All-day suncare that doesn't mess up your makeup

How to stay safe without smearing your perfect smoky eye or careful contouring

There’s an SPF option for almost every makeup product

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month — a time that often makes me think of makeup. Flawless makeup begins with proper skincare, but sun protection, the most essential element of daytime care, can really mess with your favourite foundation. How do you stay safe without smearing your perfect smoky eye or careful contouring? The standard advice is to reapply protection every two hours when outside, for example, but whether you wear makeup to work outdoors or while out having fun, you’re never going to take that many breaks to cleanse your face, reapply SPF and start your makeup again. This is where SPF makeup swaps come in. There’s an SPF option for almost every makeup product (mascara and eye and lip liners are still exceptions), and here are some I’ve tried and recommend.

Save for the broad-spectrum SPF creams (which should be reapplied regularly when worn alone), please do not rely on any of the products below as your sole protection. Multiple studies show that people tend not to apply enough of any one makeup product to get adequate protection. More is always more when it comes to SPF, and when thinking of makeup we must consider at least two or three different layers of products with broad-spectrum SPF30 or higher.

Start Strong

Altruist Face Fluid SPF50, €8.67 at amazon.co.uk

I always begin with broad-spectrum SPF30 or higher, as recommended by the Irish Skin Foundation. You won’t be able to apply a cream this thickly again on a day you wear full makeup, so the higher the UVA/UVB protection the better. I recently tried a great vegan SPF line that supports children with albinism in Africa. Altruist is formulated by Dr Andrew Birnie, a Canterbury-based dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon. There’s nothing in the brand’s entire SPF line that doesn’t suit even the most sensitive skin, though the Anti-Redness & Pigmentation SPF50 has a medium tan tint that may not be to everyone’s taste. I especially like Altruist Face Fluid SPF50, €8.67 at amazon.co.uk, which has five-star UVA protection and a range of restorative antioxidants, including niacinamide. It is also water-resistant, so won’t migrate down oily skin. Two layers of cream, one half teaspoon each should give enough coverage. Go over your neck and ears as well as the face and allow the cream to dry completely before proceeding.

Prime Time

Supergoop 

SPF primer is typically applied in too fine a layer to get the full rating shown on the label. A high-protection formula increases your chance of getting some cover from this stage of your makeup routine. Nars Smooth & Protect SPF 50/PA+++, €36 at arnotts.ie, blurs flaws beautifully and wear comfortably around the eyes. You could instead apply a broad-spectrum SPF cream that doubles as a primer. Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF30, from €17.30 at cultbeauty.com, primes and protects skin, harmonising with makeup while shielding you from UV rays. It goes on sheer and has a dewy, radiant finish. The formula uses niacinamide, sea lavender, cocoa peptides and hyaluronic acid to help further protect skin from environmental damage.

Great Bases

Niod Survival SPF30, €28.35 at lookfantastic.ie

You would have to apply a lot of any foundation containing SPF to get the promised level of protection, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great choice for your everyday makeup look. Even if you don’t cake it on, any high-protection foundation or tinted moisturiser over a great SPF moisturiser does more to keep your skin safe and support its natural reparative processes than going SPF-free with either product.

Niod, sister brand to The Ordinary, has a great tinted broad-spectrum SPF serum. Niod Survival SPF30, €28.35 at look fantastic.ie, is mineral-only suncare with a tint that best suits porcelain to light skin. The formula includes the potent antioxidants pycnogenol, lutein and superoxide dismutase. Makeup-wise, I find this product gives good light-to-medium coverage.

Perfect Setting

Jane Iredale Powder-Me SPF 30 Dry Sunscreen, €56 at monicatolan.com

You are more likely to reapply setting powders or sprays than any other complexion makeup, so SPF versions are especially helpful. Jane Iredale’s Powder-Me SPF Dry Sunscreen SPF 30, €56 for a brush with two refills (see iiaa.eu for your nearest salon stockist), is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. It suits all skin types and can be used on the face and body. The powder is kept hygienic and stable in a tube fitted with a recyclable refill canister. It is distributed through a small brush. The range includes translucent and tinted shades, any of which works as a fantastic SPF top-up to use over your favourite makeup.