As the temperature begins to drop and you spend less time outdoors, you may be tempted to ease up or discontinue your daily sunscreen use and I am here to tell you, NOT so fast, sis! Most people mistakenly associate the use of sunscreen with the summer months only but sunscreen use is just as important in the summer as it is in the winter and in some instances, it’s more important.
Radiation from the sun is what damages and ages your skin and it remains a top threat to your skin’s health, therefore, sunscreen use should REMAIN a part of your skincare regimen year ’round.
In the winter months, the ozone layer is thinner than it is in the summer months. The ozone layer absorbs radiation from the sun so when you’re outdoors in the winter months, your skin is actually more vulnerable to sun damage. Years ago, my family spent Christmas holidays on snowcations….YEP!, we were crazy enough to leave snowy Kansas City to fly to another snowy environment to expose ourselves to something different….snow skiing. We loved spending time at the resorts so each year, we would pick a different ski resort and spend our Christmas holiday there. On the days that we were on the slopes or snowboarding, the sun’s rays were extremely strong and I experienced a sunburn while out on an EXTREMELY FRIGID but sunny day! I was so confused because at that time, I was protecting my skin regularly with sunscreen. Turns out that ice and snow both reflect UV rays & intensify them, making them up to 80% stronger! I had no clue and in hindsight, I should have went up on my SPF factor for more protection. Lesson DEFINITELY learned because I mean, who in the hell gets a sunburn from being out on a very frigid and snowy day?! Ya girl did! So, don’t let the temperatures fool you, it has nothing to do with radiation levels. Same goes for when you’re spending time on the water because it reflects UV rays as well so be prepared with your SPF. I’d recommend a water/sweat resistant formulation with a SPF of 30 or higher such as this one.
Protection of your skin should be your number one priority and unfortunately, there are no days off with sunscreen, sis! The continued use of a well formulated sunscreen will help keep your skin protected, healthy and GLEAUXING!