Let's Talk About Sunscreen

Did you know that there are still some people out there who DON’T use sun protection as part of their everyday skincare routine? Yes that’s right people, you should be wearing it everyday, not just when it’s sunny. If I leave the house now without this protecrtion I get in a bit of a panic. This morning, for instance, I had to run to Tesco to buy something to put on because I felt naked!

Even Kylie Jenner faced a bit of stick recently when she didn’t include a sunscreen product as part of her new Kylie Skin collection, but judging from her recent vlog (yes I watched it and I am not ashamed) she will be releasing one pretty soon!

Here’s the thing, just by researching for this article I found out an important fact - when people say SPF they think they are getting total protection, but actually SPF only does half the job! Let me explain…

What is SPF?

SPF stands for ‘Sun Protection Factor’. This is a measure of how much protection the product gives you from UVB rays. So when it says SPF 15 / 30 / 50 etc you can use this number as a measure for how long you can stay in the sun. For example, if you burn in 10 minutes with nothing on, if you put on factor 15 you can stay in the sun 150 minutes without burning (10 mins x Factor 15 = 150). That’s the maths over.

However, there are two types of protection you need when it comes to sunscreen, UVB is a major one but what about UVA?

What does UVA and UVB stand for?

UV rays are ultraviolet rays produced by the sun (to get all sciency on you).

UVB rays are the ones that cause sunburn and can also cause skin cancer. They are the crazy ones we definitely need to worry about so very important to be getting that SPF coverage.

BUT, UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin than UVB rays so they are the ones you need to worry about when it comes to ageing your skin prematurely. SPF will not necessarily protect you against this. Oh dear! And worse? UVA penetrates through windows! Quick, shut all the blinds.

How can I can coverage from both UVA and UVB?

Don’t worry, there are lots of products out there that cover you from both these dangerous rays. You need to look out for ‘Broad Spectrum’ - if it doesn’t have these words on your sunscreen then you may not be getting all the protection you need! This means you get cover on both UVA and UVB.

I haven’t tried loads of sunscreens - I have mainly stuck with the Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defense which I find works really well for my skin. However, I want to try a few different ones so you’ll find my sunscreen wishlist in the images below.

Just remember - wear sun protection EVERY DAY your future self will thank you!