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What You Need to Know About Your Everyday Sun Care Routine

July 19, 2021

News

What You Need to Know About Your Everyday Sun Care Routine

When you think of your skincare routine, how often do you consider the impact of the sun? While the sun is an instant boost of serotonin, it can wreak havoc on your skin. We all know the importance of applying SPF. The sun and its UV rays can accelerate premature aging and damage your skin’s natural protective barrier. When it comes to your skincare routine, the sun is something you can’t afford to overlook. We’re taking an in-depth look at what you should be including in your everyday sun care routine.

The importance of SPF


The first thing to remember is that SPF isn’t optional and it’s not a seasonal staple. Unlike your fake tan, SPF is something you want to be using year-round. If you want to protect your skin from UV rays, you need to be applying SPF on a daily basis. Using SPF every once in a while isn’t enough to look after your skin. Consistency is always key for your skincare routine.
While the sun’s vitamin D can benefit your skin and brighten your mood, you want to ensure you’re also protecting your skin from sun damage. Continued exposure to the sun can lead to premature aging, including age spots and sagging as your skin loses its firmness and collagen production.
Prevention is always better than the cure. Without wearing sunscreen, your skin will be prone to everything from sunburn to hyperpigmentation and fine lines. It’s important to mention the role that SPF plays in protecting you from skin cancer.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommend using a daily sunscreen with at least SPF 15 to reduce your risk of squamous cell carcinoma by 40% and lower your melanoma risk by 50%. It only takes a 30 seconds to apply your SPF, but it can be a gamechanger in protecting your health.

Using SPF in your daily routine


You might think that moisturiser is the final step of your skincare routine. While this is true for your night-time regime, your daytime routine should always end with your sunscreen. You want to be applying an SPF to anywhere on your body that is going to be exposed to the sun. Regardless of what you’re wearing, this will usually be your face and hands.
You want to have a separate SPF for your face and one for your body. Apply both SPFs around 20 minutes before you head outside. Even if it’s raining and cloudy outdoors, you want to be wearing your SPF. Even if you don’t see the sun, it’s always there, lingering in the background. You also don’t need to be sitting outside to be exposed to UV rays. Sitting by a window is enough for your body to come into contact with the sun.
It’s not enough to just put your SPF on once a day. You want to be carrying your sunscreen with you every day to reapply throughout the day. The usual rule of thumb is to reapply your SPF every two to three hours on a sunny day. On cloudy days, you can usually reapply your SPF around the same time you’re adding a fresh coat of lipg gloss.

What is the right amount of SPF to use?


One of the most common questions about incorporating sunscreen into your routine is how much should you be using? It’s not an exact science and everyone’s skin is different. You want to be using enough sunscreen to cover your exposed skin, including areas of your face like your ears and neck.
Usually, a teaspoon of sunscreen is enough to cover your face, although this will depend on the consistency of your product. You want to be using enough that it gives you a coat of SPF to protect your skin without missing out on any parts of your face.
Your sunscreen should cover everything from your chest and decolletage to your ears and hairline. Don’t forget about your lips! Chapped lips can be caused by dehydration in the summer as well as the winter.
You want to make sure you’re using the right level of SPF for the climate. As a general rule, you should always be wearing at least SPF15. When you’re spending the day outdoor, you want to make sure you’re using an SPF30 or higher. Your local supermarket will usually stock at least SPF30 or SPF50 for you to use.
If you’re heading on vacation, you can find a higher SPF sunscreen if needed. It’s always best to go up with your SPF than to be using one that doesn’t provide enough protection.

Do I need to be wearing SPF?


Everyone should be wearing sunscreen, regardless of their age or gender. The only category of people who can’t wear sunscreen are babies under 6 months as their skin is too sensitive. Instead, you should be keeping them out of the sun and adding sun-protective clothing. These tips are also great for both adults and kids alike.
If you’re not already wearing a daily SPF, this is a sign to start today. Every skin tone should be using SPF. The sun doesn’t discrimination, regardless of what your skin undertones or color is. Whether you tan or don’t tan, you should be using an SPF every day.
While it’s true that darker skin tones can be a little more resilient to sun damage, they are also susceptible to the same skin induced issues and sun burns. On the flip side, those with darker skin tones are often more likely to experience skin cancer, because they believe they’re less likely to be at risk of sun damage.
Thankfully, as the beauty industry involves and becomes more inclusive, it is easier to find sunscreens that do not leave a white or ashy cast on your skin.

What is the best type of SPF to use?


You’re spoilt for choice of sunscreens as the industry wakes up to the importance of using SPF every day. There are dozens of sunscreens to choose from that offer protection from UVA and UVB rays. Just like your beauty products, sunscreens include active ingredients that help to protect your skin from sun damage and prevent UV rays attacking your skin.
The most popular types are either chemical or mineral SPFs. It’s usually a matter of preference when deciding which one you should be using.
Mineral SPFs are usually less irritating and a good choice for those with sensitive skin as it sits on your skin’s surface, while still blocking out the harmful UV rays. This type of sunscreen is also known as ‘physical’ SPF and contains minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. They block out the UV rays from penetrating into your skin.
Chemical SPFs have a thinner consistency, making them ideal for wearing under your makeup and easily absorbs into your skin. This type of sunscreen is made with chemical ingredients like avobenzone and octisalate. They work by absorbing the UV rays before they can damage your skin.
You can choose to mix and match these types of sunscreens, depending on whether you’re wearing makeup, or settle on whichever one works best for you. Most of the sunscreens you find on the market are actually a blend of mineral and chemical ingredients. Both physical and chemical SPFs are equally as effective, making it a personal preference as to which one will work best for you.
It’s worth remembering that you need to be using a dedicated SPF and not relying on the sun protection in other beauty products. These products offer an add-on protection that helps to top-up the SPF in your sunscreen, but you should not be relying on them as an independent sunscreen.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommend that the best SPF you can use is the one you’re most likely to use. As long as the sunscreen gives you the protection you need and has at least an SPF of 15, you’re good to go! It may take some trial and error, but you’re guaranteed to eventually find a sunscreen that works for you and your skin.

How to remove SPF


Just like your makeup, you want to make sure you’re removing your SPF at the end of the day. Cleansing should be the focal point of your skincare routine to remove impurities and dirt from your skin.
Using an SPF is like having hairspray in your hair. It sticks to your skin and won’t move until you remove it. You should be double cleansing when wearing a sunscreen as it helps to break down your SPF before removing dead skin cells. You can use an oil or balm cleanser as your first step before following it up with a gentle face wash.
Just like sleeping with your makeup on, forgetting to remove your sunscreen can clog your pores, lead to breakouts, and cause skin irritation.
Even if you’re not planning to wear makeup or spend time outdoors, you should be wearing an SPF every day. Sitting by your window is enough for the UV rays to reach your skin. Protect yourself from the risk of skin cancer and prevent premature aging by taking 30 seconds out of your day to apply sunscreen. Trust us. You’ll thank yourself later.

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