Makeup with sunscreen - are they really effective?

Hi Friends,

Combination products are extremely helpful, I love using Moisturizers with SPF, Tinted sunscreens, Lip Balm with SPF, Foundations with SPF. These generally lower the layers of products to be layered onto the skin, reduce the time of application, cutting the overall expenditure, fewer number of products to carry around , etc.

But before cutting off the most essential layer of product , Sunscreen, think about few things very carefully :

• Do you apply makeup (with sunscreen) on your neck (esp. the back of your neck) or the top of your ears??
• Does your makeup have both UVB and UVA protection?
• Do you apply makeup (with sunscreen) evenly everywhere on your face??
• How much product do you apply to get adequate sun protection?
• Is Titanium Oxide and/or Zinc Dioxide (constituents of a sun block / chem free / mineral sunscreen) are on the ingredient list. If not, then are you applying amount good enough to give you complete sun protection?

Facts about Sunscreen:

• Sunscreen should be applied every day .. either is rain or shine or cloudy. Indoor even.
• Sunscreen should be the first layer of product that should be applied on skin for maximum benefits.
• Traditional carbon based Sunscreen should be applied atleast 20 mins before coming in contact with sun.
• Chem - free/ Mineral or Sunblocks (basically containing Titanium oxide and/or Zinc Dioxide) can be applied just before sun contact, there is no down time with these, they start working the minute they are applied on skin.
• For adequate coverage we need 1/3rd to 1/2 teaspoon of  traditional sunscreen to cover the face and one pea size amount of Chem-free sunscreen to cover the face.
• For  covering the complete body we need about 1 oz of traditional sunscreen (in case of going to beach).
• Chem free sunscreen can even be applied on top of moisturizer or makeup (but is needed to applied evenly, but its not possible to apply it over makeup without messing up the makeup , so better to be applied before).
• Many makeups with sunscreen only have UVB protection. Choose your makeup and sunscreen wisely.

So just as a heads up, if you are counting on your makeup with sunscreen for sun protection, make sure that all sun-exposed areas are adequately covered and that it also has UVA protection.
Do let me know what is your opinion about this topic in the comment section below.

Stay Beautiful,
Shweta