Summertime is finally here. Praise be! This means brunches, beach days, and endless sundowner sessions – which is why blending out a full face on the daily is paramount, so you’re forever ready for evenings of spontaneity. It’s also why it’s important to keep an emergency touch-up kit within reach. But there’s one product I’ve noticed that’s often overlooked in on-the-go make-up bags, and that’s SPF – the most crucial beauty item of them all! (When it comes to sunscreen, I don’t play around. Call me the sunscreen sergeant, the SPF chief, or the UV police – I’ll own every title!) I get it because one frequently asked SPF question I’ve come across online is: “how do I reapply sunscreen over my make-up without completely sabotaging my beat?” Luckily, there are five ways to beef up your UV protection while wearing make-up, and they’re surprisingly easy techniques…
1. Powder sunscreens are your best friends.
These are mineral sunscreens in the form of powder. They’re typically formulated in retractable brush tubes for easy dispensing with zero mess. We’re obsessed with these for touching up while on the road, as they double as setting powders with the additional perk of sun defence and a mattifying finish to absorb excess oils.
2. Apply sunscreen as a make-up primer
As a pre-make-up-application step, I always rub in two to three fingers’ worth of sunscreen as my primer. Eucerin’s Sensitive Protect Sun Crème SPF 50 and Fenty Skin’s Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturiser SPF 30 are my current holy grails as they: 1. are white-cast-free, 2. don’t feel tacky on the skin, and 3. don’t cause pilling underneath my foundation layers. Also, Fenty Skin’s SPF blend is a moisturiser and sunscreen hybrid with niacinamide and A-Beauty ingredient baobab, a dynamic duo that leaves skin looking deliciously dewy.
3. Treat yourself to an SPF compact powder
If you’re struggling to find a powder sunscreen for your skin type, you can also opt for an SPF-infused compact make-up powder. It won’t give the same degree of protection as a powder sunblock, but at least it’s something! Derms often recommend SPF20 and above for pressed powders.
4. Blot on your daily sunscreen with a beauty sponge
This is my preferred technique, and it’s so easy to achieve. In your daily Telfar or tote, keep a clean beauty sponge and a mini version of your daily SPF, like Fenty Skin’s Mini Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen. And when it’s time to reapply your sun protection, dab some on with a beauty sponge, and your facebeat will remain pristine.
5. An SPF mist to refresh and protect
More and more brands are now introducing setting sprays with SPF protection so you can revive and shield your make-up simultaneously. We love Givenchy’s Prisme Libre Primer & Mist – a do-it-all spray to prep, set, refresh and protect skin and make-up.
