It’s no secret that one of the biggest culprits for aging skin is sun damage. While many makeup products now come with some amount of SPF already in them, it is important to be aware of how much protection they give you, and what can be done to boost it.

If you want to reduce the effects of aging and find out how to incorporate SPF into your makeup over 50 routines, you’ll be fascinated by today’s video with Arian Poole!

In today’s Sixty and Me video, Margaret Manning is joined by professional makeup artist Ariane Poole to give us all quick and easy ways to incorporate sun protection into our daily makeup routine.

Why SPF Is Important For Makeup After 50

UV rays are still the number one cause of aging, not to mention skin cancer. Even if you live in a cold climate, or are in the middle of winter, you are not immune to its damage.

Many of us assume that sun damage is only possible on a sunny day – unfortunately, this is entirely incorrect. On sunny days, we are exposed to UVB rays – the ones that burn your skin, so we notice it more. However, we are still exposed to the suns rays in the most unlikely scenarios.

Even on overcast days UVA’s still filter through, and – this is shocking – you are exposed to it indoors through the light coming from your laptop or computer! As Margaret says, “Keeping skin healthy with sunscreen is really important,” and our best defense against irreversible damage is to incorporate it into our daily makeup over 50 routines!

But I Hate How It Feels!

Sunscreen is no longer just available in thick, oily consistencies. There are products specifically designed to be used on the facial areas, which are lightweight and will not clog pores.

There are also different types of products available if you are not keen on lotions, sprays or creams. Ariane loves using the Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF50 by The Body Shop as she feels it is lightweight and works well for her skin.

If you don’t like the feel of sunscreen lotions on your face, Ariane suggests opting for powder sunscreens. You can brush these over makeup like a setting powder such as the cruelty-free Brush On Block mineral sunscreen powder, which comes with a brush making it easy to reapply during the day.

There is bound to be a product available that you find works for your particular skin type, so you are out of excuses!

When And How To Apply

Now that we’ve established the importance of using sunscreen, we need to know how to apply it without ruining our makeup! Margaret perfectly sums up what the art of applying makeup over 50 with sunscreen is – “Use it.”

Even if you use a tinted moisturizer, or regular moisturizer with SPF included, Ariane still recommends you apply sunscreen on as these will not last the whole day. Look for a sunscreen that is labeled as long-lasting and apply it over your skin cream in place of primer, before applying foundation or tinted moisturizer.

Ariane stresses the importance of applying sunscreen to your eyelids, under your eyebrows, avoiding the immediate eyelid area, especially if it’s a cloudy day and you will not be wearing sunglasses.

When To Avoid The SPF Step

There are a couple of exceptions to applying sunscreen under makeup, depending on the time of day, and other products you are using.

If you are wearing BB Cream, Ariane advises you are already getting enough SPF and coverage to be protected from UV rays. One important thing to note when skipping sunscreen under BB Cream or thicker foundation is to still apply it around your eyes and décolletage – any areas not covered by the creams.

The second exception is if you are attending a function where there will be flash photography – particularly in the evening. If you are wearing sunscreen, flash photography will make your face look very white in pictures – when it comes to makeup for older women this is the last thing we need on special occasions!

Do you use sunscreen every day? What type of sunscreen do you prefer to use? Do you think sun damage is a serious cause of skin damage? Join in the conversation!