Photo by Joel Mott on Unsplash
Summer is approaching and you know what that means…SPF! Wait, are we thinking the same thing? Even though we should be incorporating SPF into our everyday morning routine (and reapplying throughout the day), it’s even more important that we focus on SPF in these upcoming summer months when the temperatures are higher and the UV rays are that much more powerful. While some people prefer to go bare-faced and hop in the pool at any given moment, some of us still like to wear our favorite makeup look during the warmer months. It’s important to make sure your base makeup has SPF included in it to provide you with even more sun protection than just your daily SPF. Here is a list of the best foundations packed with UV protection.
1. ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
2. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
3. L’Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation SPF 25
4. It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+
The ILIA skin tint has been a fan favorite the past few summers. It is a revolutionary product that provides the perfect amount of coverage and UV protection while looking like skin. This is a serum-like foundation, so it won’t provide as much coverage as a liquid, cream, or powder foundation.
The consistency is runny and extremely lightweight, making it ideal for those with normal to dry skin. It melts into the skin upon application, providing a nice healthy glow for the summer. And of course, the most important part, it’s formulated with SPF 40 to help further protect your skin from damaging rays and also lessens the likelihood of this product causing breakouts.
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This has been an all-time favorite makeup product of mine for a couple of years now. This formulation is perfect for those with normal to oily skin. I have combination-oily skin, so a product like the ILIA skin tint is usually too runny for me and I end the day looking like a grease ball. NARS is the perfect alternative for me because it’s a thicker consistency akin to a cream or gel-based product that provides a light to medium coverage.
This product is a great middle ground. It doesn't have a fully matte finish, but it also doesn’t make your skin look overly glowy or wet. However, it’s extremely lightweight just like the ILIA tint. It melts into your face to mimic the texture and finish of real skin. My personal favorite part about this tinted moisturizer is that it keeps the skin looking natural throughout the day and doesn't leave a shiny coat. Oftentimes, SPFs and products formulated with SPF cause the skin to get extra oily throughout the day, but this is an oil-free formula!
This is by far the best drugstore foundation I’ve tried period, but the fact that it contains SPF is an extra bonus! Finding the perfect foundation is so difficult in general, but the drugstore can be limited in formulas, textures, and shades making it even harder to find your ideal base product. Luckily L’Oreal came out with this incredible foundation, and it tops everyone's charts of the best drugstore foundations. The hybrid formula works for almost every skin type.
It’s extremely lightweight, yet provides you with a medium to buildable coverage that smoothes out fine lines and gives you an even base. It is a 24-hour wear foundation leaning more towards a satin finish, not necessarily matte but not overly glowy either. I can attest to the fact that it does last all day. Hopefully, no one is sleeping in their makeup so we’ll never know if it truly lasts 24 hours.
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Nevertheless, it holds up extremely well with long wear time and through heat and humidity making it an ideal foundation choice for the summer months. And of course, the reason it’s on this list is because it does all of these things whilst also containing SPF 25.
At this point, It Cosmetics CC Cream is a cult classic. This was one of the first foundations I ever used and quickly became my go to and all time favorite. It combines everything I love about a tinted moisturizer with all of the coverage and long wearing abilities of a foundation. It lasts for hours and contains SPF 50 for that added coverage and protection.
While using makeup products and other skincare products that contain a level of SPF is important and can provide added benefits and protection from the sun, nothing makes up for incorporating a stand alone SPF in your morning ritual. Foundations with SPF may be able to help protect from UVB rays, but no SPF within a makeup product or other skincare product has the ability to protect from both UVA and UVB rays.
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With that being said, if you haven’t found an SPF that you love or that works for your skin, using skincare and makeup products that contain SPF is most definitely better than nothing. Layering SPFs is always a good choice, and adding extra coverage from the sun can never hurt. Your future self, future skin, and dermatologist will thank you.
Whether you wear makeup every day and are looking for a foundation or you just like to wear face makeup on special occasions, all of these options are great. Side note: the SPF content is not always listed on the front of the bottle or packaging so always make sure to check the ingredients list. Stay protected from the sun this summer!
Written by Jordan Hammaren
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