Q: So I have some facial lotion that has spf 15 in it. is that enough? Does it even matter in the winter?
A: NO! SPF 15 ISN'T ENOUGH! And YES! IT DOES MATTER IN THE WINTER! Ok, sorry, I got caught up in that. I'll stop yelling now!
Let's talk about sunscreen (it's so important!) and not just for wrinkle prevention (yes, it works wonders for that too) but it also works great for cancer prevention.
Let's say you don't burn, so you say to yourself, "oh but I never burn, so i'm ok!" WRONG! Every second your skin is exposed to the sun it is being damaged. And all of that damage doesn’t just go away, it builds up over your entire life. And ya, we all need vitamin D, but you can get enough with sunscreen on. Supplements help too.
Sunscreen tips:
* Yes, you need to wear sunscreen every.single.day. Not just when you are at the lake. It doesn’t matter if the sky is covered in clouds and you’re only going to the post office, UV Rays will stalk you. Forever.
* Some types of makeup have sunscreen in them. The problem is it gives people a false sense of security because it really only gives you a little bit of protection and you are not getting the coverage you actually need.
* Anything below SPF 20 isn’t worth your time. Sorry, but it's true. Ask your dermatologist. He or she will back me up.
* There are two different kinds of UV-Rays that you need to be protected against, UV-A and UV-B. The sunscreen you buy needs to be a broad spectrum sunscreen because that means it protects against both.
* If your skin is sensitive to sunscreen, I have an option for you. Image sunscreen. It is organic, AND it is tinted, so in the summer I use it as my base anyway. Lucky for you, I carry it in my spa.
*Don’t forget about your lips! They are skin too. Putting on high shine lip gloss might look super pretty but it will draw in damage like laying out with baby oil on. Use some chap stick (they have kinds that come with spf) first.
Most of the damage we cause to our skin happens in our teens but then doesn’t present itself until years later. Slather your kids up as soon as you take them outside. I wish I had been wearing sunscreen everyday since I was a baby. The closer your skin is to it’s natural color, the healthier it is.
