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This Powder Sunscreen Makes Touching Up Your SPF So Simple

Mess-free sunscreen? Yes, please.

by Casey Clark
Westend61/Westend61/Getty Images

When I was in elementary school, my mother would lather me in tons of sunscreen before I left the house. Whether that was to go to the grocery store or to the beach, I was always smothered in the creamy, goopy stuff. Nearly 20 years later and I still never go a day without it (thanks, mom), but the way I apply the skincare essential now is drastically different thanks to a new powder sunscreen for face formulation that’s changing the SPF game.

As a beauty writer, one of my holy grail tips when it comes to skin care and protecting your dermis from those pesky environmental aggressors is to apply SPF everyday — yes, even if you’re inside. I get that that isn’t the easiest of things (just ask elementary school me), but fortunately, powder sunscreen makes application simple and blessedly mess-free. Now you really have no excuses not to touch up your SPF throughout the day!

If you aren’t familiar with powder sunscreen for face, get ready for a crash course.

What Is Powder Sunscreen For Face?

Not familiar with powder sunscreen? Well, unlike your classic cream sunscreen, this one is in powder form like the name suggests.

“Powder sunscreen is a powder that is often tinted, resembling a typical makeup setting powder, and contains SPF,” explains Dr. Rebecca Marcus, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Maei MD.

“Powder sunscreens are usually packaged in a plastic tube with a retractable brush so you can just brush it directly onto your skin.” So easy!

Pros And Cons Of Powder Sunscreen

Powder sunscreen is convenient and portable, which makes it easy for reapplication during the day when you may not be able to apply a cream or lotion sunscreen. Plus, when it comes to sunscreen in general, mineral sunscreens will provide the widest range of protection and most powder sunscreens are mineral based.

Additionally, Dr. Marcus says that powder sunscreen can be especially useful in protecting your scalp from burning.

“It can be used in the hairline and the [hair] part to apply sunscreen to the scalp, which would be more difficult with cream or lotion,” she explains.

With all that said, it’s important to note that powder sunscreen should not be used as your sole form of sun protection. “Powder sunscreen does not stick to the skin as well as a cream or lotion, so it should not be used as your primary layer of sunscreen,” says Dr. Marcus.

Instead, it should be used a way to touch up and reapply your SPF throughout the day. But since sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, this does make powder sunscreen a useful addition to your collection of SPF products.

The Best Powder Sunscreen For Face

Interested in trying out powder sunscreen yourself? Then I recommend adding Beauty Care Natural’s SPF Powder to your skin-care arsenal.

A lightly pigmented translucent powder, Beauty Care Natural SPF Powder is formulated with SPF 30 to protect skin from harmful UV rays. (When it comes to sunscreen, the American Academy of Dermatology Association advises using an SPF of 30 or higher for the face, so this meets that recommendation.)

And not only does it offer sun protection, but the formula also includes botanical herbs and plant oils that help hydrate, restore, and revitalize the skin. Essentially, you’re getting a two-in-one deal here: sun protection and skin care.

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As instructed on the packaging, I use this powder sunscreen as a finishing powder over my makeup to set my foundation in place, and it looks great layered over a tinted moisturizer for a more natural look. (Just note that while it does provide a bit of a skin blurring effect, this powder sunscreen does not provide full coverage.)

My favorite thing about this SPF powder is that I can apply it directly to the areas on my face where I need extra protection: As someone with arguably fair skin, if I don’t wear sunscreen I burn and right under my eyes is where I typically fry the most. I can toss this in my bag and reapply as needed.

Again, to get the most out of powder sunscreen and best protect your skin, Dr. Marcus encourages layering it with other sun protective products.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a new addition to your beach bag, you can’t go wrong with Beauty Care Natural’s SPF Powder, thanks to its vegan, non-toxic, clean, and cruelty-free formulation.

While you don’t want to use powder sunscreen as your main source of SPF, layering it on top of a cream sunscreen can be beneficial. And its small size and compact packaging makes it easy to reapply throughout the day and even travel with on your next vacay. Time to add this baby to your packing list.

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