The 10 SPF hacks we can’t live without
by Jana K. Hoffman April 18, 2023
They say it takes 21 days to make something a habit. But we’re confident you can turn daily sunscreen use into a healthy habit much faster than that. We also thought you might need some encouragement and tips to actually make this habit happen. Life is hard and busy enough, so we put together our favorite sunscreen hacks because we’re all about doing things that make life more efficient.
Use sunscreen as your moisturizer
Double-duty beauty at its finest. Some sunscreen formulas, like gels and lightweight, non-greasy lotions, can work as your moisturizer-and-sunscreen in one. That means one less step when you’re getting ready in the morning. Go ahead, hit that snooze button.
Chill sunscreen in the refrigerator
Hot day? Cool off with your favorite gel or lotion sunscreen formula. Pop it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before you head outside or store it in a cooler while you’re at the beach or park. Sunscreen application seriously never felt so good!
Try a sunscreen stick for hands and feet
The skin on your hands and feet is generally thinner than the rest of your body. That means it could burn way faster. Stick sunscreen makes application a breeze, less sticky and goopy and overall just enjoyable for everyone — even the person who thinks wearing sunscreen is annoying.
Apply a setting spray with SPF
You’re probably cringing at the idea of reapplying sunscreen over a full face of makeup. Keep your makeup and sunscreen game strong with a setting spray that has an SPF 30 or higher. Spritz it on every two hours or when you need a little pick-me-up. Long-lasting and safe makeup looks for the win.
Don’t forget your lips
Lips love lip balm with SPF. And technically your lips are skin, even though they look entirely different from the rest of your body. Keep SPF lip balms handy in your purse, makeup bag and car for on-the-go coverage.
Smooth on mineral sunscreen in thin layers
Mineral sunscreen gets a bad rap for being too thick, too hard to apply and too pasty. But here’s a hint: apply it in thin layers in straight movements across your skin. A circular motion, which you’re probably used to, can create buildup.
Set an alarm and reapply
You should reapply sunscreen every two hours. It can be tough to remember when your time’s up, so ask Siri to set an alarm or timer and you’ll never forget again.
Tame flyaways and protect your scalp
Sunscreen sticks are seriously so versatile. Most people forget to apply sunscreen to their scalp and also around the hairline for that matter. Sunscreen sticks help to tame flyaways and frizz while also protecting you from the sun.
Wear foundation with SPF
Make your makeup work even harder. Foundation with SPF offers your skin extra protection. While it’s working hard to keep sun rays at bay, it’s also evening out your skin tone, smoothing your skin’s texture and giving you a drop-dead gorgeous luminous finish.
Listen to Baz Luhrmann
Yes, that Baz Luhrmann. He dropped a song (or spoken advice set to some music, really) in the 90s called “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” as a not-so-subtle reminder that everyone from beach babes and surfer dudes to mommas, poppas and kiddos needs to wear SPF. Your beach playlist isn’t complete without it.
