If sunscreen stops working after a few hours, do you still have to take it off before you go to sleep?
YES.
Cleansing your skin at night is not optional – even when all you’ve been wearing during the day were moisturiser and sunscreen. Here’s why:
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Should You Remove Sunscreen At Night Even If It Has Stopped Working?
It’s true that UV filters degrade when exposed to sunlight. The longer you stay in the sun, the faster this degradation occurs.
If you’re spending the day at the beach, your sun protection’s gone in two hours. Poof! That’s why you need to reapply it again. And again. And again.
But just because your UV filters have stopped working their magic, it doesn’t mean that your sunscreen has completely come off your face.
UV filters aren’t the only ingredients used in sunscreen. They also contain emollients, preservatives, thickeners and a lot of other stuff.
Some of those ingredients will cling to your skin long after the sun protection’s gone. You need to get those off if you want your evening serums and moisturisers to have the best chance of penetrating deep into your skin.
Doesn’t matter how tired you are. Get that sunscreen off your face before you go to bed.
Do you remove your sunscreen at night? Let me know in the comments below.
I’m someone who is shouting yes, take off the sunscreen! 😀 My face feels so much fresher when I take off all my makeup and sunscreen! I couldn’t stand not removing all my sunscreen off each night.
The olive oil idea is very smart! For a while, I used coconut oil and then a cleanser.
Janessa, skin feels so much better when you cleanse it properly, doesn’t it? And coconut oil works really well too.
Just curious!
How about those moisturiser with SPF? Do we have to remove that also?
Connie, everything that’s on your skin needs to be removed at night, otherwise your night time skincare products may not absorb properly. 🙂
Mam I apply sunscreen 9am and clean it 5pm. is it right or wrong?
Nazma, if the sun has set, or by that time you’re already at home, away from windows and don’t plan to get out again, that’s fine. You should wear sunscreen only when the sun is up.