Archived Post
Do you use your sunscreen as a moisturizer?
Do you use your sunscreen as a moisturizer? Do you prefer to have a separate moisturizer?
When possible, I much, much prefer a two-in-one product. However, for extra coverage for when I’m going to be outdoors for extended periods of time, I’d actually rather have a separate sunscreen. For instance, I wear SPF 55 for the hour that I play tennis in the AM, but for the rest of the day, I use a moisturizer with SPF 20 in it.
Thanks to Bedalyz for today’s question!
Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
I have a two-in-one that I will wear during a normal day, but I also have separate products when I need something with a stronger sun protection or if I need to switch to a stronger moisturizer. It just depends on the day, what my skin is doing that day, and what I’ll be doing that day.
In the sense that the sunscreen’s vehicular base provides enough “moisture” in the form of occlusives, emollients, and humectants, then yes my mineral sunscreen doubles as my moisturizer. However, I do use an antioxidant serum underneath it, and I mix a bit of my mattifying primer with SPF into the mineral sunscreen.
I honestly don’t make a distinction between a product that’s labeled as a “sunscreen” and another that’s labeled as a “moisturizer with SPF.” If the active sunscreen ingredients are the same in concentration and form, then both “sunscreen” and “moisturizer with SPF” will provide the SAME amount of protection. This is of course assuming that the labeled SPFs are the same, and that the bases are also similar in content.
@John 3D Ditto on your last paragraph. I don’t wear an extra “moisturizer”, so I suppose that means I use my sunscreen as a moisturizer. I wear an antioxidant serum underneath it as well 🙂
I like them separate so I can control when I do and don’t have SPF on. If I don’t need it I don’t want to be putting more chemicals on!
Do you think MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 is a good “sunscreen”? I need to use a primer since I have large pores that show up even when makeup is applied and I also need spf to prevent dark spots (also existing ones from becoming darker). I do not want to have to apply so much layers of product on my skin. I am also a WOC and most sunscreens leave a cast on the skin. How do you apply your sunscreen when you your wearing makeup and when your not? Also what sunscreen do you use?
I almost always use a moisturizer that contains sunscreen or else a foundation that does but on those rare occasions when I’ve got a sample of a nice product without sunscreen that I want to use/finish, I’ll use Kiehls SPF 50 UV Defense as a first layer.
I’d rather have a seperate sunscreen as well. I’m super pale to so in the summer a two in one doesn’t cut it for me, I have to wear something stronger underneath or I just burn. In the winter though tinted moisturizer with SPF is my favourite!
Alot of sunscreen breaks my face out for some weird reason.
When using products with built in sunscreen, its important to make sure it has protection from UVA rays aswell – SPF only refers to UVB. UVB causes burning, but its actually UVA that causes photoageing (wrinkles etc.).
I use a light moisturizer underneath (Cetaphil), with Neutragena SPF 70 on top; this sunscreen is super-thin and is great to layer under makeup. When my skin is dryer than usual, I dot it with pure glycerin under the SPF.
I know that this isn’t the right forum for this, but i haven’t set up my new email account yet, so….I have a suggestion for a question! I thought maybe commenters could list their skin type (dry, oily etc.), and then their favorite serum. I’m looking for a new one, I NEED a new one, post haste! Selfish question, yes, but I REALLY need one!
Thanks for your consideration!
@GenaCunningham I’ve got combination skin and am over 40, and I think the best skincare product I’ve found in many, many a year is Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum. Almost tying it for best serum is O/H’s richer See the Difference Red Tea Serum that is theoretically intended for dry or sensitive skin and which is often suggested for night time use. As I said, I’ve got combination skin, not dry skin, but yet the latter hasn’t made me break out. In summer, I love to use it as a moisturizer at night *on top of* the Truth Serum. Those two things have done wonders for my skin and, honestly, there isn’t enough time or space for me to tell you how good the Truth Serum is. It has massively brightened my skin, tightened it but yet, softened it, hydrates and plumps, helps with occasional dry spots & NEVER makes me break out. I highly suggest asking Sephora for a sample pot.
@Kafka Thank you so much! I’m going to do that ASAP! I’ll be 40 in October, and I use Retin-A at night; I’ve got mostly very dry skin with a very oily chin, just for variety 🙂 Do you use Truth Serum during the day at all? I’ve noticed that when I use serum under SPF my skin looks a lot better, but the one I was using (Neutragena AntiWrinkle) seemed to dry out my skin even more, and it stung–never a good sign.
@GenaCunningham You’re very welcome. 🙂 And, yes, you should most definitely use the Truth Serum during the day! (I can’t emphasize enough though how good the other serum is for night time use, esp. if you have dry skin!) Just an FYI about the Truth Serum, you may notice a faint tingling on your skin for the first 2 minutes after you apply it. Not a burning, not a stinging but a faint…. I don’t know, warming sensation perhaps? VERY mild. Don’t worry, it doesn’t feel anything like a stinging sensation. Another thing about the serum, a little goes a long way. Also, O/H says it’s okay (if not actually recommended) to use under the eyes before putting on your eye cream. I do that and don’t notice any discomforting sensation; I think the Vitamin C is good for the skin all over. Lastly, when trying out new products, I often get sample packets from eBay because, for me, it often takes more than what’s in those tiny Sephora sample pots to see how it really works on my skin and if it’s actually effective. (Plus, they always say it takes 2+ weeks for any skin care product to show results.) However, I saw results with the Truth Serum in under a week! And, as I said, a little can go a long way, so it all depends on you and your skin. 🙂 I really hope it works for you and hope you’ll let me know on the board sometime.
@Kafka Thank you so much 🙂
I hope it works too, and I can’t WAIT to try it! I’ll let you know.
