Say you’re all about the no-makeup makeup look, and just want a small amount of coverage to make your complexion glowy and even. You’ve got options: There’s concealer, foundation, and BB creams that all make your skin look like itself (but better). Regardless of which one you choose, you must be wearing some sunscreen in order to stay protected (I mean, all dermatologists say so).
You’d think an easy hack to kill two birds with one stone would be to cocktail together your SPF with your foundation to create a BB cream-like product, but er, that’s not the case. According to a new thread on Reddit, people argue that mixing SPF—in any way, shape, or form—reduces its efficacy in protecting you from the sun. Why so? The thinking’s that it dilutes the sun protection factor, making you more susceptible to sunburns, and that instead, you should layer it on, take a beat, and then move on to your foundation. So, I checked with a dermatologist.
“Mixing sunscreen and makeup or only relying on makeup with SPF in it doesn’t offer enough coverage, and you’d likely not apply it as frequently as sunscreen should be applied,” says Kim Nichols, MD, a Greenwich-based dermatologist. She’s not alone: Connecticut-based dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD agrees: “Don’t mix your SPF into your makeup because you don’t want to dilute it. Layering ensures that each maintains its power.”
So, while it’s totally fine to mix serums into your moisturizer for a hydrating boost or blend shades of BB creams together, be sure to keep your sunscreen as a layer of its own. “Always apply it separately so it has the opportunity to really absorb into your skin for true sun protection,” says Dr. Nichols. Noted.
In the same vein, *this* is the right layer to your skin-care products. And this is what you need to know about wearing sunscreen under your makeup.
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