It’s a well-known fact that the sun’s rays can be damaging to the fragile skin on our face, but did you know you should wear sunscreen every day? Sunscreen is typically associated with the beach, the pool, and other outdoor summertime activities. Of course, you’d lather up while you’re spending hours outside in the hot sun. But sunscreen every single day? Even when you don’t plan to spend much time outdoors?
Here’s a look at what happens to your skin when you choose to wear sunscreen on a daily basis. Spoiler alert: it’s a lot better than choosing not to.
The Sun’s Effect on Your Skin
The sun is crucial to life on earth. Not only is it the source of heat, light, and food, but it also gives us much-needed vitamin D when we spend time outdoors. But for all the good the sun does, spending too much time soaking up the rays without protection can be harmful to our bodies.
Why can something that is so good for us be so harmful, you ask? Two words: ultraviolet rays.
The sun’s rays have varying wavelengths, and some are more harmful than others. The visible light rays that we can see can be bright and may cause damage to our eyes if we look at the sun without sunglasses, but they won’t do much to harm your skin. Ultraviolet radiation, on the other hand, is invisible to the eye and can cause a lot of damage to the skin.
Types of UV Radiation
Ultraviolet radiation comes in three types: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Most of the UV rays that reach the earth (and our skin) are UVA, but some UVB waves make it too. UVC waves aren’t really a concern since their wavelengths are completely absorbed by the ozone layer and the earth’s atmosphere.
While the sun is the major source of UV radiation, there are some artificial sources as well. These include tanning beds, mercury vapor lighting, certain lasers, and certain types of lightbulbs.
The most concerning type of ultraviolet radiation is UVA. It’s the primary cause of sunburns and is heavily associated with skin aging. UVB rays can also be dangerous and can burn the skin. The best way to limit your exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays is to wear sunscreen every day. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVA rays, and pick something with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Sunglasses, hats, and protective clothing can also go a long way toward protecting your skin from damage.
How Sunscreen Helps
Sunscreen contains ingredients that help block ultraviolet rays from penetrating your skin. Most sunscreens have ingredients that fall into these two main categories:
- Sun Absorbing Chemicals – Sunscreens with chemical ingredients have things like oxybenzone, avobenzone, and octisalate on the label. Oxybenzone and avobenzone are chemicals that act like a sponge and absorb the UV rays before they can reach the skin. Octisalate is often added to these chemicals to extend the duration of sun exposure before a burn happens. It also makes chemical sunscreens water resistant.
- Sun Blocking Minerals – Rather than absorbing the sun’s rays, mineral sunscreens act as a shield to block and deflect ultraviolet radiation. Mineral sunscreens typically have zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on the label’s list of ingredients.
Another consideration when choosing sunscreen is the sun protection factor (SPF). This number refers to the amount of time it would take UVB rays to burn your skin when wearing that sunscreen. So SPF 30 means that it would take 30 times as long to get a sunburn when wearing that sunscreen as it would without any sunscreen. Higher SPF sunscreens block more rays, but no sunscreen blocks 100% of the sun’s rays.
It’s a little-known fact that SPF only measures the sun’s protection from UVB rays. This is why it’s important to look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which means it protects from both UVA and UVB rays.
Daily Sunscreen Reverses Sun Damage
Regardless of which type of sunscreen you use, it will help your skin stay younger and healthier. A 2014 study found that wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen on the face every day can actually reverse the signs of sun damage. Participants who used SPF broad-spectrum sunscreen every day for a year saw improvements in skin clarity, texture, and pigmentation. These results were visible in as little as 12 weeks, with continued improvement over the year.
What does this tell us about wearing facial sunscreen daily? It actually works. It makes a huge difference in your skin and will help fight the signs of aging and sun damage. So if you’ve been worried about sun damage on your skin being irreversible, try using 30 SPF broad-spectrum sunscreen every single day, and you might be surprised by the results.
Tips for Applying Sunscreen
Have you ever spent a day out in the sun and ended up sunburned even though you used sunscreen? That’s probably because you weren’t applying it correctly. Sunscreen can make a huge difference for your skin, but only when it’s applied properly. Here are a few tips to follow when applying your sunscreen to make sure it does its job.
- Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside. It takes time for your skin to absorb the sunscreen for maximum sun protection, so applying sunscreen once you’re already outside can lead to a sunburn.
- Reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes to two hours. Another common reason for sunburns is waiting too long to reapply. Reapply more frequently when you’re in the water.
- Check your sunscreen to make sure it’s not expired, and be sure to use enough of it to cover your skin properly.
Find Sunscreen and More at GetGlowing Skincare
If you’re ready for younger, healthier-looking skin, it’s time to switch up your face care routine and wear sunscreen every day. You can find high-quality sunscreens and other life-changing skincare products at GetGlowing Skincare. We offer a broad range of products specifically designed to create flawless, beautiful skin. We’ve got supplies for every price point and use, including acne and scar repair products, anti-aging and tightening, brightenings, under-eye care, cleansers, and more.
Check out our online collection today to shop our extensive line of sunscreen and other skincare products and see why everyone is raving about Korean skincare!