It goes without saying that no matter what looks you get, you should not head out in the sun without applying sunscreen. They offer you protection from UV rays, which can cause significant damage to your skin. But you are not here to know about what protections they offer, right?
Instead, you have concerns regarding the white cast that the sunscreens leave on your skin when you apply them. Well, we know how to get rid of white cast from sunscreen.
Yes! It is certainly possible to wear sunscreen without having the white cast on your skin! And we are going to discuss that process in this article. So, stick to the end!
Why Do Sunscreens Leave A White Cast On The Skin?
As you probably know by now, sunscreens utilize loads of active ingredients. And not all of those ingredients are transparent in color. Those ingredients are essential to offer protection from the UV rays. That is why there is really no sunscreen available without those UV filters.
Now, what UV filters are we referring to here? Well, we are talking about zinc oxide and titanium oxide. These tend to be white, which is why the lotion leaves an ashy cast on the skin.
However, some alternatives utilize nanoparticle forms of the ingredients. Due to the components being so small, the cast is not that visible. And to know what you need to do to circumvent the white layer, you would need to go through the next segment.
What Should You Do To Get Rid Of the Ashy Cast Of Sunscreen?
The beauty industry has been doing a lot of work regarding the ashy paste issues. But according to the board of dermatologists, you should not throw away sunscreen just because it leaves an ashy cast.
Well, even if you try hard not to let the ashy cast bother you, it might ruin your overall looks. In that case, consider these options:
1. Consider the Application Process
According to Dr. Henry, you should use at least one tsp of sunscreen for the face. This way, you will not skimp on covering the whole surface area. But many do not follow the principle as it tends to leave a white cast.
Nonetheless, instead of just dumping that amount of sunscreen into your hands, we have found out that the proper way would be to start the application process by using a little bit of it. Cover as much of the area as possible and then work on the areas that need more.
In this way, you will not risk your face looking like a ghost. Also, you would be capable of adequately covering the entire area without using any extra. That would maximize the blocking properties of the sunscreen without looking like Casper (the friendly white ghost).
2. Opt for Tinted
There are a couple of brands that will offer their sunscreen that has tinted mineral formula. In true essence, those will contain the same ingredients that your sunscreen might already have but with a bit of adjustment.
You might be wondering what adjustment we are referring to here. Well, these manufacturers will integrate their formula with shade-adjusting pigments. That will offset the white film and offer more of a natural look. Many will even go a step further and utilize translucent color ingredients.
3. Layer
This is a step that we would not generally recommend because mixing other formulas with sunscreen can lower the effectiveness of the sunscreen.
However, it is okay to wear a light layer of makeup on the top. Dr. Henry recommends applying a light coat of setting powder on the top.
The setting powder will work just like it would for any other liquid products and foundations. It will settle the sunscreen and make it less transferable. Also, it will lower the white casting issues that the sunscreens usually have.
4. Solutions to Other Sunscreen-related Issues
The white or ashy tint issue is not the only thing that people using sunscreen face. There are tons of other common problems. We are going to go through them all and offer a solution to them in this segment.
5. Feels Heavy
When you are using a reasonably thick sunscreen lotion, you will feel the weight of the particles on your skin. And if it does feel heavy, the formula is not suitable for the skin type you have. If you have oily skin, opt for the thin lotions that offer a matte finish. For the normal or slightly dry skins, choose the ones that offer a lightweight cream texture.
And lastly, for the extremely dry skins, opt for the options that have a rich texture. Those will be able to moisturize your skin properly while combating the heavy feeling.
6. Sweats off and Gets into the Eyes
If you sweat too much while wearing sunscreen, it would be the perfect time to change the lotion. Opt for the ones that contain only titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Those will have a good SPF rating and will not make your skin feel uncomfortable.
Additionally, those minerals will be less irritating to the skin. So, even if you sweat, your eyes will not burn or sting like a bee.
7. Takes Too Long to Apply
This might be the case when you are using thick lotion forms of sunscreen. Instead of those, we would recommend using the spray ones. Applying them is pretty easy. All you need to do is mist evenly and blend. You can also opt for lightweight options.
The other solution regarding this issue would be to expose your skin less to the sun. Wear protective clothing to cover most of your face.
8. Break Outs
Having acne break-out problems is pretty common. But the sad part is that there is no easy fix for this. It takes loads of experimentation. And here are the things that you need to consider when you are experimenting:
- Use the sunscreens that leave the thinnest textures on your skin. Usually, those are least likely to cause a break-out.
- Look for sunscreens that utilize a formula of synthetic active and mineral actives.
- The synthetic actives are ostisalate and octinoxate, while the mineral actives are zinc oxide. From our experience, we have found that this combination has the right balance for acne-prone skins.
- Ensure that you are properly cleansing your skin each night. Leaving the sunscreen on throughout the night is not a good idea as it will cause break-outs. In fact, we would even go ahead and recommend you to double cleanse your skin.
What Is The Right Way Of Wearing Sunscreen Under Makeup?
The case of sunscreen interfering with smooth makeup applications is another common thing that many people face. And the people that usually face these are either using the water-resistant sunscreen or not waiting long enough for the skin to absorb the sunscreen before applying the makeup.
That being said, our tips regarding this problem are as follows:
- Do not opt for the water-resistant “beach-ready” sunscreen. Instead, get the thin texture ones.
- Wait for at least 15 minutes to let your skin absorb the sunscreen.
- Avoid using the wrong facial moisturizer. Experiment with loads of them and try to find the one that suits your skin type the most.
- If you are sure that the moisturizer you are currently using is the right one for the skin, apply it and wait for about 10 minutes for the skin to absorb the moisturizer. Then, apply the sunscreen and wait for another 10 minutes. Finally, apply the makeup you want to wear.
- While using a primer or face powder, do not go overload. If you go overload on those, the sunscreen will surely degrade the overall looks.
Is Zinc Oxide Harmful For The Skin?
Recently, sunscreen manufacturers are making a shift to zinc oxide in their formula. This raised many eyebrows. The primary reason for this shift is for protecting marine life. But is zinc oxide harmful to the skin?
Not at all! Zinc oxide is not one bit harmful to humans. In fact, overall, this mineral is substantially less hazardous towards animals, and different studies have proved that there is really nothing to be concerned about.
If anything, it works better than other chemical formulas that different brands rely on nowadays. When combined with titanium oxide, the formula will be able to offer a higher SPF rating. Sometimes, it will be higher than the chemical formulas.
Final Words
All the other things aside, our primary goal was to show you how to get rid of white cast from sunscreen in this article. And we hope that we were capable of describing the process properly.