When I was pregnant with Connor (and for almost the entire year after she was born) I wasn’t good about wearing sunscreen. I wore very little.
(OK…I didn’t wear any at all.)
It started out from a cautionary standpoint. I was freaked out about chemicals and everything I was consuming (except for the massive amounts of frozen waffles, of course) and putting on myself potentially affecting the baby, but then, well…it morphed into a long-term bad habit. I was also so exhausted from merely just living at the time that I couldn’t handle having to do another thing in the morning, so I just stopped using sunscreen.
I was thinking about this as I got ready this morning. I don’t have anywhere special to go — just a regular Thursday — but I grabbed, not one, but two (!) sunscreens for my face from my bathroom shelf.
Some peeps (like me now) like layering a chemical sunscreen with a physical sunscreen (here’s the difference between them). That’s what I’ve been doing this summer.
After I wash my face, I do a layer of Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion WetForce SPF 50+ on my face and neck, wait a few minutes for it to sink in, then do another layer of Clinique SPF30 Mineral Sunscreen Fluid for Face on top. This particular combination works well for me, especially under makeup.
And sometimes, if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll also do a few sprays of Supergoop! x Milly Defense Refresh Setting Mist Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50 on top of my makeup.
Is it overkill? Perhaps.
Probably. 🙂
But my skin’s doing pretty well this summer (knocks on wood), and I’ve been breakout-free for months.
I am more sensitive to sun than ever, though, which I think has to do with the Biologique Recherche P50 1970 I’ve been using every night. It’s a fairly aggressive acid toner.
How about you? Do you layer different sunscreens together to make your own super sunscreen cocktail, or are you a single sunscreen guy or gal?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love the Supergoop Unseen sunscreen for my face & neck, but it’s too pricey for overall use, so I switch to Kiss my Face SPF 30 spray for arms & legs. According to my Derm, there is no benefit to layering sunscreens for SPF – if you put on 3 layers of 50, your SPF isn’t 150, it’s still just 50, so there is no “super” effect. The key is to re-apply every few hours, which I’m not good at. I have to say that even though I also try to avoid chemicals, the chem-based products work a whole lot better than the physical blocks.
Hi Kris,
Thanks for the info and for the recommendation. I’ll have to try that Kiss My Face Spray!
Hi Kris,
My derm has said the same thing about layering and I have also read the same info in various journals. I’d like to add that in addition to reapplication, it is imperative to use an adequate amount. Most people are entirely too stingy with their SPF. A generous 1/4 tsp. is enough to do just the average-size face. I actually use 1 tsp. to do my face, neck, and chest—every single day. And, like you, I use a pricier, more cosmetically elegant SPF for those areas but switch to a less costly SPF for my body.
Hi Karen,
There are some excellent sunscreens that are actually a well formulated combination of chemical and physical screening agents. The chemical penetrates, and the physical reflects—best of both worlds 🙂 It shouldn’t be too hard to find a broad spectrum, water resistant one that works for you. Using just one product will certainly simplify your routine. Whatever you choose to do, though, just be sure you apply it liberally and consistently. That’s the best anti-aging advice anyone could ever give. Personally, I like Jack Black Oil Free Sun Guard SPF45 for my face, neck, and chest. It plays nice with my skincare and makeup. For the rest of my body I like Coppertone Kids Mineral Based SPF 50. Both products are broad spectrum, water resistant chemical/physical combos.
I rarely layer my sunscreens because I’ve read that formulas may be incompatible with each other, which could lessen the potency of the sunblock. Since I don’t know what’s compatible and what’s not, I just use one that I really like and apply liberally. I think I am overkill with how much I apply, though, but I kind of like the glow I get from applying a lot of sunscreen. My moisturizers and most of my foundations don’t contain sunscreen, either, so I’m not too worried there.
But hey, if it’s working for you, why stop? If you’re not burning, experiencing irritation or breakouts, etc., it’s clearly a-ok to keep doing! I may have to try the Supergoop one because I like to reapply sunscreen throughout the day.
Hi Christina,
What sunscreen are you currently using?
Hope you’re having a nice day so far!
I definitely layer if I’m going to be out in the sun for any amount of time. Then I’ll start with Shiseido, wear a BB cream with SPF and, after being out for an hour or so, I’ll layer on something like the Drunk Elephant physical sunscreen and follow up with a spritz of Supergoop. It was terrible last Sunday, though. Way too much product and it was all pilling up (of course, my skin was pretty dry to begin with) so rubbing in so much product didn’t help. 🙂
My Revlon colorstay foundation has spf 15 in it and that’s all I use!
I don’t layer because some ingredients don’t play well together. For everyday, I use mineral based sunscreens on my face because I have sensitive skin, favorites are a Dr. Dennis Gross spray with SPF 50 and the SuperGoop CC cream.
If I’m going to be outside a lot, I use something more hardcore and a hat.
Ok so I use Walmart baby sunscreen , broad spectrum 50 ( compared to copertone waterbabies ) and CVS sport clear spray SPF 30 ( compared to coppertone sport )
I like the lotion for my face . I also apply Zinc on my nose and lips esp at the beach ?
Thank you for recommending the P 50 Biologique .Recherche. It’s definitely The Bomb! Also thanks to you I now use Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac. I love it!
I usually use SkinCeuticals UV Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50. It’s a physical sunscreen and it’s water resistant for 40 minutes. Plus I touch up during the day with, colored science brush on sunscreen. It’s a physical sunscreen with an SPF 50. I think the most important thing is to use it.
I definitely layer, not to get more SPF out of it, but to make sure I’m putting on the correct amount. I do a combo of different sunscreens, too, usually one chemical and one physical, depending on what I’m feeling. My favorite is the Nivea Sun Gel SPF 50 PA+++ and the Paula’s Choice Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 from the Resist line. I’m not that great at reapplying but I try to remember. (usually smudges my mascara and eyeliner though.)
Sunscreen is probably what I buy the most often for my beauty routine.
I recommend following Dr. Dray on YouTube. She’s a dermatologist and a sunscreen enthusiast. I’ve learned loads from her, although she may have differences of opinion from other dermatologists.
I stick to a single sunscreen when getting ready, as I have read that you need to wait 20 minutes for it to film a protective film and that applying anything on top will hinder that and make it less effective. I don’t have time to wait 20 minutes, apply a second layer and then wait again 20 minutes before I do my makeup.
I do however top up throughout the day with a spray, before my lunch break and before I leave the office to cycle home.
With my fair skin there was a high probability of pregnancy related melasma so I stood in the shade, wore big brimmed hats and slathered myself with sunscreen. The skin’s primary function is a barrier, so I figured I wasn’t going to absorb too much of anything to bother the kiddo. (Of course I stayed away from Retin-A). To this day I measure out 1/4 teaspoon of sunscreen for my face and whatever reaches my neck and another for my chest and neck.
I was actually lighter when I worked outdoors in the barn because being outdoors I would stop by my tack trunk every two hours to top up my sunscreen. Everyone I worked with thought I was nuts.
I have bottles of Shiseido sunscreen everywhere. There were bottle so Shiseido and Neutrogena sunscreen in my tack trunk. I always have a small bottle in my purse. I try not to keep it in my car because I’m afraid the built up heat will degrade and spoil the sunscreen.
I might get lazy about other parts of my skincare, but cleansing every night and wearing gobs and gobs of sunscreen are two I never skip.