The Science of Makeup: Tinted Moisturizer with SPF

I recently asked one of my makeup buddies, April what kind of oil free tinted moisturizer would be best for my upcoming vacation to Cali.  I know that I'll be spending plenty of time on the beach and so I needed something with a little coverage and good SPF.  I bought one of the brands she suggested, Laura Mercier in Mocha (the darkest color available) at $42 from Sephora.  Even though it has an SPF of 20, the product felt very light and not pasty at all. The tint seemed to disappear into my skin and so after rubbing it in and allowing it to sit for a few seconds it matched my skin tone.  The makeup assistant at Sephora told me that SPF is very important to my skin type because the melanin in my skin is very active.  She said that is why my hyper-pigmentation appears so much darker than someone who has lighter complexion than I do.  It's also the reason why my sun tan would take longer to go away.  She also told me that as long as my SPF was between 15 to 30 that was enough protection against the harmful rays of the sun as long as I reapply every 2 hours.  I have yet to test this product out with reapplications every 2 hours, but here are a few things I'll be looking for:


1. Will the laying of the tinted moisturizer began to feel thick?
2.Will the laying of the tinted moisturizer look cakey?
3. Am I able to apply this all over my skin?
4. Will this product stain my clothes if worn on my neck and back?
5. Does reapplying mean darker coverage throughout the day? 

Me wearing the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer - Oil Free in Mocha w/ 20 SPF

Watch my girl BlackOnyx77's review (also, she does natural hair reviews and natural hair shows, so if you live in Tampa, definitely connect with her. She has a plethora of information on beauty and hair.)