How often do you reapply sunscreen throughout the day?

Sunscreen is the most important skincare product you could use. Without it, expensive serums would be pointless. 

Daily application of SPF alone, avoids a lot of damage before it starts, preventing exposure to UV and free radicals that oxidise the skin, causing pigmentation, dryness, loss of elasticity and visible lines. 

But how many times should you reapply throughout the day?

Dermatologists recommend reapplying every two hours of direct sun exposure. If you're indoors and away from a window, you won't need it.

But if you do work near a window, you'll want to reapply so UVA rays (the ones that cause a lot of long term skin damage) don't reach you. 

Make sure to apply on your face, neck and chest (if exposed).

A good non-greasy SPF isn't important to make reapplying less of a chore and so your face doesn't look like a Christmas bauble. 

Tips for reapplying 

For makeup wearers, rub a teaspoon of SPF between your palms and pat thoroughly onto your face, neck and chest — ideally in front of a mirror so you don’t miss a spot. Some people like to use a makeup sponge to get even coverage. 

Spray sunscreens do not offer proper protection, which is why they’re hard to find in Australia. We haves some of the toughest laws for sunscreen in the world, meaning we also have the most effective SPFs in the world. 

Similarly, foundations or BB creams with SPF 5 to SPF15 do not count as reapplication, because you'd need a teaspoon of SPF50 to get proper coverage — which is just too much foundation.

Do you have to reapply when you’re just heading out the door quickly? 

Yes. It takes just 15 minutes of direct sun exposure on your back, belly and arms to receive all the benefits of vitamin D the sun offers — after that, it is only contributing to the loss of collagen, elastin and hydration. 

Oil cleanse your SPF at the end of the day 

If you're reapplying SPF throughout the day, it's important to cleanse it off at night to avoid clogged pores. The only thing that will properly remove SPF is oil, as oil melts oils. Make sure to use an oil that’s formulated specifically for the face and avoid coconut oil, as it’s highly comedogenic (pore blocking). Oil cleansing is a great opportunity to massage the skin to increase blood flow and cell regeneration.

After your oil cleanse, follow up with a second cleanse using your normal cleanser and your skin should feel nice and clean.