Hi dania can you do a post about sunscreen. I have oily skin and I'm having trouble finding sunscreen for my skin. Also could you include how to re-apply sunscreen when you have makeup on according to the sunscreen bottle it has to be applied every 80min how do you do that with foundation and powder on. I'm curious when looking at someone are you able to tell if they were sunscreen or not like can you tell if the environment/lifestyle has affected their skin. thank you
Hi, Anonymous! Great questions, especially since summer is in full swing. I would recommend using a separate sunscreen product for your face and body. It'll be more challenging to find the right product for your complexion compared to your body, though since the skin on our faces is much more sensitive in general compared to the rest of our body.
When shopping for sunscreen for your face, make sure you look for a product that specifically states on the label that it's formulated for oily and/or combination skin. That's the first step to weeding out the many options on the shelf. Next, narrow down your choices further by looking for those also labeled "non-comedogenic," which means it won't clog your pores and that is not oil-based. Water-based are the best for your skin type.
If you really want to find a face product that you can stick with that gives great results, you'll more than likely have to invest in something a bit pricier than what you'll find at the drugstore (while normal and combination skin types can usually get away with using drugstore sunscreens on their face, you'll want to cater to your special skin type if you really want to take care of it in the long run). You may want to check out the Natural Sunscreen line from Bare Escentuals, which is a mineral powder sunblock that has SPF 30. It's available at Sephora for about $30 but you might be able to find it at a more affordable price by shopping online. In general, you'll want to look at powder formulas because these are easily absorbed into the skin and gives a matte finish so you don't have to worry about shine like you would with a cream or liquid formula.
As far as wearing makeup, if you use a powder sunscreen or sunblock you won't have to wear traditional sunscreen underneath your makeup first since this will be your protection against UVA and UVB rays. Or if you can manage to find makeup powder that already has SPF in it, that would let you kill two birds with one stone. Because powder sunscreen doesn't contain any actual foundation color (although it might be slightly tinted), you can apply it throughout the day as needed, which not only keeps your complexion protected, it'll also help cut down on any oily/shiny spots on your face, which is what regular powder does anyway. Or if you want to make things much easier on yourself, look for a foundation that already has SPF in its formula and offers a matte finish, then pair that with a powder with SPF so you can go about your makeup routine normally but with products that will also block out UV rays. So you've got those options you can experiment with.
As far as protecting the rest of your body, I would recommend Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Sunblock Body Mist, SPF 45. Online it's $10 and in stores I usually see it priced anywhere from $12 to $18. Since it's a spray, it goes on easily and is great for hard to reach areas. It isn't greasy and since I've used it, I've never gotten burned.
As far as being able to tell if a person's skin has been affected by lifestyle, sun damage and environmental pollutants, that all depends on the individual's skin type and color. Needless to say, the signs of sun damage are more visible on those with fair/pale skin than those that are tanned, olive or have darker complexions. Telltale signs include skin that appears "leathery" in appearance, age spots that are darker than the natural skin tone and look like freckles and of course fine lines and wrinkles that are deep and very creased in the skin. Environmental pollution on the skin also tends to result in a dull and drab appearance of the skin.
Hope that helps!
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