As summer comes around, many of us are already preparing for how to rework our skin-care and makeup routines to suit the warmer weather. Whether you’re opting for lighter weight foundations or experimenting with brighter colors on your eyes and cheeks, one part of your pre-makeup skin prep routine that should never falter regardless of season is SPF.
Nowadays, there are tons of makeup products that include SPF, but as the R&D team at Neutrogena explained at a panel for their new Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Mineral Face Liquid SPF 30 ($11) , cocktailing SPF into other products like moisturizers and foundations can decrease the efficacy of the SPF product. So, when it comes to makeup, its always best to apply a strong sunscreen first and then go in with the rest of your routine.
For many people, though, applying SPF under sunscreen tends to mess with how your face makeup sits, often deterring users from putting on sunscreen under makeup. But, the sunscreen isn’t the reason your makeup isn’t sitting well, its likely the application. Ahead celebrity makeup artist and Neutrogena ambassador Neil Scibelli explains the best way to apply SPF under makeup for skin that is protected and glowing.
How to Apply SPF Under Makeup
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with some staples in the supermodel industry who used to bathe in the sun with a lot of baby oil, and their main concern now is correcting hyperpigmentation and sunspots,” says Scibelli. “If you would have asked what my my advice would be [for them], it would be to commit to sunscreen now before it’s too late. Sunscreen is really like the pillar of healthy aging.”
One of the main concerns clients have when applying skin care under makeup is that the products don’t grip to the skin well and end up pilling or creasing. As Scibelli explains, the best tip for applying skin care under makeup is to start with hyaluronic acid. “For me, it’s the fastest-acting hydrator that you can get right now,” he explains. “It attracts moisture from the air, locks it right into your skin and makes your makeup dry and bind to the skin a lot better, helping your makeup look flawless all around.”
So, if your main issue when applying SPF under makeup is that it just won’t sit right, try opting for a hydrating sunscreen, like Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Moisturizing Serum SPF 60 ($19), and letting it settle into the skin and dry down before going in with makeup. Another application technique to keep in mind when applying SPF under makeup, Scibelli notes, is to prioritize sheer, mineral sunscreen formulas if you’re looking for an emollient, dewy finish, and lightweight, oil-free formulas if you want a more barely-there, matte finish.
