Summer is one of the most beautiful times of the year here in Colorado! With the sun shining almost every day, proper sun protection while out running, cycling, or hiking is a must. However, it can be intimidating choosing the right sunscreen for you and your family. What SPF level is best? Should you go with physical, mineral-based protection or chemical UV-absorbers? Have you considered how your sunscreen might affect the environment? It’s easy to get overwhelmed with options, so it’s helpful to start by knowing how sun exposure affects your skin.
When light hits the skin, it creates free radicals that attach themselves to important cellular proteins and DNA, ultimately causing collagen damage. When skin darkens or turns red, it means that there has been an inflammatory response at the cellular level. The result? Uneven pigmentation, dark spots, wrinkles, rough skin, and sometimes, skin cancer. The sun is never your friend and it damages skin, even in winter, so be sure to wear broad-spectrum protection every day! Before you shop for sun care, study the facts below to help guide you in your search.
Get sun smart with these sunscreen facts*:
[1] 24% of signs of aging are reduced by regular sunscreen use.
[2] Only sunscreens with SPF 15 or more can reduce the risk of sun cancer and early aging.
[3] 47% of sun aging occurs between ages 19 and 40. Not only can you help stop your accumulation today by applying sunscreen, but you can also help lessen the effects of past sun damage by doing so.
[4] All sunscreens labeled broad-spectrum are proven to protect skin from UVB (skin-burning) and UVA (aging and cancer-causing) rays.
[5] Water and sweat-resistant sunscreens must be effective for 40 or 80 minutes during swimming or sweating based on tests.
[6] Over 40% of the sun’s harmful UV rays can still penetrate through the clouds and ultimately to you.
[7] The basic rules of math don’t apply to SPF numbers. SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 stops about 97%, and SPF 50 obstructs 98%.
One final, surprising fact: Only 16% of women include sunscreen in their daily routine**. Our new partner, MyChelle Dermaceuticals, is on a mission to up that number in a big way with their safe, mineral-based sun care!
Did you know many sunscreens found on the market use toxic ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, butylparaben, retinyl palmitate, and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, which are potential hormone-disruptors and have been linked to coral bleaching events? All MyChelle sunscreens use broad-spectrum, mineral-based ingredients Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide that form a physical, protective barrier between your skin and the sun’s harmful rays.
Although it can seem complicated, it all boils down to this: Apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of the skin every single day. This simple habit goes a long way in keeping your skin healthy and sun safe!
Giveaway time! We’re giving away a MyChelle Dermaceuticals gift bag to 1 lucky winner. You get a canvas beach tote, a full size Sun Shield Clear Stick SPF 50, a Sun Shield SPF 28 Unscented, and a Cucumber Cooler Soothing Spray! Here’s how to enter (on Facebook or Instagram):
- LIKE this post on Facebook and/or Instagram
- TAG three friends in the comments
- FOLLOW/LIKE @womensquest and @mychellebeauty on Facebook and Instagram
Each action earns you an entry to the giveaway – good luck! Winner will be picked on Monday, 6/26/17
*Sources: Skin Cancer Foundation, New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, and The American Cancer Society.
**Source: Sunscreen and Prevention of Skin Aging. A Randomized Trial published in the Annals of Medicine