beauty makeup skin talk skincare sunscreen

When you walk into Sephora or any other beauty store,  you've probably sees tons of foundations, BB creams, and other makeup products that come with an SPF number. Perhaps these types of products have made you wonder, do they actually protect your skin from the sun? Should we bother wearing makeup with SPF?

I've been really curious about makeup products that promise to offer some sun protection. So I ventured out and read a few articles here and there to answer my own questions.

Is Foundation with SPF Enough to Protect Your Skin from the Sun?
Many people who are knowledgeable about skincare and sun protection know that the answer to this question is a resounding, "NO." Dermatologist Dr. Baumann (interviewed by Susan Clark from WebMD) stated that the amount of foundation that we typically apply to our face is not nearly as much as we need to get adequate sun protection; in fact, you would need to apply "7 times as much foundation" to get the SPF that your makeup promises to deliver. And hell no, I am not caking my face in that much base makeup! No thanks. This is exactly why I always apply a separate sunscreen underneath my foundation.

So then what's the point of having makeup with SPF?
You need at least a quarter-size amount of sunscreen on your face (yep, that's a lot). Even though I try my best to apply as much sunscreen as possible, there may be some areas on my face that I don't apply enough sunscreen to. This is where makeup comes in; by applying base makeup with SPF, I can try to cover up the areas I inadvertently missed. As skincancer.org stated, "The truth is that most people do not get the most out of their sunscreen because either they do not apply enough of it, or they apply it unevenly.  Two applications of cosmetics that contain a sunscreen will increase your chances of getting good protection." The way I see it, it's kind of like how I try to get my daily dose of vitamins through my diet by eating healthy, but I still take vitamin supplements, just in case.

Of course, one of the most annoying things with some makeup products that have SPF is that they can "flash back" in photos, creating the embarrassing ghost face. Luckily, I've found some base makeup products that don't create a white cast, even with flash photography:
1. Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation (SPF 15)
2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (SPF 15)
3. Skin79 VIP Gold BB Cream (SPF 30) - as long as you don't apply too much
4. Laneige BB Cushion Compact

If my sun lotion has an SPF of 30 and my foundation has an SPF of 15, that means I get a sun protection factor of 45, right?
No. It just doesn't work like that. Also, we shouldn't focus so much on number; an SPF of 100 doesn't give you twice the protection of an SPF 50. After 30, there really isn't much of a difference in terms of protection power. In fact, according to this WebMD article, no sunscreen can give 100% protection. Picking a sunscreen lotion with an SPF 30-45 is good enough for me for everyday wear, and the most important thing to do is to reapply. Which brings me to my next point... 

Do I need to reapply?
If you are going to be outside for a long period of time, then YES, no matter how high your SPF number is. I get it: this is such an inconvenience for anyone who wears makeup. After all, who wants to put on some goopy sunscreen on top of your perfectly made up face? My solution to this is to use a BB cushion compact or a mineral powder foundation with SPF when you need to reapply.

How Do I Protect My Lips?
You can use lip products with SPF, but one of the most interesting things I've learned from these readings is that you can use opaque lipstick as a way to give your lips some protection (both WebMD and Skincancer.org have said this). I guess I'll be rocking the bold lip when I go to work from now on!

Bottom line is, makeup alone can't protect you, but it can help if you've already applied your sunscreen.  Now, I'd like to open this up for discussion: What are your thoughts about makeup with SPF? Please feel free to share and add anything anything to this topic!

Till later,
Eva

FTC statement: This is not a sponsored post. The links provided above are not affiliate links.  I purchased all the products mentioned above with my own money.

eye cream Japanese Shiseido skincare sunscreen

Okay okay, I know I use lots of Shiseido products. I swear that I am not sponsored by or affiliated with Shiseido. I also have never worked for them in my life. Shiseido, however, is a brand that my grandmother and mother have been using for years, and their products have been working incredibly well for them. I picked up Shiseido skincare products when I was in college, loved the results they gave me, and always went back to them when I was dissatisfied with other brands. Not all their skincare and makeup items are great and they might not always work for everyone, but the ones that I mention here (and my other skincare posts) are products that I've repurchased over and over again.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream [DAY & NIGHT]: I've used this night cream for a very long time now, and it's my go-to moisturizer for colder months. This is meant to be a night cream for extremely dry skin; however, I use this both in the night and day time because the winter here in Minnesota and our indoor heaters make my skin brutally dry. Without a good moisturizer, my skin gets flaky. Luckily for me, this moisturizer seals all the serums I applied so that my skin does not feel dry or dehydrated at all by the time I come home from a long day. As a result, my skin has been flake-free and healthy-looking. Because of how emollient this is, I only suggest it to people with very dry skin and those living in cold (like below freezing) and dry climates; someone with normal skin living in a humid climate might find this product too overwhelming. Another reason why I like this moisturizer is because it has vitamin C and a few other ingredients to help with cell-turnover. You can easily find this at almost any Shiseido counter, Nordstrom, and Sephora.

Shiseido Ibuki Eye Correcting Cream [DAY ONLY]: I recently wrote a review on this, expressing praise for this. You can head over to my post here. Long story short, this does a brilliant job de-puffing and brightening my eye area and it wears so well under my concealer.

Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist24 Eye Contour Cream [NIGHT ONLY]: At night, I need a much more emollient eye cream. This has worked incredibly well for me; it has hyaluronic acid to keep my eye area hydrated. It has also helped to minimize puffiness and dehydration lines by the time I wake up. Luckily for me, I haven't had any clogged pores from this, though I can see how this can be too heavy for some people. The reason why I only use this at night is because it wears terribly under concealer and it leaves a somewhat greasy film. Thus, I only use this during the winter when the environment is incredibly dry. You can purchase this at almost any Shiseido counter, Nordstrom, and Sephora.

Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream in SPF 40 [DAY ONLY]: Sun care is a must for me, even during the winter, because I walk and take the bus to work almost every day. I use this daily over my moisturizer. This cream is non-drying and feels slightly thick, which I think actually helps to protect my skin from the harsh winds. Despite its thickness, it works great as a primer for my BB cream/light foundations and is non-sticky and non-greasy. The only downside to this is that it does leave a light cast, so I only recommend it if you have light or fair skin, or wear a tinted moisturizer or foundation on top of it. You can buy this at pretty much any Shiseido counter, Nordstrom, and Sephora.

Tips that Work for Me
1. When applying moisturizer, I always warm it up with the palm of my hands and gently pat it into my skin to avoid dragging my face down and causing redness. When applying on my neck, I gently apply it in an upward motion.

2. As for eye creams, I apply it with my ring fingers with a tapping motion. I also gently press onto the pressure points around my eye to help me relax. In terms of when I apply my eye cream in my routine, I use it in between my serums while I'm waiting for the serums to absorb into my skin.

3. You've probably heard this time and time again, but people with oily skin should still consider using moisturizers. Overproduction of sebum occurs because the skin is compensating for the lack of hydration beneath the top layer of skin. I used to have oily skin, but the oiliness has been minimized ever since I started using thicker moisturizers (and hydrating serums).

4. Although we barely get any sun in the winter here, I always wear sunscreen, especially when I am using any brightening products (particularly if they contain Vitamin C); such products can your skin photo sensitive.

5. To avoid vitamin D deficiency when wearing your sunscreen, take a supplement and or make sure to eat enough food with vitamin D (e.g., fish and dark leafy greens).

If you haven't seen the other parts of my Winter Skincare Routine Series, head over to Part 1 (cleansing) and Part 2 (toners, essences, and serums). The last part will be coming up very soon, where I will be talking about my favorite face masks for the winter!

In the meantime, please share: What are your favorite moisturizers and eye creams for the winter?

Till later,

Eva


FTC statement: This is NOT a sponsored post. There are no affiliate links. The reviewed products were purchased by me, with my own money.

essence health hyperpigmentation Kiehl's Mizon serum Shiseido skin skincare sunscreen

Due to my Asian heritage, I am highly prone to getting hyperpigmentation, which occurs when my skin overproduces melanin. When I used to get lots of blemishes, they would always leave really ugly dark spots on my skin that took ages to disappear. Nowadays, I worry about getting hyperpigmentation from photosensitivity.

For me, the best way to avoid dark spots is prevention. Here are some of the ways I prevent hyperpigmentation from forming.

1. I protect my skin from sun exposure.  Based on my observations on my own skin, sun exposure elicits sun spots to form and darken my acne scars. Thus, I always use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVB and UVA rays, rain or shine. It is important to apply it even when it is cloudy because clouds do not protect you from UV rays.  Some of my favorite sunscreens include Shiseido's Urban Environment UV Protection Cream, and Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense 50+ . Regardless of what sunscreen you use, make sure to reapply it throughout the day, especially if you are exposed to the sun for long periods of time. Unfortunately, using sunscreen does prevent you from getting Vitamin D; however, I get my daily dosage of vitamin D from my diet (specifically from salmon, fortified cereal, and eggs) and supplemental pills.

2. I use a brightening essence or serum. Every night, I use a brightening essence religiously. I'm currently using Mizon's Mela Defense White Capsule Essence (pictured above), which has worked so well for me. This product is the reason why I rarely get any sunspots and my blemishes don't leave nasty marks anymore. I didn't see any lightening effects until 4 weeks of using this product, but I definitely think this is much better as a preventative measure, rather than as something you use when you have a severely dark spot. I also think this is perfect for my sensitive skin because it relies on gentle ingredients like cherry blossom extract to brighten dark spots.I have not gotten any adverse reactions from this. In addition to the brightening benefits, this makes my skin glow and feel soft to the touch. One note I must add is that when selecting brightening treatments, avoid harsh chemicals like hydroquinone and other bleaching agents; though they do work to lighten dark spots, I personally would stay away from these because they are extremely harsh on skin, particularly on sensitive skin.

3. I eat fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C.  I've been eating food rich in vitamin C such as tangerines, kiwis, bell peppers, and spinach. Intaking vitamin C is great for preventing hyperpigmentation because it inhibits your skin from producing too much melanin. Also, Vitamin C in general is just good to have for your overall health (duh!), regardless of whether or not you are prone to getting dark spots.


So tell me: Is hyperpigmentation something that you worry about like I do? Do share!

Till later,

Eva


FTC statement: This is not a sponsored post. Links provided above are not affiliate links.  Item pictured above was purchased by me.