No, Your Foundation Doesn't Have Enough Sun Protection

If there's one thing I've learnt from starting our podcast this year, it's that A LOT of people still aren't wearing SPF every day. However, it does make me happy to report that more of our listeners have been converted to daily sunscreen use since our podcast launched.

Now, when I say sunscreen, I don't mean the SPF15 in your usual tinted moisturiser. While that's definitely better than no protection at all, it certainly isn't enough (particularly during the peak of summer in Australia).

According to Dr Ahmad Hasanien from Specialist Clinics Australia, “Being located close to the ozone hole over the Antarctic means that much higher, more severe levels of UV radiation get through to ground level”.

The Earth’s orbit brings Australia closer to the sun (compared to Europe during its summer), resulting in an additional 7% solar UV intensity. Clearer atmospheric conditions in our part of the world also means Australians are exposed to up to 15% more UV than Europeans.

Not only does this result a higher rate of melanoma, but also accelerated ageing caused by sun damage. The Cancer Council recommend taking sun protection measures when the UV index is over 3. In Australia, some states will sit at a UV index over 3 all year round. You can check your state's average by month here.

I know, it seems totally unnecessary to add another SPF underneath your foundation, BB cream or tinted moisturiser that already has an SPF rating. But there's a very valid reason that this is recommended.

Even when using a foundation with a high SPF rating like IT Cosmetics CC + Cream, you aren't actually using enough product to fully benefit from that sun protection (although again, it's much better than no protection at all).

To build a full coverage finish, you'd use about 1-1½ pumps of the CC + Cream, however, to benefit from a SPF50 rating, it's recommended to use a teaspoon of sunscreen for your face and neck. The moral of the story? Use an SPF50 sunscreen like La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light SPF50+ underneath your fave foundation, even if it already has an SPF rating to guarantee your skin is as protected as possible.

This is a question we're getting more and more. Congratulations for being sun smart! We know it's not always an option to completely remove your makeup to reapply your sunscreen before your commute home or your lunchtime walk, so you can use a powder with SPF to boost your protection in this instance.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Teint Compact Mineral Foundation has an SPF25 rating, and is recommended for layering over sunscreen, but can also be used to tie you over for short periods of time if you get caught out in the sun wearing a full face of makeup and can't reapply your SPF50.