01 Nov Why You Should Wear Sunscreen Everyday
You know those posts that say ‘if you’re going to do one thing in life, let this be that thing”? Well, hold your horses because this is one of them.
I am here with a PSA: Wear SPF. Every. Single. Day.
Sure, the thought of lathering a thick, greasy lotion all over your face and body every 2 hours might sound unappealing, but you know what else is unappealing?
- Wrinkles
- Premature Aging
- Skin cancer
- Sunburn
- Hyperpigmentation
- Fine lines
- Melasma
(The list could go on.)
Besides, most sunscreens aren’t even greasy anymore anyway. Sunscreen has come a long way.
A popular misconception is that you don’t need to wear sunscreen when it’s cloudy. WRONG!
There are two types of ultraviolet rays that reach the earth’s surface from the sky. UVB rays have the potential to tan your skin (think burning). Whereas, UVA rays penetrate more deeply into the skin. These UVA rays (think aging) can cause fine lines and wrinkles, basically prematurely aging your skin and robbing the appearance of your youth. 95% of the rays that reach the Earth’s surface are UVA rays, the remaining 5% are UVB. When shopping for a sunscreen, keep an eye out for one that says Broad Spectrum, this way you’re getting complete protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
On most cloudy, rainy, or snowy days, the majority of the rays coming through the clouds are UVA rays. There is a higher possiblity of an exposure to these rays during this type of weather, as the clouds and snow actually reflect them, projecting them onto you. So yes, you do have to wear sunscreen all year round. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
As a sunscreen psycho, I used to get annoyed with a friend of mine because she would say things like, “oh, I don’t need to put on sunscreen, I’m just going for a drive.” Here’s the tea: Windows won’t protect you, sweetie. Some windows may have UVB protection, but those pesky UVA rays are still getting through and trust me, you will see the effects overtime.
Below is an image of a guy who drove trucks for 28 years with damage from the sun beaming down one one side of his face.
Don’t be like that guy, take the proper precautions and wear your SPF. Don’t forget reapply every 2 hours.
I’m not saying don’t go enjoy the sun, just take care of your skin so you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars reversing the damage later. A proper SPF, giant hats, UV clothing, and driving gloves are your new best friends.
One of my favorite SPFs right now is Colorescience’s Sunforgettable Brush-On SPF.
Hassle free. Cute and compact. Comes with a brush-on applicator. What more could a girl want? I simply just brush it on after applying my moisturizer, and then throw it in my purse so I can quickly reapply throughout the day. I’m a girl on the go so it’s perfect for me.
And men? Don’t think I forgot about you. EltaMD has got your back with a quick and seamless application. UV Clear which has hyaluronic acid if you are acne-prone. UV daily if you have normal/combination skin. Or UV Daily Tinted if you love a fabulous dewy glow. (I LOVE a dewy glow!)
As always, if you have any questions about sunscreen, or having trouble deciding which one is right for you, feel free to call us at The Lab and we can find the perfect sunscreen for you.
xoxo Ese