Shining a Light on Sunscreen Protection
It’s great to see the sun shining again during what’s typically known as May Gray, but what’s not so great is the harmful effect UV rays can have on our skin. That’s why it’s crucial to wear sunscreen, especially here in Southern California.
If we don’t protect our skin from the sun’s powerful rays, that exposure leads to photoaging. The result: lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and loss of firmness and elasticity in the skin. What’s worse is that too much sun exposure over time can increase the risk of skin cancer.
Knowing you need to wear sunscreen isn’t enough, however. To get the maximum effectiveness, you need to choose the right sunscreen and use it properly. Here are some helpful guidelines to keep your skin glowing because you take good care of it—and not because you’ve gotten to much sun.
- Wear sunscreen every day that you will be outdoors, in a car, or sitting by a window. (Certain UV rays penetrate glass.) So yes, you should be wearing sunscreen every day.
- Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin, including the tops of ears and feet and the back of the hands. The general rule of thumb is it takes 1 ounce to cover your body. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, that’s about a shot glass worth of sunscreen. Put on sunscreen about 15 to 20 minutes before you head out for the day, and reapply every two hours if you’re spending most of your time outdoors.
- When purchasing sunscreen, look for one with broad-spectrum coverage, which means it protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays. The sun protection factor (SPF) should be at least 30. You may want different sunscreens for different areas of the body. For instance, a sunscreen lotion with anti-aging ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C would be ideal for the face, while a sport stick works well for active days hiking, biking, or swimming.
- Choose a brand that’s reef-friendly if you’re planning to travel to Hawaii or swim in the ocean (when it’s safe to do so again). We’re pleased to partner with COOLA and PCA Skin brands which both offer reef safe sunscreen that complies with the new Hawaiian sunscreen ban that went into effect in 2021.
- Our top recommendation for full skin protection includes the COOLA line of skincare products that not only provide protection against harmful UV rays, but can also protect your skin from blue light and pollution.
If you need sunscreen, we encourage you to shop with us online. We carry the premium sunscreen line from PCA Skin in our boutique. These products glide onto your skin effortlessly for easy application and are available in SPF 30 to 50+. That sun protection comes from active ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide; these are physical (as opposed to chemical) sunscreens that act as a barrier to repel UV rays, plus they don’t harm reefs and marine life like certain chemicals do. Packed with antioxidants to help fight free radical damage caused by sun exposure, PCA Skin sunscreens are the perfect addition to your daily skin care regimen.
