Reasons Why You Need Sunscreen 365 Days A Year

TAGS: SPF 50, MINERAL SUNSCREEN, TINTED SUNSCREEN

Reasons Why You Need Sunscreen 365 Days A Year

1. UV rays can penetrate glass
2. Sun exposure adds up
3. Don’t let the temperature fool you
4. Winter sunscreen tips

If sunscreen is not a part of your skincare routine 365 days a year, you are doing something wrong. Many have been led to believe it’s OK to skip the SPF during colder months. Sure, winter translates to spending more time indoors, but this doesn’t mean the skin isn’t exposed to UV rays. It may be in a more subtle fashion, but the sun still shines regardless of the temperature outside, and every-day activities like driving to work and running errands, as well as leisure time spent enjoying the great outdoors can leave the skin vulnerable to damage. Should you wear sunscreen everyday? Absolutely. Read on to find out exactly why.

1. UV rays can penetrate glass

On top of proliferating the visible signs of aging on skin, UV rays are responsible for much more sinister skin damage that can lead to skin cancer. If you are indoors for most of the winter months, you might assume your skin does not require daily sunscreen, and has avoided these potential consequences altogether. This begs the question: should you wear sunscreen indoors? If you think your skin is safe because you’re sitting in your office or car, guess again. UV rays can penetrate glass, and potentially cause the same harm to the skin as laying on the beach without sunscreen. This is just one reason why it’s imperative to use a broad-spectrum, mineral sunscreen each and every day, even during winter. Pro tip: ensure your sunscreen is always atleast SPF 50.

2.Sun exposure adds up

You may not count walking to and from your car or going to the mailbox as sun exposure, but these short bouts accumulate over the course of a lifetime. Without proper sun protection, tiny instances in the sun can add up to a significant amount of skin damage that may manifest as visible signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, and loss of skin elasticity decades later.

3. Don’t let the temperature fool you

Winter travel may take you to the tropics or the mountains (and other points in between)—and any destination requires the best sunscreen for face and body you can find. Summer likely has you well-trained to screen-up before heading outside, but many skiers and snowboarders fail to realize that the higher the altitude, the stronger the sun, which is why sun protection is especially important in the mountains. Snow reflects sunlight the same way sand and water do, which means the skin is exposed to UV rays from both the sky above and ground below. Cold temperatures may mean that a majority of the skin is covered, but there are still small areas that are exposed to a high level of UV light for an extended period of time while on the slopes, and it’s important to protect the lips and facial skin surrounding goggles with SPF 50. Essentially, whether coming down the slopes or on the beach, sunscreen remains relevant.

4. Winter sunscreen tips

The easiest way to make sunscreen part of your daily morning skincare routine is to a find a sun-protection product you don’t mind using. Enter SkinCeuticals: with an offering of several SPF 50 mineral sunscreen options for different skin types as well as preferences. Including tinted sunscreen fluid,​sheer mineral sunscreen fluid, and mattifying tinted sunscreen mousse, all of our products offer broad-spectrum 100%-physical protection with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Remember, sunscreen doesn’t work if it's not leaving it's bottle. Here are a few tips that can help optimize your sun-protection efforts.

• Most adults need about one ounce or enough to fill a shot glass for the entire body, and it’s important to focus on often-missed spots like the ears, the back of the neck, and the tops of the feet (if you’re headed to a warm-weather destination).
• Apply sunscreen to the entire face, ears, neck, chest, and hands 15 minutes before heading outside.
• When outdoors for an extended period of time, set a timer on your watch or phone to re-apply at least every two hours as well as after swimming, sweating, or towel-drying.
• To ensure delicate skin around the eyes is properly protected, consider a mineral sunscreen designed specifically for this area. Our Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50 features a non-migrating formula that won’t run into the eyes and a universal tint that helps even skin tone—and it works well as a primer for eye makeup as well.