Why to wear sunscreen all year round
A hot summer day: that’s when you usually break out the sunblock and lather up to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. Well, guess what? That sun is out ALL year long regardless of whether you are relaxing at the beach or shoveling your driveway. That’s why I wear sunscreen every day, even if I’m just going out to take my dog for a walk. Even just one sunburn a year can greatly increase your risk of getting skin cancer, so it’s not a topic that I take lightly.
On top of saving you from a painful red sunburn, sunscreen can also protect you from signs of aging caused by the sun- and who wouldn’t want that! By wearing an SPF 30 or higher every day you can reduce some signs of aging like wrinkles, sunspots, and even avoid broken blood vessels. Wrinkles are caused by a lack of collagen and connective tissues. When these break down, it causes the skin to start to lose its elasticity and it can appear to sag. In addition, blood vessels can be affected by too much UV damage. The sun can cause a breakdown of the walls of the vessel, which can then lead to a bruising or bleeding appearance and make your skin appear older than it is.
Now that you know the dangers of sun damage, here is what you should look out for when purchasing a good, protective sunscreen. First, you want to make sure that it says “broad spectrum.” This means that it will block BOTH UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays are the ones that are more associated with burning and cause a lot of damage to the top layers of your skin. Meanwhile, UVA rays are the ones with a longer wavelength that penetrate the skin deeper. These are often the ones that are associated with signs of premature aging and are the ones you are not fully protected from if you buy non-broad spectrum sunblock. You’ll also want to aim for a lotion with anything between SPF 30 and SPF 50. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and it measures the level of protection you will get from the sun’s harmful rays. For example, SPF 30 means that it will take you 30 times longer to burn than if you weren’t wearing sunblock at all. In the case of SPF 50, it would take you 50 times longer to burn. Regardless of what SPF you choose, be sure to reapply every 2 hours and especially after swimming or sweating.
The sunscreen market can be confusing and our founder, Jessica, did the research for you. She found one that works really well, and wanted me to share it with you in case you are looking for a good one, too! Her go-to sunscreen is The Play Everyday sunscreen with SPF 50 by Supergoop because it feels so light on her skin similar to the feeling of a daily lotion that won't weigh you down. We love it and I know you will too. So be safe this summer and don’t forget to pack your sunscreen wherever you go!