By now, you surely know how important it is to cleanse, moisturize, and use sunscreen every day. But since it's not always so clear-cut, you might be unsure about whether you should put sunscreen on before or after moisturizer. With the variety of cream, powder, stick, liquid, and spray-on varieties available, it can be challenging to figure out just where your sunscreen fits into your skincare routine. So, we’re here to eliminate the uncertainty and equip you with the right knowledge.
Continue reading to learn about this.
Difference Between Sunscreen and Moisturizer
The main distinction between a moisturizer and sunscreen is that the former is intended to nourish the skin, whereas the latter helps shield it from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that sunscreen is made with active chemicals that help shield your skin from UV rays. This is crucial since UV radiation exposure can cause burns, early skin aging (fine lines and dark spots), and more severe problems, including skin cancer. Regular use of sunscreen applied according to instructions can help avoid these issues.
In contrast, moisturizers aid in rehydrating and nourishing your skin. Depending on the recipe, they might also aid in addressing obvious skin issues, including wrinkles, dark spots, and fine lines. Although some even include SPF in their compositions, sunscreen should still be applied first. In the end, regardless of your skin type or concerns, sunscreen and moisturizer are both crucial components of your daily skincare routine, despite their vastly different purposes.
Should Sunscreen Be Applied After Moisturizer?
The answer to the question, "Can I apply sunscreen after moisturizer?" is yes, and you should in many situations. Generally speaking, sunscreen should be applied as the last step of your skincare process, following moisturizer. Applying an SPF product after your moisturizer can help block out those harmful rays because these products are specially created with certain sun-protective chemicals. Remember that you should only use sunscreen in the daytime and that it should be applied after moisturizer (but before makeup). Applying a moisturizer at night is an easy way to wrap up your routine.
Does the Order of Applying Sunscreen and Moisturizer Matter?
As previously said, it is advisable to use sunscreen as the last step in your process. For starters, sunscreen is typically a bit richer or thicker than moisturizer. To guarantee that every layer can absorb well, it is generally recommended to apply your products in the order of thickness, from thinnest to thickest. In this instance, putting a moisturizer first helps to hydrate your skin by retaining moisture, and then adding an SPF layer on top helps shield your skin from harmful UV rays. Since people usually use less moisturizer than sunscreen, it makes sense to apply sunscreen after moisturizer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a nickel-sized dollop of sunscreen should be applied to your face to provide sufficient sun protection, even if a tiny dab of moisturizer may seem hydrating. You can apply the right amount of SPF without worrying about your moisturizer piling up on top of your sunscreen if you save it for last.
Should You Apply Sunscreen After or Before Makeup?
If you wear makeup, you may be confused about whether to apply sunscreen before or after makeup. Take a look at the benefits of each formula when choosing between sunscreen and primer; some sunscreens may be used as a cosmetic primer, eliminating the need for layering. We advise applying your SPF first and allowing it to absorb before applying your primer and other cosmetic products if your sunscreen does not state that it may be used as a beauty primer. Just be aware that you will need to reapply your sunscreen to maintain protection if you intend to spend a lot of time in the sun.
Can You Mix Sunscreen and Moisturizer?
Although it would seem like the ideal solution to the whole moisturizer before or after sunscreen controversy, combining sunscreen and moisturizer into one holy grail product is actually not the case. When moisturizer and sunscreen are combined to create a hybrid mixture, the formulation may not function as planned or as tested. With sun protection, you don't want to take that chance.
There is a solution, though, if you want to multitask: moisturizer with SPF. This kind of moisturizer is made especially to hydrate your skin while shielding it from the damaging UV rays of the sun. Although these might be a fantastic complement to your everyday sunscreen regimen, they cannot completely replace sunscreen: you may still need to wear sunscreen to ensure UV radiation doesn’t damage your skin.