How to use sunscreen with a dark spot cream

If you use a dark spot cream and skip sunscreen, you are working against yourself. Sunlight tells your skin to make more pigment, so unprotected skin keeps darkening the very spots you are trying to fade. Sunscreen is not an extra step. It is the step that makes the others count.

The order, morning and night

Rule of thumb: thinnest to thickest. Sunscreen always goes last in the morning, because it has to sit on top as a protective layer.

How much sunscreen is enough?

Most people use far too little. For the face and neck, a line of sunscreen along two fingers is a good guide. A thin smear gives you much less protection than the number on the bottle.

Which sunscreen?

• Broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher.
• A texture you enjoy wearing, because you will only use it daily if you like it.
• Gel or lightweight lotion types suit oily and humid weather. Creamier types suit dry skin.

Reapplying

If you are outdoors for long, reapply about every two to three hours, and after heavy sweating or wiping your face. Indoors away from windows, once in the morning is usually fine.

Common mistakes

• Skipping it on cloudy days. UV still reaches you.
• Skipping it indoors near windows or in vehicles. UVA passes through glass.
• Applying sunscreen first, then the cream. The cream then cannot reach your skin properly.
• Forgetting the neck, ears and hands. These show uneven colour first.

With Kojic Acid and Alpha Arbutin creams

Kojic Acid is used in many dark spot creams, and creams with active ingredients can leave skin a little more sensitive to the sun. That is one more reason to apply sunscreen daily when you use Youth Face Beauty Cream. Patch test first, and stop if redness or burning continues.

Related: Daytime skincare routine · How to remove dark spots

This guide is general information about cosmetic skincare and does not replace advice from a qualified dermatologist. Results vary from person to person.