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In This Article

By now, we’ve all made major strides toward committing to dailysunscreen program.

Any SPF is better than none, right?

Image of a woman on the beach in a bathing suit and sunglasses with her face to the sun

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(Spoiler alert: Perhaps not.)

So can they actually coexist?

Meet the Experts

Is It Safe to Combine SPF and Moisturizer?

Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2

you gotta reapply it if your skin is exposed to the sun."

So, you will only have an SPF of 10 to 12 in effect on your skin.

The reason is you need a uniform full coverage for SPF to work.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream Rich Women

Are SPF Moisturizers as Effective as Sunscreen?

There may be certain hero ingredients in moisturizers that really should not be mixed with sunscreen.

So, should tinted sunscreens be considered with a similar level of skepticism as SPF in moisturizers?

Hydro Boost Gel-Cream

King assures us that this isn’t the case.

“Tinted sunscreens are sunscreens with pigments to minimize the ghostly white cast,” she explains.

“They are similar to regular sunscreens.”

Sunday Riley C.E.O. C + E Antioxidant Protect + Repair Moisturizer

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream

Dermatologists always recommend this Neutrogena pick.

It’s infused withhyaluronic acidand boasts incredible results (for an especially wallet-friendly price).

Sunday Riley C.E.O.

CCC Cream

Plus, all their packaging is recyclable.

The Final Takeaway

So there you have it.

Sunscreen is its own layer of skin protection and shouldn’t be added to a moisturizer.

Time Traveler Ageless Daily Face Sunscreen

Just remember to always apply protection.

“As long as there is light, there can be damage,” says King.

2020;19(12):3251-3257. doi:10.1111/jocd.13787

Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid SPF 50