SPFs in Foundation + What you Need to Know

If you are someone who religiously wears SPF daily, and also someone who relies on SPF in your foundation alone, you may want to lean in closer. 

Most foundations and makeup now come with built-in sunscreen, and whilst this is handy – if you’re out and about in the sunshine all day –  they only offer a minimal amount of protection and you will certainly not get the level of protection that is claimed on the front of your bottle. This is especially important to know if you have used ingredients such as retinols or acid peels.  These active ingredients force your skin cells to turnover at a rapid rate, thus exposing the young, raw, immature skin underneath.  It is imperative to protect this skin from damage.

How much SPF protection do foundations offer

For context, you will need seven times the amount of foundation you would normally wear, and 14 times the amount for a powder, to get the amount of protection that is claimed on the bottle or jar.  Since nobody does this, we are all severely exposing our skin to the very things we are trying to protect it from.

What should we use

There is no problem in using foundation with sunscreen. In fact, it’s a smart thing to do. However it becomes a concern when we begin to rely on it for our complete sun protection if we’re going to be out and about in the sunshine all day. Or if we have damaged our skin with retinols or acid peels. If so, always apply a sunscreen in the morning over cleansed and moisturised skin before applying your foundation, and preferably something with an SPF factor of 30+.

Will this give me double protection

No.  Using an SPF sunscreen of 30+ and foundation of SPF 15 will not give you a protection factor of 45.  It doesn’t work this way.  You will only have the protection fo the highest SPF you have applied.

Who really needs protection

Anyone who:

• Uses acids, retinols and chemical peels.
• Has had, or is going to have, facial procedures.
• Is going to be out and about in the sun for extended periods of time.

Our favourite sunscreens for the face

AKT THERAPY elemental sun balm : VIEW

LIVING LIBATIONS everybody loves the sunshine with zinc beach balm : VIEW

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