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. You are most definitely not getting the protection you need.
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.
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Our brand and product selection is based on thorough research, based on 20+ years of industry experience. If we are not certain that an ingredient is safe and effective at bringing about desired results, we won’t stock the product. ‘Natural’ and ‘organic’ products and online shops are becoming more prevalent these days. Whilst this is great, it also is rather confusing, as many ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ brands out there contain toxic ingredients that sound ‘natural’ or ‘naturally-derived’ but are indeed irritating to the skin and internal organs. If you are unsure about any ingredient, product or brand, please don’t hesitate to get in touch in the comment box below.
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