If there’s any thing you take away from this article, let it be this: No matter how much you’re effort you’re currently putting into finding and using all of the best skincare products, if you’re not applying sunscreen, you are wasting your time! Sun protection is the single, most important step you can take for your skin’s all-around health. 

To find out why sunscreen is such a crucial step in your skin care routine, keep reading!

Sunscreen is the best anti-aging product

Sun damage is caused by the sun’s UV rays to your skin. You can only be in the sun for five to twenty minutes before it begins to harm your skin cells, and even if you don’t get sunburn, the damage UV rays cause will eventually lead to fine lines, wrinkles, sagging due to collagen loss, hyperpigmentation (aka age spots), and, worst of all, skin cancer.

Yes, you can try to correct the damage with anti-aging serums, essences, and moisturizers, but what is the point if by the next day you are exposed again to what caused the problem in the first place? As the saying goes, prevention is better than the cure.

Enter, sunscreen!

Sunscreen provides the protection you need to keep the damage from happening by bouncing off or neutralizing the harmful UV rays that are emitted by the sun every day. The sun doesn’t take a break, so neither should you! Sunscreen needs to be applied daily (and reapplied throughout the day) to truly reap its benefits. Even if it’s cloudy, raining, or even snowing, the sun will still emit UV rays irrespective of the temperature. Even when you’re indoors, these rays can penetrate windows and cause damage, albeit a lesser amount than direct sunlight.

You may say, “it’s okay, I don’t need sunscreen because my skin doesn’t burn easily!”, but burning is not the only sign of skin damage. Skin redness and burning are the instant effects of UVB damage, but UVA rays, which comprise 95% of the radiation emitted by the sun, are actually what cause the most damage, and these effects are really only visible long-term! UVA damage is what leads to premature aging, hyperpigmentation and skin cancer.

If you want to protect yourself from both UVA and UVB damage, you need to use a sunscreen with both a high SPF and PA rating. Confused? Don’t worry, we have a guide for how to find your perfect sunscreen coming up soon. 😉

If you struggle with acne, sunscreen is your best friend!

Sun exposure can cause lipid peroxidation, wherein sebum (oil on the skin) is being oxidized by sun exposure, free radicals, and other environmental factors, thickens and coagulates, making it more likely to clog your pores and cause breakouts.

If you’ve ever had a blackhead before (and who hasn’t), you have witnessed this process in action. They’re called blackheads for a reason - the  oxidation causes sebum to turn into a dark plug that in turn traps more dirt and sebum, which creates the perfect environment for acne-causing bacteria to flourish.

Say you have managed to calm down your breakout, if your skin is left unprotected from the sun, the damage will cause post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is just the science-y way of saying acne scars. Because repeated sun exposure triggers your skin to produce more melanin or pigment, the pigmentation can stick around for months, maybe even years. So, sunscreen both prevents and minimizes the visual effects of acne.

It is a common misconception that sunscreen will make acne worse, it really just depends on whether or not the product works for you. While some sunscreens can be thick, occlusive or difficult to wash off, these problems can easily be solved by choosing a sunscreen that suits your skin type, cutting down your morning routine if your sunscreen is too rich for you (some sunscreens are moisturizing enough that you can skip moisturizer all together), and making sure you are removing your sunscreen at the end of the day by double-cleansing.

Read more about choosing the right sunscreen if you have acne here.

If you want clear, even, and glowing skin, wear sunscreen!

I’m sure many of you have heard that you need to invest in exfoliating and anti-aging products like Vitamin C, AHAs, or retinol serums to keep your skin even in tone and glowing. These products are tricky to formulate as they can easily degrade and become ineffective, as well as cause irritation. As a result, good formulations are often quite expensive!

But if you are applying these products and not applying sun protection, you are not only wasting your time and money, you are actually making the damage worse! Exfoliants like the ingredients mentioned above can help clear and brighten your skin, but they also make it more sensitive to UV damage.

But honestly, if you had to choose between an expensive serum or treatment or sunscreen, the better choice is still to just use sunscreen. And the best choice, of course, is to use both!

The sun has started to come out – have some fun and enjoy the nice weather, but also make sure you take care of yourself! Remember that your skin is already beautiful - so keep it healthy and protected! ❤️

Shopping for sunscreen? You can browse our SPF collection here, and stay tuned for our guide for choosing the best sunscreen for you coming soon!

This article is the first part of an on-going series on sun protection.