Last Updated on December 17, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
I used to roll my eyes when someone tried to tell me how to apply sunscreen. Dude, how difficult can it be? Pour a small amount of cream on your hands, rub it all over your body, wait 20 minutes and go out in the sun. Job done. Except, I still got a sunburn every now and then. WTH? Worse, if I got a sunburn, did that mean I’d get wrinkles later, too? (Priorities, ladies!) Turns out, it’s not enough to apply sunscreen. You have to apply it the RIGHT way too. Yep, my old sunscreen technique was all wrong. Here’s how to apply sunscreen the right way, so you can make the most of it and keep those pesky sunburns and wrinkles as far away from you as possible:
Sunscreen Application Tip #1: Be Generous
I used to be a scrooge with sunscreen. I’d treat it like my moisturizer. Put on a pea-size amount and off in the sun I went. That’s not nearly enough, my friend. Derms recommend you use an average ounce (30ml) to cover your entire body (adjust based on your height and weight – no judgments. It’s about safety, girl!). For the face, you need 1/3 of a teaspoon. Don’t know how much that is? Check out Dr Sam Bunting’s 13 dot technique to visualise how much sunscreen you need and how to apply it.
Related: How Much Sunscreen Do You Really Need To Apply?
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Sunscreen Application Tip #2: Slather Sunscreen On Everywhere
As a rule, if an area of skin is exposed to the sun, apply sunscreen there. That means your face, arms, legs and all those often-forgotten areas like ears, the back of knees, feet and nose. No exception. If the sun can reach it, it can damage it. And don’t forget to use a lip balm or lipstick with SPF on the lips, too!
Related: What Are The Best Lip Balms With SPF?
Sunscreen Application Tip #3: Wait 20 Minutes Before Going Outside
Have you noticed everyone tells you to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before sun exposure but no one explains why? Here’s the mystery solved: you need to give sunscreen time to dry down and form a film on the skin. If you go out before this shield is properly in place, UV rays all get through AND hurt your skin. Be a little patience. It’s worth the wait.
Related: Do You Really Need To Apply Sunscreen 20 Minutes Before You Leave The House?
Sunscreen Application Tip #4: Reapply Frequently
It’s not enough to know how to apply sunscreen the right way. You have to do it consistently too. One application a day is NOT enough. UV filters may fight UV rays well, but they don’t come out of the battle unscathed. Every time they neutralise one UV ray, they lose a little of their effectiveness. Overtime, they become useless. As a rule, the longer you stay in the sun, the quicker your sunscreen will stop working.
Then, there’s sweating. Swimming. Drying yourself with a towel. All things that brush the sunscreen off your body. If your sunscreen ain’t there anymore, it can’t protect you. That’s why you have to reapply sunscreen frequently at the beach. That means every two hours or after every swim/sporting activity that makes you sweat. If it’s winter and you’re spending most of your time indoors, you can get away with reapplying your sunscreen less often. But, do reapply it. That’s NOT optional.
Related: How To Reapply Sunscreen When You’re Wearing Makeup
FAQs
Can I apply sunscreen over makeup?
Look, this is the worst dilemma in skincare because you NEED to reapply sunscreen throughout the day but you also spent 20 minutes getting your face to look decent and now what? You’re supposed to just smear cream all over it? What I actually do: I reapply it anyway. I just accept my makeup is getting fucked up because wrinkles and skin cancer matter more than looking cute. Sorry, but that’s the trade-off.
Related: How To Reapply Sunscreen While You’re Wearing Makeup
Can I just mix my sunscreen with moisturizer to save time?
No. Absolutely not. I get it, you’re busy, you want to streamline your routine, but this is where you cannot cut corners. Here’s why this is such a terrible idea: sunscreen is formulated and tested at very specific concentrations to give you the SPF on the label. When you start mixing it with other products, you’re diluting those UV filters and completely destroying the protection level. You have literally no idea what SPF you’re ending up with. Could be SPF 15, could be SPF 5, could be basically nothing – you’re just guessing and gambling with your skin.
