3 of My Fav Face SPFs To Wear Under Makeup
And that survive the Florida humidity!
The Beauty Ed®’s Note: This article contains affiliate links ♡
If you watched me and my family on Channel 4’s Escape to Florida (if not you can stream it here - we are in the first 4 episodes), you’ll know that my skincare routine had to undergo a bit of an overhaul when I moved from London. More hydration and way more protection. I had to really up my SPF game.
But finding a good SPF for your face is hard, right? They either ‘pill’ into little balls as soon as you apply your makeup, leave an ugly white cast on your skin, or just make your face look really greasy.
However, after almost 5 years of living in Florida full-time, and of course as a beauty editor who has tested thousands of formulas over nearly three decades in the industry, I’ve become quite the expert at finding the good ones that don’t do any of those annoying things. Actually, the SPFs that I use now don’t just protect my skin - they help it look instantly better.
Right now, I have 3 favourite SPFs that have survived the ultimate Florida humidity test:
My Top 3 Face SPFs at a Glance
No7 Prime Forever Skin Preservation SPF 50: Best for a blurring, invisible primer effect that targets early sun damage.
e.l.f. Suntouchable! Whoa Glow SPF 30 : Best for an affordable, pre-makeup radiant base.
Naked Sundays Cabanaglow Mineral Glow Drops SPF 50: Best for an effortless, dewy beach-town glow without the need for foundation.
How To Layer SPF Under Makeup Without Pilling
One of the questions I get asked often is how to layer sun protection without creating those annoying little grey balls that pill up on the skin. My routine changes depending on what my skin needs that morning and whether I’m wearing a full makeup base.
The Pre-SPF Step I Always Do: After cleansing, I always apply a serum first. A serum is essential for hydration (remember: dry skin = aging skin) and delivering active ingredients deep down. Right now, I love using a Vitamin C serum. While it isn’t a sunscreen, Vitamin C is packed with antioxidants that act as an extra layer of defense against environmental aggressors like intense sunlight. I absolutely LOVE Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum.
The Makeup vs. No-Makeup Rule: If I’m not wearing a foundation or base that day, I’ll go straight from serum to a lightweight moisturizer (like CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion), and then apply my SPF. But if I’m wearing a full makeup base, I look closely at how my skin is behaving. If it feels particularly dry, I’ll layer that lightweight moisturizer between my serum and SPF. If my skin already feels nourished and hydrated, I skip the moisturizer entirely and go straight from serum to SPF to keep the layers minimal and prevent pilling under my foundation.
1. The New SPF Discoveries: No7
No7 has absolutely mastered the art of under-makeup SPF formulation recently. I’m currently rotating two of their SPF 50s depending on what my skin needs that morning.
No7 Prime Forever Skin Preservation SPF 50
This is a brand-new discovery for me. It’s part of a new range technically targeted at a younger, 30-something demographic whose skin hasn’t quite shown the visible effects of aging yet, even though any after effects of previous sun damage are bubbling away quietly under the surface. But anyone can still use it. It’s gorgeous under makeup - zero pilling and sinks into skin instantly, making it perfect for makeup.
No7 Future Renew Damage Protection SPF 50
This feels just a tad richer on the skin than the Prime Forever version. Just like its sister product, it sits under makeup perfectly without disrupting your foundation.
The Sweat Test: During summer, the sun is already up when I go to the gym or take a walk along the beach. Even though No7 doesn’t explicitly market these as sweat-proof, I’ve put them to the test. They are incredibly lightweight, stay firmly in place, and crucially, they don’t run into your eyes when you start to sweat.
2. The BUDGET SPF I ALWAYS Recommend: e.l.f. Cosmetics Suntouchable Whoa Glow
You all know how much I love e.l.f and this is the SPF base I recommend to my best friend, my closest circle, and my followers non-stop.
e.l.f. Suntouchable! Whoa Glow SPF 30 (I ♡ Shade: Sunbeam)
This has been an absolute staple in my skincare routine for a good couple of years now and I’m obsessed with the shade Sunbeam. While it comes in a few shades, Sunbeam gives my skin tone the most stunning, what I like to call (excuse the magazine speak: lit-from-within glow). My only criticism? As a Florida resident, I always prefer a slightly higher SPF factor than 30 for daily wear. But the finish is so beautiful, I keep coming back.
Because I’ve currently run out of Sunbeam, I’ve been testing the Invisible version which has no tint, and I love it. It works exactly like an expensive makeup primer. It is completely weightless, clear, water-resistant, and visually blurs the skin. If you hate the feeling of traditional sunscreen, this lightweight option will change your mind.
3. The Makeup Base With Added SPF50: Naked Sundays
Naked Sundays Cabanaglow Mineral Glow Drops SPF 50 Sunscreen In Illuminating
When I want an effortless glow without a full face of foundation, I wear these drops for my base. The texture is a total dream - completely lightweight and fluid. It’s a bit like a tinted moisturizer, giving just a slight hint of coverage while flooding the skin with a luminous, dewy glow. It’s the perfect one-and-done product for a healthy, low-key day look.
The Midday Refresh: How to Reapply SPF Over Makeup
If it’s just for incidental sun exposure - like leaving the house to get into the car - I love using a quick SPF mist to top things up. The Vacation® Super Spritz Face Mist SPF50 is a personal favorite. BUT if you live in the UK, that isn’t available yet, so I would also recommend La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Anti-Shine Mist Sunscreen SPF50. My brilliant makeup artist friend, Donna May, swears by that one too - you can read more about Donna’s recommendations here.
The Beauty Ed® Tip: If I’m wearing a full face of makeup and know that I’m going to be working or spending a lot of time outside, I use a brilliant industry trick: take a high-quality makeup brush and gently dab a drop or two of your liquid or cream SPF directly over your makeup. It keeps your protection fully intact and actually gives the skin a really lovely, dewy finish rather than disrupting your base.
📹 WATCH ME DO IT:
I hope this helps you avoid those dreaded SPF makeup/foundation ‘pills’! If you have a favourite SPF that manages to survive the summer heatwave, drop it in the comments below - I’m always ready to test and share a new recommendation.
And if you need a top up, don’t forget to shop my current favs through the links above!
Donna
xx