Why SPF should be apart of your daily routine, rain or shine.
Sunshine is a blessing and a curse. It gives life, supplies us with warmth and vitamin D, and gives us our favorite summer days and sunsets. However, the Ultraviolet (UV) radiation that emits from the sun and onto us poses the greatest danger for sunburn, aging, and skin cancer.
Don't get me wrong, as a girl who has been pale and freckled her whole life, I don't mind a little golden tan and glowing complexion in the summer months. However, I don't want to grow old regretting the many hours that I've been in the sun roasting away without SPF guarding the largest organ of my body. Being proactive and preemptive about skin damage before it happens is way easier and healthier than having to buy aloe vera and expensive anti-aging creams after the fact. I don't care who or how old you are, we all need to be protected from the sun.
Before I go through some of my favorite SPF products, as well as some helpful tips about staying safe in the Sun, let's learn a little more about UV rays. Ultraviolet radiation is a frequency of of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun and other sources (tanning beds, gel nail curing units, etc.) UV rays are definitely in the middle of the spectrum when it comes to intensities and frequencies of radiation, Alpha radiation being the weakest to humans, and Gamma Rays being the strongest. There are three main types of UV radiation: UVA, UVB and UVC. With the least amount of energy of the three, UVA is a major source for long term premature aging, wrinkles, and skin cancer formation going deep into the skin's layers. The UVB rays are next up, a little stronger than UVA, but not as strong as UVC. UVB rays are directly in charge of sunburn, affecting the upper surface layers of the skin,and have been known to damage skin cells enough to impact their DNA and cause multiple types of skin cancers. The third, UVC, has the most energy, but these are mostly impacted by Earth's Ozone layer and don't reach us. However, UVC radiation can come from man-made sources such as tanning beds, sanitizing bulbs and welding torches.
UV Index
The UV index corresponds to the strength levels of UV rays on any given day in any location. The higher the number between 0-15, the less time it will take for you to experience skin damage while outside if you do not wear spf.
Here is a brief overview of the UV index, what it means, and precautions you should take for each .
0-3: Minimal to Moderate risk, takes 45-60 minutes to experience sun damage, low spf needed
4-6: Moderately high risk, takes 30-45 minutes to experience sun damage,
7-10: High Risk, takes 15-30 minutes to experience sun damage
11+: Very Very high risk, could only take 10 minutes
SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is the measure of how much protection from UV rays you will get, hence different levels such as SPF 15, 30, 50, and above.
Mineral vs. Chemical Sunscreens
I had never really looked at the actual ingredients that made my sunscreens effective, beyond their track record and great marketing. However, along with more natural deodorants/antiperspirants, soaps, and shampoos coming to the market, I became more interested in articles concerning natural substitutes for chemicals (many from mom-sites about what they use for their babies). Soon enough, I took a deep dive into some of my fave SPF ingredients, and saw how different mineral and chemical components are. Basically, chemical sunscreens contain unnatural, man-made compounds, usually Oxybenzone, Avobenzone, Octinoxate, Octocrylene, and more. Although these are great at absorbing UV rays and dissipating them before they can harm your skin, they are also being absorbed by your skin and into your body (bloodstream), and there is a fear that some non FDA approved chemicals in sunscreens could be harmful. Meanwhile, mineral sunscreens mostly contain titanium dioxide and and zinc oxide.
For My Face:
Although many brands make sunscreens fit for the face and body, I try to use products that are meant just for my face. All year round I wear sunscreen on my face. In the summer months or on a tropical vacation, when the sun's rays are more directly reaching my part of the Earth, I wear both a high SPF sunscreen and a tinted moisturizer with included SPF as part of my skin care routine. As someone who doesn't like heavy foundation, I often go for a tinted moisturizer option anyway, so the added spf is a plus. I used to think there was no need to wear spf on snowy or cloudy days, but that just isn't the case. The sun's rays are there when the sun is out, so any day can prematurely age your skin (the sun's reflection on bright snow is also very intense). I will however say that I don't apply a high spf super liberally all the time if I'm not going to be out in sunlight between 10am-4pm on super high UV days, as our bodies still need to absorb some of that good Vitamin D without the obstacle of thick layers of spf over our skin. A simple 15-30 spf on the face should suffice for me, but I always make sure I have options at the ready. Sometimes, I'll sit outside for a few minutes when I first wake up so my skin and soak up some sunshine, and then I continue on with my normal spf routine. My current face brands for these are SuperGoop and Laura Mercier.
Here are a few products I use for my face, neck, chest, and hands:
BODY:
When I think about what I want to put on my body (everything else besides face, neck, chest, and hands), I want something moisturizing and long lasting and easy to apply, not full of fragrance or greasy additives. As much as I love lathering my shoulder shoulders and arms with a cream body sunscreen, sometimes nothing beats the ease that comes with a spray sunscreen (I can never reach my entire back on my own with a cream). Here are a few that I've used over the years and loved.
SUPER GOOP is again a personal favorite of mine, for my face and my body. Although it is a relatively expensive choice, the variety of products they have is just unmatched, and a little bit of product goes a LOOOONG way. They don't have any harsh ingredients or fragrances.
HAWAIIAN TROPIC Tropic Island Sport Sunscreen Spray is my go to spray. Whether I'm working out, or just spending a long day in the sun, this great smelling spray is what I reach for when my arms, legs, stomach, and back need my attention.
Important things to remember:
You gotta reapply!
SPF is not just a "one and done" application. Water, sweat, evaporation, and natural breakdown from sun exposure on the skin decreases the effectiveness of your sun protection as time goes by. Even touching or wiping your skin moves around and removes the sunscreen you put on at the start of the day. The rule of thumb is to reapply every 1.5-2 hours, especially during his UV index hours, and if you are swimming, sweating, etc. If you are wearing makeup, sunscreen facial mists are entering the market, and the effort to wear shades and a hat also help.
Sunscreen is just the tip of the iceberg!
Besides sunscreen, sunglasses are a vital part in keeping your eyes in check on a sunny day. And who doesn't want an excuse to buy an accessory in the name of sun safety? Hats, umbrellas, and sweatshirts can also play a role in shielding yourself from the sun.
You don't need the sun to glow!
If you want to sustain that dark tan all year round, and don't want the cancerous cons of laying in the sun or in a tanning bed all day, try out these highly rated self-tanner brands. And no, if you do your research and find one for your skin tone and desired level of tan, you won't turn orange. ;)
Isle of paradise
Jergens Natural Glow
Supergoop
St. Tropez
Loving Tan
Fake Bake
Alba Botanica
Tan Towel
L'Oréal Sublime Bronze
Bondi Sands
Sun Bum
You can boost your tanning speed/abilities if that's your preference:
I personally don't use these, but if you are still willing to lay out in the sun to get a dark glow, these products will help you get and keep a darker tan in a shorter amount of time. Some tanning lotions and oils are often full of not so great chemical dyes and reactors (look at ingredients and reviews before buying!), but they do allow you to spend less time under the sun to get a dark tan equivalent of hours long tanning. Please look at the ingredients, and know that you don't need to turn into a skin color that doesn't resemble your real ethnicity to feel beautiful!
Alba Botanica Hawaiian Dry Oil
Sun Bum tanning oil
Banana Boat Deep Tanning Dry Oil
Maui babe browning lotion
Paint it Black 50x (I've only included this scary one because everyone and their mom on Tik Tok seems to use it.)
Hawaiian tropic dark tanning oil
Exotic Blend Australian Gold
I hope you liked my recommendations, give them a try! Get outside, get your glow, and enjoy nature all while staying healthy!
Sincerely,
Olivia Lorraine
