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Why makeup with sunscreen just isn't enough

Don't skimp on your face wear sunscreen and makeup with SPF for best protection.

Even though wearing sunscreen year round is important this is the time of the year when it is an absolute must. To protect your skin against early aging, wrinkles and even skin cancer, the best way is to wear sunscreen every time you go outside. You might think there is an alternative to having to wear sunscreen and that is wearing makeup with sunscreen integrated into it. But is that a healthy and wise choice?

The correct answer is no. Makeup that is made with sunscreen can be misleading to the consumer. You might think that you're protected but in reality you really aren't. According to dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD you need seven times the normal amount of foundation and 14 times the normal amount of powder to get the sun protection factor on the label (Source: WebMD) and no one cosmetic does this. Do you know why? It's a simple concept of quantity. When you put regular sunscreen on you tend to lather it on thickly and all over. With makeup whether it's a powder or a liquid, you're just not going to do that. It doesn't matter how lightweight the product is, face it, you're not going to apply it as heavily as you would sunscreen especially not in the summertime when it's so hot outside that your makeup will melt off your skin. Also with sunscreen you reapply it ever so often for continued protection and that's something that you're definitely not going to do with makeup.

If you don't believe it do the math. To get sufficient sun protection, you need 2 mg of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin, which—based on the concentration of sunscreen in foundation—works out to seven times as much as you would normally wear. If you use powder, it’s 14 times as much! Think of it this way: The amount of powder you’d need to get proper sun protection is equivalent to the volume of a stack of 15 quarters, which pretty much means you’d have to use most of a container all at once. (Source: YouBeauty) So what's a girl to do?

Simply put, you integrate the two together to get the maximum protection necessary. Your best bet is to choose a moisturizer that is made with sunscreen that is at least 15 SPF like Boscia Oil Free Hydration SPF 15 or a broad spectrum moisturizer for maxim protection like Neutrogena Oil Free Broad Spectrum SPF 35. If you prefer a more dewy look or a moisturizer that is all natural try Yes to Cucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer SPF 30 and for a more matte finish try Dermalogica Clear Start Oil Clearing Matte Moisturizer SPF 15.

If you feel that combining the two might be too heavy or leaves your skin either too oily or chalky with an ugly white undertone, avoid makeup products and sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Epic Mineral Beauty, Crush Groove Cosmetics, Eve Organics Beauty are all natural organic beauty companies that make cosmetics that are free of titanium dioxide. When in doubt, just read the label!