Does Powder Sunscreen Really Work?
Sunscreen is great at protecting our skin from rays that can cause skin cancer, as well as thickening and wrinkling of the skin as we age. But sometimes it also feels greasy and sticky, especially when applied to the face, which leaves many of us wondering if there couldn’t be a better way to apply it. Sunscreen powders sound like a promising development. But do they work?
Ultimately, the problem with any form of sunscreen is that you need to apply a lot of it to get the protection it says on the label, and you need to reapply it as directed, which usually means every two hours. This is the easiest way to apply sunscreen, although most of us don’t come close to the recommended amounts. (However, this is normal – if the SPF is high enough, we still get decent protection .)
This brings us to the problem of unconventional sunscreens. Are you really going to apply it enough for it to actually work as intended? This is especially unlikely when it comes to combination products. Are you really going to apply a thick layer of insect repellant sunscreen every two hours? How about a thick layer of foundation with SPF?
I think you see where I’m going. Are you going to put on enough powder sunscreen to get the protection you need and then reapply it when the time is right? This is unlikely, especially if powder is your main type of sunscreen. Here’s a video of chemist Michelle Wong applying sunscreen powder to her arm to show how much it takes you to get a labeled SPF.
Does this mean that sunscreen powder is useless? Here I must return to one hard and fast rule of sun protection: the best sunscreen is the sunscreen you will wear. Powdered sunscreens are the best option for reapplying sunscreen over makeup, and many people will skip reapplying unless they have something that works over makeup.
Dermatologists recommend applying a layer of regular (cream) sunscreen first, and then applying makeup; think of powder as a coloring agent. Unfortunately, it cannot be considered a replacement for your main sunscreen.