Australia truly is a sunburnt country.
We have some of the highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world, which can cause skin and eye damage, cancer, and even premature ageing.
If you wear foundation, skin tint, or another type of makeup labelled SPF (Sun Protection Factor), you may think you're giving your face adequate protection.
But experts warn they could be giving you a false sense of security and putting you at risk of sun damage and, ultimately, skin cancer.
"It's just not safe if that's your sole sun protection," beauty scientist Hannah Collingwood English told SBS News.
The Cancer Council recommends applying one teaspoon's worth of sunscreen to your face, neck, and ears at least 20 minutes before going in the sun.
Collingwood English said the same goes for makeup with SPF in it, which raises a few problems.
"One, no one wears that much foundation," she said.
"Two, you're not putting the foundation on your ears, neck, back of neck, or head if you have no hair, either."
The SPF rating for makeup products is often well below the Cancer Council's sunscreen recommendation of SPF50 or SPF50+, as well.
They generally aren't broad-spectrum either, meaning they don't filter both UVA and UVB rays.
"You're not going to get that full protection that you need in order to prevent skin cancer," Sally Blane, SunSmart manager at Cancer Council Western Australia, told SBS News.
"UV radiation is a class-one carcinogen. It's in the same category as tobacco and asbestos."
Collingwood English said there was still "some merit" in wearing makeup with SPF — as long as you apply sunscreen underneath.
"It's nice to have a bit of bonus coverage because most of us aren't great at giving our faces adequate sun protection," she said.
"But I don't think that's how it's used in practice.
"Most people, like me when I was younger, don't know that you are supposed to do both, and they don't know how much they're supposed to wear — and I just don't see that being advertised with these SPF makeup products, either."
Unlike sunscreen, SPF makeup isn't regulated as medicine in Australia and it's easier to advertise, Collingwood English added.
When do you need to wear sunscreen?
Despite melanoma being the nation's third most commonly diagnosed type of cancer, recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows not even half of us used sunscreen most days last summer.
Blane said the most vital time to wear sunscreen is when the UV index is 3 or above, which is "pretty much all year round" for large parts of Australia.
"You can't see or feel UV, so you can't rely on heat or temperature to know when to protect your skin," she said.
The Cancer Council advises using sun protection when the UV index is 3 or above. Source: SBS News
Even if you're not planning to spend much time outside, she said it's worth putting sunscreen on every day as part of your morning routine.
"That will just make sure if you do have those little bits of incidental bits of sun exposure ... then you're going to have that bit of coverage there anyway, which is always going to go a long way in terms of preventing those skin cancers," Blane said.
How often do you need to reapply sunscreen?
Just putting sunscreen on in the morning isn't enough to protect you from sun damage for the whole day — you also need to reapply it.
"It comes off in the same way makeup can break up, because your skin naturally produces oil and sweats," Collingwood English said.
"Even if you can't see it, it's breaking up on a micro level. That's why we need to reapply."
On days you spend a large amount of time outside, you need to reapply every two hours. You should also put more sunscreen on after sweating, swimming, or drying yourself with a towel.
If you're spending most of the day inside, Collingwood English said you can get away with reapplying less frequently.
"When I was working in an office, I would reapply if I were going outside around lunchtime and I would reapply before I drove home or commuted home," she said.
"Apart from that, I don't think you have to be doing it if that's what your lifestyle looks like."
How to reapply sunscreen over makeup
Collingwood English said there are a couple of different ways she reapplies sunscreen over makeup.
"Either I'll wear a tinted one that serves as the base of my makeup, and then I'll just reapply it like normal," she said.
"Or if I've done full glam, then I will press it on with a sponge or a makeup brush and focus on the areas I feel like I really need to protect."
Collingwood English warned against relying on SPF sprays and mists for reapplication, saying even if you double the recommended amount, you're unlikely to get enough coverage to protect your whole face.
LISTEN TO
Keeping safe in the sun - whatever your skin type
SBS News
13/02/202406:09
Sunscreen isn't the only form of sun protection
Sunscreen is just one of five forms of sun protection the Cancer Council recommends you use when the UV index is 3 or above.
The other four are staying in the shade, and wearing sun protective clothing, a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
If you're in a situation where that's not realistic, Collingwood English advises using as many forms of sun protection as possible.
"I've had to go to a black tie garden party where I had to wear a dress where my shoulders weren't covered, so in that instance, I had a hat and I went in the shade," she said.
When the UV index is 3 or above, The Cancer Council advises using these five types of sun protection. Source: SBS News
Blane said you should also try to avoid spending time outside in the middle part of the day, which is when UV levels peak.
She recommends downloading the SunSmart app, which can tell you the UV levels in your area and send you an alert when you need sun protection.
"It takes the guessing game out of it."
