ROANOKE, Va. – You know you need to protect your skin from the sun, and makeup with SPF can help... but Consumer Reports says this is *not* a substitute for sunscreen because you're probably not using enough to truly protect your skin."
"You should be using one whole teaspoon of sunscreen for your face and neck, said Trisha Calvo, Consumer Reports health editor. "That's a lot -- It would be hard to use the same amount of foundation with SPF to get effective coverage without looking like you've applied a makeup mask, and you're not likely to reapply every two hours."
According to a new study by the journal, Plus One, participants who put on moisturizers with SPF were more likely to miss areas around the eyes, a common site for skin cancer, than if they were putting on sunscreen alone.
It's also likely the SPF in your makeup is only SPF 15, and most dermatologists recommend you use at least SPF 30.
Consumer Reports recommends you first apply sunscreen, and then your makeup.
After CR's testing, two of the best performers are, Equate Walmart Ultra Protection Lotion SPF 50 and Coppertone Ultra Guard Lotion SPF 70.
"Work it carefully around your face," said Calvo. "Make sure to wear sunglasses with a label of 99 to 100 percent UVA and UVB protection."
For sunscreen to be effective, it needs to be reapplied at least every two hours.