Mixing these two ingredients can make your skin ‘more vulnerable to damage’

Dermatologists explain that mixing both products will dilute the amount of SPF in the sunscreen, thus reducing its efficacy. “This, in turn, means significantly less sun protection. To elaborate, if your sunscreen has an SPF of 40, mixing it with the foundation will bring the value down to SPF 20 or even lower,” said Dr Chowdary.

Also, combining sunscreen with other makeup products may “denature the composition of the original product”, as the other ingredients present in your makeup products, like oils and emulsifiers, will interfere with the sunscreen’s ability to provide protection. “As a result, patches and holes of your skin will be left unprotected. You’ll go out in the sun believing your skin is safe, but the situation will be quite the opposite,” mentioned Dr Chowdary.

What about skincare products or makeup with SPF?

Using makeup products with an SPF can be very tempting as it is convenient. But, according to research studies, you should apply at least 2mg/cm2 or 2 finger lengths of sunscreen for the face specifically.

“While makeup formulated with SPF provides some level of protection, you would need to apply at least over 5 times as much makeup as you would normally apply in order to achieve adequate protection of sun-exposed areas on the face. Also, the amount of SPF in makeup products is lower as compared to the original sunscreen. But again, this efficacy may be compromised by the other ingredients used in the product,” Dr Chowdary noted.

Apply an adequate amount of sunscreen. (Source: Getty Images)

So, how to use sunscreen along with makeup?

Sunscreen is necessary for your face, but giving up your foundation, moisturisers, and other skincare products is unrealistic. How do you tackle this situation?

It is essential to layer your products rather than mixing them together. You should start with a sunscreen as it needs to be applied directly on clean skin for full protection.

Apply an adequate amount of sunscreen you would require to protect yourself.
Follow it up with makeup products like foundation, moisturisers and others.

“In this manner, your skin will prevent UV rays from entering and will provide broad spectrum protection. We suggest you wait at least a few minutes between each layer before applying the next,” said Dr Chowdary.

How to reapply sunscreen over makeup? 

Dermatologists say that your sunscreen should be topped up every 2-3 hours depending on your sun exposure. Some individuals spent more time under sun exposure than others. They require sun protection after every two hours or so.

But, some people find it challenging to reapply sunscreen over makeup. Therefore, they can use powder-based sunscreens or spray-based sunscreens. Follow it up with compact powder to settle it, said the expert.

To summarise, it is not recommended to mix sunscreen and foundation together. “Instead, you can do proper layering of the products and ensure that each product can work separately on your face. Ultimately, the skin that is better in appearance is the healthy skin, and this can only be achieved if your skin is protected from the sun. Remember to use sunscreen before foundation and to wait a few minutes between each layer,” said Dr Chowdary.

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