What is the best time to apply sunscreen?
Sunscreen should be applied every morning as part of your routine, ideally about 15 to 20 minutes before you step outdoors if using a chemical sunscreen. For mineral sunscreens, it can be applied immediately before going out. The most important thing is that it is applied before UV exposure, not after you have already been out for a while.
Sunscreen is a preventative measure, which means it needs to be in place before UV exposure begins. UV rays start reaching ground level from early morning, around 7 AM in most Indian cities, and remain meaningful until 4 to 5 PM depending on the season. Applying sunscreen as your last morning skincare step, after moisturiser and before makeup, builds it into the routine naturally. For reapplication during the day, a sunscreen stick or powder sunscreen is a convenient format that can go over makeup without disrupting it.