Sunscreen or makeup ? Why choose when you can have both! Follow the advice of Magali Marx, Clarins make-up expert, to combine protected skin and a perfect complexion under the sun.
Whatever the season, a well-practiced beauty routine should always start the same way: a good cleansing of the skin to remove excess sebum accumulated during the night, an eye contour to awaken the eyes, a moisturizing serum and a day cream.
Depending on the day’s schedule and your desires, you may want to make up your complexion with a tinted moisturizer, a foundation or a powder. And if the weather is nice, sun protection is a must, regardless of our skin color. But once you have a flawless complexion, how do you apply sunscreen and not ruin all your efforts? Here is the advice of Magali Marx, make-up expert for Clarins.
Protect your made-up skin when you’re out in the sun
“The ideal is to opt for a make-up base that also offers good sun protection,” says Magali Marx. At Clarins, she recommends SOS Primer UV SPF30. It’s evens out and brightens the complexion while protecting it from the sun but also from pollution. It is often high in big cities in summer. Other brands offer foundation products with high sun protection, such as Make Up For Ever. (UV Prime Daily Protective Foundation SPF 50/PA +++) or Charlotte Tilbury. (UV Flawless Poreless Foundation SPF 50/PA ++++).
Protecting made-up skin when exposed on the beach
For prolonged exposure, such as on the beach or patio, additional sun protection is required. When going to the beach for the first time, an SPF50 is required for all skin types. “It is important to choose a sunscreen specifically dedicated to the face,” stresses the make up expert. “Using a sun care product for the body still protects the skin, but the texture is not at all adapted to the face and leaves an oily film: first, the makeup that we will apply afterwards will hold much less well, and second, it may lead to the appearance of small imperfections.” She adds, “Facial sun creams are still a little bit richer than classic moisturizers, which is why you should choose light makeup textures afterwards so as not to create an overdose.”
For a natural complexion barely worked, you can mix a drop of fluid foundation with your sunscreen. Then, cover it all with a light veil of mattifying powder. Since sun creams are white, it’s best to test with your usual foundation to see if the shade becomes too dull, or use a foundation that is a little darker than usual.
For a more even skin tone, compact foundation is a good option because of its dry, solid texture. It is applied by tapping to gently layer it on and not to make your sunscreen run. Some compact foundations have an SPF30 and can be enough to protect the skin when it is already well tanned or naturally dark. To accentuate the healthy glow effect, a touch of blush can then be placed on the top of the cheekbones.
Apply sunscreen
In both cases, it is necessary to apply sunscreen every two hours to stay perfectly protected. How to do then to preserve its makeup? “I advise to put a little bit of sun cream in the palm of your hand, to warm it up between your hands, then, in order not to move the makeup, to put it on the face with the flat of your hands, pressing very lightly from the center to the outside”, explains Magali Marx.
Make-up at the beach: the right reflexes
Regarding the look, we rarely want a very elaborate makeup to go to the beach. “A unified complexion and a waterproof mascara is the right combo to show a good look in all circumstances”, says our specialist. In the evening, when the temperatures soften a little, it’s time to have fun with a more pronounced eye makeup.
As for the lips, “they are also protected”, reminds Magali Marx. So we apply a lip balm with an SPF that we cover with lipstick if we want to give a pretty color to our lips. “It’s even prettier when the lipstick is applied with the finger,” suggests the make up expert. “This allows the mouth to be pigmented in a light and natural way, for a little extra touch of deliciousness.”
At the end of the day, make-up removal is mandatory to remove all the impurities that have settled on the skin during the day: traces of make-up, residues of sun cream, but also sebum, perspiration and dust.
