Hi and welcome back to another Skin Care 101 blogpost. Today we are talking about how to apply sunscreen.
Weโll be tackling all of the basics that you need to know in order to find the right one for you and apply it the right way.
Sunscreen is one of the most complicated topics in the skincare industry. Trying to talk about this topic without starting controversy is like walking through a minefield. So letโs all take a moment to remember: I am only here to help you guys with my experience. I am no licensed dermatologist!
Iโve talked about sunscreen in previous posts about skincare. Itโs the most important part of anyoneโs skincare routine since 90% of premature aging is due to sun exposure alone.
You can be using every type of skincare product and undergoing all kinds of treatments.
Why do we need sunscreen?
In addition to premature aging, sun exposure causes dark spots, acne scarring, breakouts and much more.
What itโs doing to our skin is essentially damaging it. So anytime we are struggling with certain issues, like acne or dark spots, those nasty UV rays are only going to make things worse.
In order to protect ourselves from those issues itโs important to apply sunscreen every single day.
And if you are someone who is trying to use treatments to get rid of dark spots or acne, exposing yourself to sun is just going to make those problems worse.
I know sunscreen seems like the least fun part of any skincare routine. It tends to feel the ickiest, but I promise if you use a good sunscreen itโs going to become such an easy part of your skincare routine that youโll learn to enjoy.
What type of sunscreens are there?
There are three main types of sunscreens that Iโm going to be talking about:
1. Mineral sunscreen
Mineral sunscreens consist of two primary ingredients: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They tend to be the best for sensitive skin. Zinc oxide is a great ingredient that prevents all types of sun damage without causing a lot of sensitivity. Which is perfect for people that tend to breakout often.
2. Chemical sunscreen
Chemical sunscreens are way behind in the most of the world. And because of the main ingredients, they may cause sensitivity for some people.
3. Korean chemical sunscreens
Korean companies and laboratories are very forward-thinking in their technology surrounding skincare. These are lightweight, invisible, and just more effective sunscreens that pose way less risks for sensitivity. Which make them superior to any other sunscreens on the market.
How to choose a good sunscreen?
Each individual one varies so much in terms of the experience on your skin so Iโm just going to recommend my top picks.
My favorites that I found for you guys if you are interested:
If you are looking for a zinc oxide only mineral sunscreen. I recommend the Ren Clean Screen mineral SPF 30.
This is a great one with a very little white cast. Which is the white reflectiveness that you sometimes get with sunscreens.
I really like this one because it is a mattifying formula which is great for anyone who has oily skin. It is only formulated with zinc oxide and a little bit goes a long way. It does have a little bit of a fragrance but itโs definitely worth it in terms of the other benefits that you see from this formula.
If youโre looking for another mineral sunscreen and youโre okay with titanium dioxide. I recommend the CeraVe 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30ย . This one is awesome, itโs so lightweight. Definetly one of the best mineral sunscreens out there.
Now if youโre interested in trying a Korean sunscreen
If you have a little bit more dry to normal skin, I personally recommend the crave beauty beat shield or in Korea itโs called beat the Sun SPF 50. (They are both the exact same formula)
This one is amazing for providing a lot of protection but it feels like almost nothing on your skin. It has incredible ingredients that are really nourishing for the skin as well and proved to be great antioxidants which is going to protect your skin from environmental pollution and other things that cause aging and dark spots.
But if you air a little bit more on the oily side or you have normal skin and enjoy a dewy finish. (Glowy and not oily)
For a Korean sunscreen I have been loving the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF50 PA+++. This one is so lightweight and one that I can just apply multiple layers of without feeling like thereโs anything on my face. It does have some fragrance in it but similar to the other one I just think the benefits of this far outweigh the fragrance included, which by the way is a very light aloe vera scent.
Incredible formula and you get a huge amount. One of my all time favorites.
If youโre looking for a touch up sunscreen, one that you can continually apply throughout the day overtop of makeup.
I always have the Tarte Sea Set & Protect Mineral Powder Sunscreen on me at all times. I reapply this every two hours throughout the day so that Iโm getting a little bit of protection continually without having to put on cream sunscreen throughout the day.
How to apply sunscreen?
Sunscreen is best when applied as the last step of the skincare routine. Technically you can apply it before other steps but if you want to get the best protection possible I personally recommend doing it last.
The best way to apply sunscreen is to apply about a teaspoon worth in your hand and then massage it into every area of your face including the neck and the ears.
After it has fully absorbed into your skin, go in again with the exact same amount to ensure that youโre getting the most protection.
Technically weโre supposed to be applying a lot more sunscreen than what weโre generally used to. So itโs a good rule to do this two-step sunscreen application method because itโs always better to be safe than sorry.
What about reapplication?
Reapplication is super important because technically sunscreen only lasts about two hours in sun exposed areas.
And this isnโt just when youโre in the beach. Iโm talking about being nearby windows, or if there is sunlight in a room. We definitely get a lot more sun exposure than we notice throughout the day. So itโs important to reapply.
Now if you are a person who doesnโt wear any makeup I definitely encourage you to just reapply with your regular sunscreen formula every two to four hours. But if you are someone who wears makeup or someone who is very oily you might want to consider going in with a powder sunscreen as itโs just the best way to not mess up your look, control that oil and make sure you donโt sweat it off.
Thatโs it!! That wasnโt that bad now was it?
Honestly if you apply sunscreen to your face every single day you will see a massive improvement in your skin.
That's it!! That wasn't that bad now was it? Honestly if you're looking to improve dark spots or aging or anything similar to that sunscreen has proven to be one of the most crucial aspects of any skincare routine. And honestly finding the right type of sunscreen is half the work. *makes incorporating it into your routine much easier*
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