The 10 SPF Hacks We Can’t Live Without

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/phpp.12292