Do you use tanning lotion before or after sunscreen

When it comes to finding ways to shorten our skin care routines, we love a helpful hack. However, not all shortcuts are created equal and some hacks can actually be more harmful than they seem. There are some steps that are too important to ever skip, applying sunscreen is one of them. While you may still want a sunkissed glow during the fall and winter months, protecting your skin from the sun is important in every season. So sunscreen hacks should be failproof, meaning, they need to ensure that you’re still getting the required amount of SPF. the idea of adding tanning drops to your sunscreen may seem like the best way to shield your skin from harmful UV  rays and achieve bronze skin all in one go, but it could be one of those dangerous hacks to avoid.

So we spoke with L’Oréal Paris consultant and board-certified dermatologist Janelle Vega, MD to find out if it’s okay to mix tanning drops into sunscreen for a beautifully golden complexion every day of the year.

Should You Add Tanning Drops Into Your Sunscreen?

As Vega explains, “In general it’s best to not mix any other products into sunscreen because it can change the measured sun protection factor.” 

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) always recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF value of 30 or more. So adding a product that contains DHA (the active ingredient in faux tanning products) can possibly counteract the UVA protection ingredients in sunscreen. 

How To Use Tanning Drops In Your Skin care Routine 

There are plenty of safe ways to get that summertime glow while still getting the best out of your sunscreen. To help, Dr. Vega suggests some easy ways to add tanning drops to your routine.

Mix Them With Your Favorite Moisturizer

“Instead of mixing the drops into sunscreen, I would recommend using them in combination with a moisturizer—allowing [your moisturizer] to dry, then applying your sunscreen over this, ” Vega says. 

Try mixing tanning drops like, the L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Facial Drops, Fragrance Free which is specially formulated for the face without fragrance or dye, in with a moisturizer like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Anti-Aging Moisturizer Fragrance Free. How many drops you add is up to you—typically, you can add anywhere from five to ten drops, depending on how deep you’d like your tan. The more drops, the darker the tan.  

Before You Apply Sunscreen

As a rule of thumb, you should always apply sunscreen as the final step in your skin care routine. Once you’ve applied your tanning drop and moisturizer mix, it’s important to keep the sun protection going by also applying sunscreen. As Vega reminds, “you can still burn even though you have a ‘fake tan,’ so make sure that you reapply your sunscreen as directed. If you’re looking for sun protection that goes on light and won’t affect your tan, try opting for a spray sunscreen.

Use Them In A Night Cream 

One way to cut back on your morning routine is to add a few tanning drops to your nighttime moisturizer or face cream. Since your skin does most of its repair work overnight, it’s actually the ideal time to give it extra TLC. The L’Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Facial Drops formula is infused with hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin. Simply mix five to eight drops in with your moisturizer and you’ll wake up with a healthy-looking, golden complexion.

Next: 11 Nighttime Skin Care Must-Haves To Stock For Fall

Written by: Lauren Paige Richeson, Photo Credit: Matthew Zach, Senior Art Director: Melissa San Vicente-Landestoy, Associate Creative Producer: Becca Solovay

By now, you probably know the importance of sun care and applying sunscreen on the daily. If not, here’s a quick refresher: Sun exposure can lead to premature aging, skin damage and several skin conditions, not to mention skin cancer. 

While sun protection is a necessary step in your skin care routine, knowing when to apply your SPF is another story. More specifically, you need to know if you should apply sunscreen or moisturizer first. 

Lucky for you, we’ve taken away the guesswork — because sun safety definitely isn’t something you should be hoping you’ve made the right call on. Below, find the definitive answer on whether you’re supposed to apply sunscreen before or after moisturizer.

Should You Apply Sunscreen or Moisturizer First?

As a rule of thumb, you should apply sunscreen as the final step in your skin care routine. Since products with SPF are specifically formulated with certain protective ingredients, layering one on after your moisturizer will help block out any harsh rays. So, in other words, SPF goes on after moisturizer.

Can You Combine Sunscreen and Moisturizer?

While the idea of mixing your sunscreen and moisturizer together to form one holy grail formula seems like a smart idea, it actually might be less effective. Mixing your sunscreen and moisturizer into a hybrid concoction can result in formulas not working as tested and therefore, as intended, and that isn’t a risk you want to take with sun protection.

However, if you do prefer to multitask, there is a solution — moisturizer with SPF. This type of moisturizer is specifically formulated to both hydrate your skin and protect it from the sun’s harmful UV rays. 

Want to tackle two steps of your routine in one? Take your pick from one of our best moisturizers with SPF, below.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Day Lotion SPF 30

Not only is this anti-aging face moisturizer formulated with SPF 30, but it’s loaded with a powerful trio of ingredients — Pro-Retinol, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid — that works wonders on skin. After one week, expect to see the appearance of wrinkles reduced and a firmer and brighter complexion. Not to mention, the formula is dermatologist-tested, free of dyes, mineral oil, and parabens and suitable for sensitive skin.

L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Collagen Expert Day Moisturizer with SPF 30

When we age, our collagen — you know, the protein that makes skin look plumper — begins to diminish, leaving us with sagging skin. But this lightweight moisturizer with SPF will help counteract signs of aging when used daily. In addition to SPF, the moisturizer is formulated with peptides (the key to producing collagen) and niacinamide to brighten, retighten and rehydrate maturing skin. 

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Anti-Aging Day Moisturizer SPF 25

This luxurious anti-aging cream is packed with vitamin E, antioxidants and broad-spectrum SPF 25, which all help renew skin. Over time, skin feels smoother and looks refreshed with continued use. The formula maximizes skin's power of rejuvenation by stimulating surface skin cell renewal to reveal a more hydrated and youthful-looking complexion.

L'Oréal Paris Wrinkle Expert 55+ Age Defense Lotion

This anti-aging moisturizer is a must for anyone 50 or older. With the help of broad-spectrum SPF 30, the lotion helps reduce wrinkles and strengthen, smooth and protect skin. Immediately after applying, your visage will look noticeably fresher and radiant, and feel soft and hydrated. 

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Rosy Tone SPF 30 Sunscreen Face Moisturizer

As skin matures, its ability to renew surface cells slows down, causing a buildup of dead skin cells on the surface. The complexion, as a result, becomes dull, losing its natural rosy, youthful tone. This ultra-hydrating cream — which is infused with imperial peony extract and lipohydroxy acid (a powerful anti-aging ingredient) — instantly revives skin's rosy tone while protecting it from the sun’s harmful rays with broad-spectrum SPF 30.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Moisturizer SPF 30

Brighten up the appearance of your complexion with this moisturizer featuring SPF 30. It visibly corrects the look of dull, uneven tones, lines and wrinkles to reveal radiant, youthful-looking skin. The moisturizer is also formulated with glycolic acid, vitamin C and Pro-Retinol, which are all impressive at reversing signs of aging.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Anti Wrinkle Firming Day Cream SPF 25

Just as its name suggests, this moisturizer is formulated to deliver firmer, smoother skin while providing UVA and UVB SPF 25 sun protection. In just four weeks, the retinol-infused formula increases cell turnover, reduces the appearance of wrinkles and provides long-lasting hydration.

Next: Skin Care Products That Can Cause Sun Sensitivity

Edited by: Sophie Dweck, Image Credit: Crystal Simone

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