Summer is here! As a Licensed Esthetician, part of my job is to educate people on the importance of protecting their skin...so as you can imagine, I am a stickler when it comes to getting sunscreen into a daily routine. Sunscreen is one of the most important aspects of skin health and I'm going to tell you why and what sunscreen is actually doing for you!
Why do I need sunscreen, and what does it do?
Sunscreen is necessary to maintain skins overall health but most importantly, to protect your precious skin from damage that leads to issues like skin cancer. When sunscreen is applied correctly, and as often as directed, it will protect the skin from UV rays that can burn your skin, and damage your skins structure. To really understand why you don't want UV exposure, it's helpful to know what that actually means...
There are two types of UV rays; UVB and UVA. UVB is generally known as the "burning" ray because of the burn that can occur from too much sun exposure. This ray can take longer to penetrate the different layers of your skin which is why you get a more intense sunburn the longer you are exposed.
UVA is known as the "aging" ray due to its deep and quick penetration into the skin causing damaging effects on your skin cells. It also damages the structure of your skin, reducing the amount of collagen and elastin fibers that keep your skin looking young and healthy. UV exposure also creates free radicals in the skin, and when the free radicals (damaged cells) reproduce, you end up with unhealthy, splotchy, aged skin. Not what you want, right?
Not sure what free-radicals are? Check out my blog post on Vitamin C and learn more about how they effect your skin.
There are two types of UV rays; UVB and UVA. UVB is generally known as the "burning" ray because of the burn that can occur from too much sun exposure. This ray can take longer to penetrate the different layers of your skin which is why you get a more intense sunburn the longer you are exposed.
UVA is known as the "aging" ray due to its deep and quick penetration into the skin causing damaging effects on your skin cells. It also damages the structure of your skin, reducing the amount of collagen and elastin fibers that keep your skin looking young and healthy. UV exposure also creates free radicals in the skin, and when the free radicals (damaged cells) reproduce, you end up with unhealthy, splotchy, aged skin. Not what you want, right?
Not sure what free-radicals are? Check out my blog post on Vitamin C and learn more about how they effect your skin.
When should I wear it, and how often should I apply it?
Sunscreen should be applied daily to any exposed skin, but at least to your face, every single day. Rain or shine, you are still being exposed to UV rays that can damage your skin over time and lead to skin cancer and premature aging. For daily wear running errands or at work, an SPF 30 is sufficient for overall protection. If you are going to have prolonged sun exposure a higher SPF is recommended to give you longer protection, but reapplication is still necessary regardless of the SPF number, especially after swimming or sweating.
What makes one sunscreen product different from another?
There are several different product options available for sun protection. What you need to be sure of when choosing a product, is that it is broad spectrum, meaning it protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. There are also different types of sunscreen ingredients that protect the skin, such as mineral or chemical ingredients. Optimal coverage is achieved when the mineral ingredients, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are used. These ingredients reflect sun rays off of the skin, rather than absorbing them, giving you increased protection from damaging rays.
In today's day and age...there is really no excuse to not use sunscreen. There are tons of different SPF products that are great, even for facial skin!
My current summer favorite for every day use is Glo Therapeutics Moisturizing Tint SPF 30. I use the shade 'medium' to give my skin a little bit of color. It doesn't cause breakouts, and gives just enough moisture to keep me from feeling dry.
Comment below if you need more recommendations for sunscreens!
My current summer favorite for every day use is Glo Therapeutics Moisturizing Tint SPF 30. I use the shade 'medium' to give my skin a little bit of color. It doesn't cause breakouts, and gives just enough moisture to keep me from feeling dry.
Comment below if you need more recommendations for sunscreens!