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Experts Say

Do You Still Need Sunscreen if Your Makeup Contains SPF?

The simple answer is yes. Experts agree cosmetics with SPF are not enough to block Mother Nature’s damaging rays.

“You need seven times the normal amount of foundation and 14 times the normal amount of powder to get the sun protection factor on the label.”

Leslie Baumann, MD

While cosmetic companies have made strides to include SPF in “anti-aging” or “UV protective” formulas, the reality is most aren’t formulated with enough sunscreen properties to provide adequate coverage. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, that level of coverage only comes from a base layer of SPF 30+ sunscreen first.

How to apply sunscreen to your morning makeup routine:

  1. For best results, apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ directly to skin after your morning cleansing routine. Wait a few minutes for skin cells to respond to the sunscreen.
  2. Next, apply serum, moisturizer, primer or your foundation.
  3. If you use a mineral-based sunscreen, this may be applied after your serum and your moisturizer.
  4. Apply sunscreen to the remainder of your exposed skin, neck, upper chest, arms and hands. These areas are often left exposed to UV rays daily.

 

Several new sunscreen formulas soothe, protect and offer properties that nourish and hydrate skin. Brands like MD Solar Sciences Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer, Paula’s Choice Resist Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 and CoTZ Face Natural Tint SPF 40 provide a great base for your morning makeup and skin protection routine.

For sensitive skin, mineral-based sunscreens with the active ingredients zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide soothe and are non-irritating. In fact, zinc oxide has healing properties for acne and rashes. Don’t worry about the ghostly white-film appearance that zinc oxide used to create, today’s formulas have solved this old problem, and colorless as well as lightly skin-tinted options are readily available.

As we become increasingly aware of the damage caused by omnipresent and invisible UVA rays (think “A” for aging) – premature aging, sagging skin, wrinkling and brown spots – proactive prevention is the mantra prescribed by medical experts. And because UVA rays are also a known contributor to skin cancer, medical professionals and The Skin Cancer Foundation recommend these two primary methods for protection: UPF 50+ clothing and SPF 30+ sunscreen.

 

Sources: The Skin Cancer Foundation, Web MD, Dr. Axe

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One-on-One with Colorescience Founder Diane Ranger

Colorescience founder, Diane Ranger, also founder of Bare Escentuals in 1976, invented mineral makeup in 1977. Later she proceeded to create powder sunscreen in 2004. Colorescience Pro is the 21st Century version of mineral cosmetics stressing that each ingredient in each formula has skin care benefits.  Every product is formulated to offer sun care and sun protection. Only the highest quality ingredients are used and products are formulated in high percentages with research to support efficacy.

The creator of the mineral makeup concept and the Founder of Colorescience Pro Diane Ranger talks with Coolibar about her innovative high SPF mineral makeup collection and how to keep your skin looking better than ever.

People often question if makeup can really offer sun protection. What provides the sun protection in Colorescience makeup?  Micronized Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. These are physical sunscreens that work on the surface of the skin to refract and reflect the light away from the skin. Traditional sunscreens work by turning light energy into heat energy, which is why most sunscreens make the skin feel hot and sticky. Colorescience Pro Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen, Foundations and Primers all offer sun protection that is easy, elegant and effective. Colorescience Pro has the Skin Cancer Seal of approval. Stringent testing is required to receive this seal.

What makes Colorescience different than other makeup brands on the market with SPF? Colorescience Pro uses only physical sunscreens and never uses chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens absorb into the body and generate heat. This exacerbates skin conditions like rosacea, pigmentation or acne. Colorescience Pro uses Zinc Oxide, which is a category one diaper rash treatment, to calm the skin conditions. Titanium dioxide is excited by light and creates an anti-microbial on the surface of the skin. Both of these ingredients will calm the skin and give great sun protection on the surface of the skin!

What skin types does Colorescience makeup work well on? All skin types, ages and genders.

How do you apply the powder for best results?  We are very proud of our self dispensing brush because it makes reapplication so easy. You don’t even need a mirror to reapply throughout the day. We like to say that we have taken the mess out of minerals. It is important to cover the skin surface thoroughly (it still looks and feels weightless), and then continue to reapply and add to the protection as the day unfolds. The minerals are stable and will not break down on the skin the way chemical sunscreens do.

How do you apply the “setting mist” before or after the powder? Is the “setting mist” necessary?  Just spitz the setting mist after each application or any time you want to “give your skin a drink”. As we should drink eight glasses of water for our body each day, our skin loves to be hydrated as well.  The mist adds a boost to the mineral product, making the minerals even more transfer resistant. The mineral sunscreen work very well independent of the setting mist. The setting mist is a bonus to add an even more beautiful glow to the skin.

Is Colorescience makeup water resistant?  Colorescience Pro Sunscreen products are rated “Very Water Resistant”. This is the highest rating awarded to sunscreens. To see just how effective the minerals are, you can go to Colorescience.com and see the “Water Test”. It is a truly amazing demonstration.

How often does it need to be applied to provide sun protection? The FDA requires reapplication of all sunscreen products every 90 minutes.  There are many different factors each person should take into consideration when spending time in the sun. What is your skin type on the Fitzpatrick scale? Are you in high or low altitudes? Are you in the water or on the snow? Are you on medication? What time of day will you be in the sun?  Understanding and respecting the sun are important to optimum health as the sun can be a wonderful thing if we are responsible.

Want to learn more about Colorescience Pro products or shop for their SPF mineral makeup? Visit coolibar.com/colorescience.

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