The Importance of SPF
Key Points
- SPF is crucial to prevent skin damage, cancer, and premature aging. It blocks harmful UVA and UVB rays that can burn your skin and damage DNA.
- Use SPF clothing and accessories like hats and beach covers to reduce the need for sunscreen, saving time, money, and effort while staying protected.
- Invest in bulk sunscreen and a specific, non-greasy facial sunscreen to integrate SPF into your daily routine, even indoors near windows.
Summer is upon us, and for many, it means longer days and time in the sun.
You may actively be working towards that beautiful glowing tan, or you might be out and about regularly, but one thing will always remain the same – you need to wear sunscreen.
Staying protected from the sun is incredibly important, and no amount of “15 SPF-moisturizer” is going to cut it.
The Importance of SPF
SPF, which stands for sun protection factor, blocks UVA and UVB rays from the sun. In other words, they help keep radiation from the sun off your skin.
Of course, this radiation can burn you, hence our sunburns, but more worryingly, it can also damage the DNA in your skin cells.
This can lead to cancer and mutations. It can also cause the skin cells to lose their elasticity and wither, so those who spend plenty of time in the sun without sunscreen, hats, or appropriate clothing end up looking far, far older prematurely than those who do.
This doesn’t mean you need to hide from the sun, however.
It just means that you need to be more mindful and use these steps to stay protected easily:
How to Easily Stay Protected
- Start with Your Clothes
If your clothes stop the sun’s rays, you won’t need to use SPF underneath them, saving time, effort, and, honestly, a lot of money. This is why you may see more kids nowadays running around in a full bodysuit since they’d prefer that to getting slathered with sunscreen before they head out.
SPF swimwear has factors up to UPF 50+ to protect skin from the sun’s rays. If you want to use less sunscreen while at the beach, choose a style that offers the most coverage.
- Bulk Buy Sunscreen
Technically, you should wear sunscreen every day, even if you don’t leave the home but want to sit next to the window. With that in mind, it’s very important that you bulk-buy sunscreen.
There are options that don’t feel quite so greasy as the ones you’d buy to put on at the beach, however, so it’s important to do some experimentation.
You can buy 1 litre of sunscreen at a time, saving you big on your sun-protecting needs and making it part of your getting-ready routine.
- Invest in Different Sunscreen for Your Face
The skin on our face, especially the skin around our eyes (yes, you need to cover that, too), is much more delicate than other parts of our body. That’s why you may want to look into buying a different sunscreen for your face. There are non-greasy options that work into the skin quickly, leaving you feeling much more refreshed while keeping you protected.
- Hats, Beach Covers, and More
Another great way to minimize how much sunscreen you need to put on during the day is to cover up. A fashionable, wide-brim hat, a beach cover to protect your shoulders or even a parasol can all do wonders to help you stay protected from the sun.