If there’s one product that needs to be your holy grail all through the year, it is sunscreen. This is because the downsides of not applying sunscreen are many; fine lines, uneven tan, age spots and sunburn. That’s why it’s essential to learn how to apply sunscreen on face, and do it the right way. So, read on and find out!
How to Apply Sunscreen: The Basics
An ideal sunscreen should provide a broad spectrum coverage against both UVA and UVB rays. If you want to know how to apply sunscreen on face daily, here are the basic rules that prevent you from making common sunscreen applying mistakes. Check all the tips of the best sunscreen application below.
How to Apply Sunscreen – 7 Top Tips

Tip #1: Cleanse your face
It’s strongly recommended to apply sunscreen on your clear face for the best UV protection. Start with cleansing your face to remove all makeup, oils, and dirt, so your SPF cream, lotion, or gel will stick properly. How to apply sunscreen on oily face, especially if your skin is acne prone, and sweating a lot because it’s hot outside? Cleanse your face first with Simple Daily Skin Detox Purifying Facial Wash with witch hazel, zinc, and thyme to refresh your skin, deeply purify and unclog your pores. Now you’re ready for sunscreen application!

Tip #2: Get your best sunscreen
Once you’re done with cleansing your face, stick to your chosen best sunscreen. Our suggestion is the Lakme Sun Expert SPF 50 PA+++ Ultra Matte Lotion Sunscreen. Why? Well, this sunscreen feels light on the skin and provides a broad spectrum protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays and is suited for all skin types. How to apply sunscreen lotion on face? Put small dots of product on your face, then spread it all over with your fingertips.
How to apply sunscreen gel on face? Gel textures are refreshing during summer, light weighted, and easy to spread. Try Lakme Sun Expert Spf 50 Pa+++ Ultra Matte Gel Sunscreen with matte texture that quickly seeps into your skin. This product is non-sticky, non-greasy, perfect to wear under makeup, and blocks up to 97% harmful sun rays. Dot the gel on your cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose, then gently spread it across your face with your fingertips.

Tip #3: Apply the right amount of product
Another great tip for sunscreen application is about how much sunscreen to apply on face, because too small amount, that lots of women actually use, won’t protect your skin properly. For your face, it’s recommended to use 1/3 tablespoon of SPF, or squeeze the two finger length stripes of sunscreen.

Tip #4: Mind the application order
How to properly apply sunscreen on face and do not skip all the nearby areas? Follow the steps below:
Take the required amount on the tip of your finger and apply it on the neck area in upward strokes.
Make sure you apply it to all the sides of your neck going to the hairline and the back of your head.
Next, apply a little to the chest area if you’re wearing a T-shirt that exposes your chest a wee bit.
Post this, take a little bit on your fingertips, rub it on your fingers and aim at the sides of your nose going towards your ears. Then move to the forehead, chin and upper lip area. Now you know the best order of how to apply sunscreen on face correctly!

Tip #5: Protect the area around your eyes
We already discussed how to apply sunscreen cream on face, but the zone around eyes needs protection from sun, too. Eye area is delicate, so learn how to pick the right formulas and to safely apply sunscreen around the eyes.

Tip #6: Put your makeup on
You can now proceed to applying the rest of your makeup like a primer, BB cream, or foundation followed by a compact. If you are wondering how to apply sunscreen on face when wearing makeup already, you can add an SPF layer with a sponge, use a sunblock in spray format, or apply a tinted sunscreen instead or over your foundation.

Tip #7: Reapply your sunscreen at intervals
If you will be spending time in the sun, you should apply another coat of sunscreen in 2-4 hours. Do not forget to always put on your sunscreen, even on cloudy days, or if you’re wearing a face mask. Keep in mind that you need to prolong the sun protection after a few hours to protect your skin, especially if you stay under direct sunlight, or swim.
FAQs about How to Apply Sunscreen
Which goes on first, moisturiser or sunscreen?
That depends on the type of your sunscreen. The two common types of SPFs are chemical and physical, also called mineral. Mineral sunscreens usually contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to protect your skin, chemical sunblocks may contain other different protective agents. How to apply mineral sunscreen on face? Mineral sunscreens form a physical layer on your skin to block the sunlights, that’s why you can put them on after mousturisers. Chemical sunscreens need to penetrate your skin to provide protection, that’s why they are recommended to be applied first before moisturisers.
Can sunscreen be directly applied on face?
You can apply sunscreen directly to your face, and dermatologists claim that this is the most effective method to protect your skin. But first make sure that you cleansed your face to remove all makeup, dirt, and skin oils.
Can I mix sunscreen with moisturiser?
No, this action is not recommended and actually it’s one of the things people often get wrong about sunscreens, because some of the moisturiser properties can inactivate SPF protection. So, you should not mix these products before application, but just layer them. If you want to fix the stinging feeling of sunscreen, discover the best face sunblocks for dry skin.
Hope this information was useful, and from now and then you won’t forget to apply your sunscreen on your face, and will do it the right way.
Written by Team BB on 23rd Nov 2022