SUNSCREEN 101
Everyone should wear sunscreen everyday. Men, women, children, babies, the elderly, you name it! Sunscreen isn't just for the beach or pool anymore. It is an essential part of any skincare routine.
Why is it so important to protect yourself from the sun? Simply put, the sun causes skin damage and skin cancer. If you don't protect yourself from the sun, you'll end up looking older than you really are and getting suspicious moles checked out by the doctor.
The sun works its black magic by emitting two kinds of harmful ultraviolet rays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays cause your skin to wrinkle and age faster (UVA = aging) while UVB rays cause your skin to tan and sunburn (UVB = burning). UVB rays are also responsible for the majority of skin cancers. Both UV rays work in conjunction and cause severe damage to your skin when it's overexposed to the sun.
Here is where sunscreen comes to the rescue! UV filters in sunscreens prevent this damage from happening by forming a protective layer on your skin, deflecting or absorbing harmful UV rays. Therefore, by wearing a good sunscreen everyday, you are essentially preventing UVA and UVB rays from reaching your skin, even if you are out in the sun for long hours at a time.
Of course you can always try to fix sun damage, photoaging, dark spots, and other skin conditions later on in life, but no potion or lotion will ever equal a good sunscreen's power of prevention. It's much easier to prevent signs of aging, sun damage, and cancerous lesions than it is to reverse them.
Luckily, many different types of sunscreens are available to protect you against and minimize the dangers of the sun. Remember the ones that used to smell like coconuts and luaus? Sunscreens today are much better formulated and feel nicer on the skin!
However, even though sunscreen gives good coverage, it does not provide 100% protection against the full spectrum of UV rays. Some sunscreens also need to be reapplied while others are made less effective (facial oils accumulating throughout the day or makeup touch-ups). Therefore it is a good idea to use sunscreen along with hats, tinted windows, UV proof clothing, and big sunglasses to get the maximum protection possible. The Skin Cancer Foundation also recommends avoiding the sun during peak hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
While many people understand the importance of wearing sunscreen, not all sunscreens are created equal. Did you know that your moisturizer or makeup with SPF probably isn't that effective for you? Did you know you need to apply 1/4th teaspoon of sunscreen for your face for it to be the most effective? Did you know you need an oil-based cleanser to completely remove sunscreen?
This section on sunscreen is broken up into the following three different parts, answering the above questions and explaining all the things you need to know about sunscreen:
Part 1: Physical vs. Chemical Sunscreens
Part 2: What to Look for in a Good Sunscreen
Part 3: Wear Sunscreen the Right Way