I need an eye cream too, so as long as I’m being nosy, what kind do you like? I know eyelids are supposed to be the oiliest patch of skin on a person’s face, but mine are DRY!
@GenaCunningham I have slightly oily-ish eyelids but dry skin under the eye, and I use O/H’s Visual Truth eye cream. It’s part of that richer, anti-aging African Red Tea line and has Vitamin C, some algae thing and a few other good things. (I swear, not ALL my skincare is from O/H! Just a large part, now. lol) Before, I used to get weird milia on my eyelids, and, even worse, *whatever* eye cream I used also used to give me giant styes every 6 months. It was horrible; my eye would almost swell shut. The O/H one doesn’t *and* it actually seems to fix the milia on my top eyelid. (In fact, I only tried it over the expensive Dr. Brandt stuff I was using at the time, because I’d read someone else’s comment about how it had fixed their weird milia-like pimple thing on their eyelids.) Anyway, I use the O/H eye concentrate serum — Truth is in the Eye peel — under the eye and, a few minutes later, the Visual Truth on top. (That eye serum is a miracle product, btw, as it actually seems to minimise the lines under my eyes. Only thing EVER and I used to be a huge eye cream skeptic. I really thought I was imagining it all, until both my sisters and mother commented on it.) The Visual Truth eye cream is lush, rich, and incredibly nourishing. I like Caudalie, too, for eye stuff but this feels much richer and yet, doesn’t cause me problems, milia or styes.
@GenaCunningham I have slightly oily-ish eyelids but dry skin under the eye, and I use O/H’s Visual Truth eye cream. It’s part of that richer, anti-aging African Red Tea line and has Vitamin C, some algae thing and a few other good things. (I swear, not ALL my skincare is from O/H! Just a large part, now. lol) Before, I used to get weird milia (? those pimple-like bumps) on my eyelash line, and, even worse, *whatever* eye cream I used also used to give me giant styes every 3-4 months. It was horrible; my eye would almost swell shut!
The O/H one doesn’t *and* it actually fixed the milia on my top eyelash line. (In fact, I only tried it over the expensive Dr. Brandt stuff I was using at the time, because I’d read someone else’s comment about how it had fixed *their* weird milia/pimple thing on their eyelids.) Anyway, I use the O/H eye concentrate serum — Truth is in the Eye “peel”– under the eye and, a few minutes later, the Visual Truth on top. (That eye serum is a miracle product, btw, as it actually seems to minimise the lines under my eyes. Only thing EVER and I used to be a huge skeptic about all eye products. Somehow, this actually works! I’m guessing it helps to amplify/intensify the eye cream? Anyway, I thought I was imagining my lines being substantially less deep but then both my sisters and mother commented on it.) The Visual Truth eye cream is lush, rich, and incredibly nourishing, so ask for a sample! I like Caudalie, too, for eye stuff but this feels much richer and yet, doesn’t cause my sensitive eyes any problems, milia or styes.
Honestly, I don’t. My skin gets irritated when I do that, so I can’t. However, I don’t see anything necessarily wrong with it. 🙂
I’ve just started using the Josie Moran SPF 40 one that I got in a set from sephora and I love it, makes my skin silky, not at all greasy and my make up looks great over it. Best of all it smells like love hearts! 🙂
I use pure jojoba oil as a moisturizer, so I have to use a separate SPF. I just bought Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 40+, but I would like to find something higher, and less expensive that doesn’t contain parabens or mineral oil.
I mix my Cerave lotion with Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 30 (preferably, although right now I’m using 45 because my DS was sold out of 30) during the fall/winter and then during warmer months I just use the Neutrogena sunblock. It gives me enough moisture in the summer to work on its own.
I use my sunscreen as a moisturizer because it’s actually intended to moisturize as well. It’s the Shiseido one you recommended (thank you!) and given the sun here, I figure I need the SPF 55 *all* day long! I don’t use a separate moisturizer because I’m concerned the two together will make me break out. In fact, sunscreens usually *do* make me break out but not this one, thankfully. It’s really wonderful stuff and leaves my skin feeling very soft.
I even use my sunscreen as a tinted moisturizer during the summer 😀 I use la roche posay’s anthelios xl 50 tinted sunscreen, so after I wasch my face in the moring and follow with a moisturizing toner I just apply the sunscreen and am good to go . . . or at least ready to start with my eye/lip/ cheek make- up. I use the cream formula and not the fluid as I have dry skin, otherwise I would need an additional regular moisturizer. I am pretty happy with this product as it gives me a nice tan and glowing finish ( unfortunatelly I can use this only during the summer because the color is too dark for me during the colder months). In the winter or cooler months I use a moisturizer with build in sunscreen, normally I do not “believe” in facial creams with spf but I use again la roche posay, it’s the hydraphase UV moisturizer with a UVB and UVA Spf of 20 so I think it’s working – at least I am stying extremly pale when I use this 🙂
No, I don’t. I DO use a moisturiser with an SPF, though. Much easier that way!
No, but I will use a moisturizer with SPF in it to save myself time. In fact I use my BB cream as sunscreen because it has SPF 30, moisturizes, and provides me with some coverage all in one step. 🙂
Yes, normally. I use an ALA serum, then the sunscreen/moisturizer (Vasseur Day 25). If my skin is really dry, then I’ll use night cream underneath as well (Vasseur Night Cream). If I’m hiking or something else all day, then I’ll wear a separate, higher spf as well.
Can you recommend a moisturizer that has an SPF factor that lasts all day (say 8 hours sun protection)?
Sunscreen directions typically require you to reapply every 2 hours or so, if not sooner, depending on your level of activity, what you’re doing, etc.