Plus, the ingredients in your moisturizer might interact with the UV filters in ways that make them less stable or prevent them from forming that protective barrier they’re supposed to create. Some ingredients can actually degrade sunscreen filters. So you’re not being clever and efficient. You’re just wasting money on sunscreen that isn’t protecting you while thinking you’re safe. Apply your moisturizer, let it sink in, then put on your sunscreen as a completely separate step. Yes, it takes an extra minute or two. Your skin doesn’t care about your schedule.
Do I really need the same amount on cloudy days?
Yes, and anyone telling you otherwise is full of shit. Clouds are basically useless at blocking UV rays – up to 80% of that radiation comes straight through cloud cover like it’s not even there. You’re getting fried on overcast days, you just don’t realize it because there’s no bright sun making you squint and feel hot. In fact, cloudy days can be more dangerous precisely because people assume they’re safe and either skip sunscreen completely or use way less than they should, then wonder why they have a sunburn later.
UV rays don’t give a damn about weather. They’re coming for your skin whether it’s sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowing, whatever. The only thing that changes slightly is UVB intensity – those are the burning rays – but UVA rays, the ones that cause aging and cancer, stay pretty damn consistent all year round regardless of what the sky looks like. So yeah, same generous amount, same application technique, every single day. The weather is completely irrelevant to your sunscreen routine.
The Bottom Line
Stop half-assing your sunscreen. You can buy the most expensive SPF on the planet, but if you’re skimping on the amount, missing spots, or not waiting for it to dry down properly, you’re wasting your money and frying your skin anyway. The difference between good sun protection and total shit isn’t the product – it’s whether you’re actually using it right. Slather it on thick, cover everything the sun can reach, wait the damn 20 minutes, and reapply throughout the day. Yeah, it’s annoying. Yeah, you’ll go through product faster. But it beats dealing with burns, wrinkles, and skin cancer down the line.
After reading this post, I’ve realized how WRONG I have been in terms of sunscreen application. One of the reasons why i dont really fancy applying sunscreen is due to its oily texture. I know it’s harmful to my skin, but I just havent found the right suncreen with affordable price. Plus I;m not comfortable with layering too many products onto my face.
Thanks Gio, your blog has been so informative. =) No wonder it’s called ‘beautiful with brain’. =)
I think I am not applying enough! thanks for the post!!! super helpful
An oz is about the size of a shot glass and if you apply enough, a bottle of sunscreen should last only around a week to 10 days. I obviously do not apply enough sunscreen as well.
Hanna: thanks a lot hun! Finding the perfect sunscreen is hard. I prefer physical ones but they tend to leave a white cast on skin. But still, alwats better be protected. If you’re not comfortable with using a sunscreen on your face, you can try a moisturizer or foundation with SPF in it.
Nikki: you’re welcome!
Dao: I know, it’s a shame sunscreens don’t last long if you us enough, kinda puts you off a bit. It’s not good for our wallets, but our skin will thank us if we protect it well.
OMG, i never applied tht on ears.. :0 i guess i need to start doing that right away! or less my ears will age sooner than my face.. 😉 bt really nice n informative post. another mistake which i do is, i dnt reapply it at all. 🙁
Shruti, I’m glad you found this post useful. Ears are such an overlooked place to apply sunscreen. I always skipped that bit when I was younger lol but am more careful now. I don’t think reapplication is that necessary in winter (unless you live somewhere where it’s hot and sunny in winter too) butu in summer is a must. 🙂
yep, right. by the way, i made sure to apply it on my ears too while going to college. 😉
Shruti, that’s great. 😉
Have you ever used Purito sunscreen? I love it so much that sometimes I doubt it’s really protecting my skin. Can’t wait to know your thoughts about it.
Tatiana, I haven’t tried it yet, but Asian sunscreens are usually really good. As long as you apply enough, I don’t see any reasons why it shouldn’t protect you well.
For a regular morning routine, where I’m just going into the office and not spending time much outdoors, what order should I apply sunscreen versus makeup primer? Also, what do you think about Tatcha’s silken spf primer? Are there other products that double-task that you favor?
Michelle, apply sunscreen first. Wait 15 minutes for it to settle and then use primer.
I’m not a fan of primers with SPF. You need to use a lot of product to get the SPF on the bottle. Better use two separate products instead.