Let's talk sunscreen! Sunscreen is one of those products most people think about in the summer months when the sun is shining bright all day or at the beach or the pool when they know they'll be heavily directly exposed to the bright rays. Most people forget about sunscreen on a daily basis as part of their skincare regimen or during the colder months when the sun isn't seen as much. Unfortunately, this is the wrong way to think about it. Sunscreen is a necessity all year long and should be apart of your daily skincare regimen. Sunscreen is a step that shouldn't be forgotten and I'm going to give you 3 reasons why!
Being completely honest, for the longest time I didn't wear sunscreen everyday and I was that person I just talked about. If you told me I needed sunscreen everyday all year I would have looked at you like you were crazy. Not only that, but you want me to wear it on my face daily? Why would I do that? It's ashy and it's greasy. Isn't the SPF 15 in my foundation enough? It's not even sunny outside. Oh and don't you know, my skin has melanin. These were all reasons why I didn't think wearing sunscreen was that big of a deal. But listen, I have read enough articles and listened to enough skincare experts to know - sunscreen is a necessity! I don't ever leave my house without sunscreen.
Just in case you still aren't wearing sunscreen everyday and you're not sure why you should, I'm listing 3 reasons why you need to wear sunscreen everyday and all year long.
#1 - Cancer. No matter the color of your skin, you can develop cancer from sun exposure. Even in the winter the UVA/UVB rays are still present. Those with melanated skin are actually more likely to die from skin cancer than those with lighter skin. Often, this is because we are not protecting our skin nor are we looking for the signs of sun damage or skin cancer because we've believed the myth that melanin is all we need. No one wants skin cancer and it's so easy to protect yourself everyday.
#2 - Premature Aging. Sun exposure can speed up the aging process by aiding in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The sun's rays can dry out your skin so why not protect it daily with sunscreen. Aging is inevitable yes, but who really wants to look their age. We all want to look younger than we are, protect your skin so this can be your reality.
#3 - Hyperpigmentation (dark spots) and Skin Care Progress. If you're using a skin care regimen and spending a lot of money on skincare products you are doing yourself a real disservice by neglecting sunscreen. Many products contain ingredients that make our skin more sensitive to the sun (AHAs, BHAs just to name a few). Going without sunscreen can cause damage to penetrate our skin quicker and easier if we are failing to protect it after our serums etc. Also, if you have dark spots that you are trying to treat - forget it if you're neglecting your sunscreen. You're not helping yourself at all, in fact your dark spots may even get darker since they are being exposed to the sun without protection.
Ok, so now I've given you 3 solid reasons why you need to wear sunscreen all year long but what kind should you wear? What about the ashiness factor?
You should definitely be wearing an SPF with a rating of 30+ daily. So this already cancels out those foundations with SPF 15. But there are moisturisers with this type of SPF or stand alone sunscreens will work as well. In recents years, sunscreen is much better and there are so many on the market to choose from that range from high end to drugstore. Sunscreen also comes in different forms now such as spray (for refreshing during the day) or powders to use throughout the day as well. The possibilities are endless.
I'm linking a few of my favorite sunscreens along with a few I've heard great things about.
Do you wear sunscreen daily? What is your favourite brand?
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Sarai
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