Dermatologists and YouTube beauty gurus alike preach the importance of SPF in your daily routine. It’s something we all know we should be doing, just like we know we probably should get eight hours of sleep and drink six glasses of water a day. It’s just one of the things that usually falls by the wayside of our busy lives.
But there’s a reason we hear the term “SPF” come up so often. It is something that we should all be paying more attention to, regardless of skin tone or climate.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. It doesn’t always result from sunburns either. So even if you don’t burn easily, you’re still at risk. This is why daily protection is so important. When applying SPF focus on your face and hands, as these are the areas that get the most sun exposure.
If nothing else, do it for vanity. Sun protection prevents premature aging of the skin. Long-term overexposure to the sun can cause sunspots, along with a thick, leathery appearance, sagging, or wrinkles.
A lot of people don’t wear sunscreen because of the sticky feeling it leaves behind, but there are tons of matte sunscreens that are specifically formulated to avoid this. You can even get powder sunscreen to reapply throughout the day!
This sunscreen is my favorite, it’s got SPF coverage of 30 (which is the lowest coverage most dermatologists recommend) and it has UVA/UVB protection.
Protection from the sun should be an important aspect of your everyday routine. It’s as easy as brushing your teeth every morning, so pick up some sunscreen and try to find one that works for you. Your future self will thank you.