The Key Tip To Ensure You're Always Wearing Ever-Important Sunscreen
Pretty much everyone in the beauty space agrees that sunscreen is a non-negotiable element of skincare, no matter your age. The sun's UV rays cause premature signs of aging, but beyond that, SPF also provides a defense against skin cancer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will develop the disease by the time they reach 70, and more than two people per hour die from skin cancer in the U.S.
We know sunscreen is important, and still a lot of us are guilty of leaving the house without it on a daily basis. We've already tried increasing awareness about the risks of skin cancer, along with highlighting how damaging UV rays can be to the skin's appearance. So now, we're flipping the script and exploring a different method of ensuring we're all being sun safe. The answer is to simply find a sunscreen that you like. As Body & Soul posits, if you find a sunscreen you actually like wearing, you'll probably end up wearing it.
The importance of finding a good sunscreen
They say if you want to keep up a workout regime, you should pick a form of exercise you actually enjoy. If you want to last at a job, pursue a career you're passionate about. The same logic applies to SPF. When we don't like things, even if they're good for us, the motivation to keep them up is much harder to come by.
Let's face it: Wearing sunscreen isn't always a pleasant experience. Many people find wearing sunscreen to be a chore because of its signature thick, hard-to-spread consistency, or its chemical-like smell. Others don't like the way that it reacts to their makeup. Those with sensitive or acne-prone skin might find that they break out when they do wear sunscreen religiously. But if you don't have to deal with those negative factors because you've found a sunscreen you actually like, you'll have no excuses when it comes time to apply it.
What to look for in a sunscreen
We all have different needs when it comes to choosing the best sunscreen. The most important thing is to look for a product that your skin will love and be able to handle on a daily basis. There are specific sunscreens for sensitive skin, along with those for oily skin, so the key might be finding a specialized product that deals with your main concerns.
One big drawback that holds people back from applying sunscreen consistently is not knowing how to fit it into their makeup or skincare routine. To make things as easy as possible, look for products that contain SPF but serve other purposes as well, like tinted moisturizers with SPF. It may sound obvious, but ensure that you're not using facial sunscreen and regular sunscreen interchangeably, as the regular kind is more likely to clog your pores or cause reactions on the more delicate skin of your face.
Price is another factor that might make you less likely to wear sunscreen every day — who wants to use too much of a product that costs an arm and a leg to replace? While quality should be the most important consideration, give a little weight to the price, too, and find a product you'll be comfortable using for the long-term. Sunscreen is a product that you'll be wearing for life, so the sooner you find your go-to, the better.