits of the SPF found on the label.   Not to mention, the majority of the SPF found in makeup is not broad spectrum and offers protection only from UVA or the aging rays and NOT from cancer-causing UVB rays!

What Does This Mean?

This means it is IMPERATIVE to apply a broad-spectrum facial sunscreen under your makeup or powder every day!  The question is, “Can you wear both and still have a flawless finish?”  The answer is Yes!  Follow the simple steps below to insure a flawless look – WITH sunscreen!

  • Select the proper ingredients.  Look for micronized zinc-oxide or avobenzone combined with octisalate….together these ingredients offer broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays.   Additionally, micronized zinc-oxide will offer excellent protection without a white film.  It provides sheer coverage that looks great under makeup.
  • Use your sunscreen as your moisturizer.  If you feel doubling up will be too heavy, skip the moisturizer and simply use sunscreen!
  • Make sure your sunscreen is oil-free.  Otherwise, after a few hours you may end up shiny or worse, with clogged pores.
  • After applying sunscreen, let it dry completely before applying  makeup.
  • Use powder.  After applying sunscreen and makeup – a light dusting with a pressed powder will help “set” the look.
  • Don’t forget your lips!  Lips can burn too – so find a balm that contains an SPF of at least 15.

Moral of the story?  Don’t rely on the SPF in your makeup to keep your skin fully protected from the sun!  You need additional broad-spectrum protection to help keep your skin healthy. Our favorite?  Theraderm’s Platinum Protection Facial Sunscreen is amazing!  Oil-Free, SPF 43 and includes micronized zinc-oxide – see – it’s perfect!