While I’m sure many of us enjoy a good cocktail, there’s one type of cocktail we should probably be avoiding. No it’s not the one with 100% alcohol either. Feel free to enjoy that one if it tickles your fancy. I’m talking about the new skincare trend of sunscreen cocktailing. If you are attuned to any social media beauty scene, you’ve probably seen this one pop up this summer. It sounds like a great idea, right? Mix a little highlighter in with your sunscreen to give it a glowy look; combine sunscreen with your foundation or concealer to help eliminate the completely unforgiving whiteness of sunscreen. Sure it sounds like an excellent way to make sunscreen less, well, sunscreeny, but unfortunately, we’re going to have to veto it.
SPF is super important for our skin protection; we all know this. It’s specially formulated to block all of the harmful UV rays from hitting our skin and causing damage. Regardless of the type of sunscreen, it all has the same purpose, so why mess with a good thing? Yes, applying sunscreen can be inconvenient and blah blah all of the excuses, which is why this new cocktailing fad sounds so appealing. Eliminating a step or two in my skincare/makeup routine sounds amazing, but at what cost?
I’m no chemist, which is why I’ve done my research from those that actually know what they’re talking about. Sunscreen has a specific chemical makeup, just like every other formula of skincare products out there. Some complement each other and work in tandem. Unfortunately, sunscreen doesn’t really play nice with others. The second you start mixing up that cocktail of differing chemical formulas, you compromise the integrity of the sunscreen. It can dilute the formula, lowering the SPF, or in some cases, it can negate the SPF properties completely. If you mix your sunscreen with other products, it’s no longer going to do what it’s supposed to do. If your sunscreen isn’t protecting your skin, then what’s the point of it?
So it sucks having to add that extra step into your routine, but if you really want to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, just put the sunscreen on without the added stuff.
Sunscreen works best as the last step in your skincare routine, before you start your makeup routine. Use an SPF 30 or higher and allow it to dry fully before starting your makeup. A good rule of thumb for the amount of sunscreen to use is the 2 or 3 finger rule. Two fingers worth of sunscreen is sufficient for the face and neck. 3 fingers is good if you’re also covering your decolletage.
Once you have your base and it’s dry, you’re free to continue on with your makeup routine. A great way to get added protection is by using foundation products with SPF in them as well. It shouldn’t replace the sunscreen step, but can enhance what’s already there without the “cocktailing” of products you might be tempted to do.
Good news? There are plenty of products out there that are essentially their own “cocktails” with a slew of benefits. These products have chemist approval though and we definitely recommend skincare formulas that help out on multiple skin concerns, just don’t play amateur and do it yourself.
