7 common sunscreen mistake you should avoid in 2024
Let us talk about the 7 common sunscreen mistake that we should avoid. There is no denial that the Sun has so many benefits but it also comes with severe risks. The UV rays that come from the Sun has proven to be a human carcinogen that means the UV rays can cause skin cancer.
The ultraviolet rays that reach the surface of the earth from the Sun are UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are mostly responsible for sunburn, skin damage, skin cancer. UVA rays penetrates deeper into the skin and causes hyperpigmentation, fine lines & wrinkles. You need to protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Use a sunscreen that is broad-spectrum, it gives protection of the skin against both UVA and UVB rays.
Now let’s talk about the 7 common sunscreen mistakes that you should avoid:
Know how to protect your skin from the mistakes that you are making with your sunscreen.
1. Not applying your sunscreen when you are indoors
This is the most common sunscreen mistake that everyone makes. Even if you are indoors reading a book, or working out in your home gym, or working in your office, or cooking at home, you should wear your SPF. Why? The UVB rays might not penetrate through the windows but the UVA rays does. UVA rays penetrate through the windows and since it is mostly responsible for premature skin aging, you need to protect your skin from this.
2. Not reapplying your sunscreen
The second common sunscreen mistake that we make is not reapplying the SPF throughout the day. Sunscreen loses its effect on skin after 2-3 hours. Slathering it once before going outside is not going to be sufficient. You must reapply your SPF to make sure that the skin is protected from the harmful UV rays of the Sun, most of the time. You should apply your SPF atleast 3-4 times a day, that is every 2-3 hours. If you are indoors, you can apply it once or twice, that will be enough. Reapplication of sunscreen can be tough when you have a busy schedule, you can consider spray sunscreen or powder sunscreen for that matter.
3. Skipping the neck and eye area
We often forget to apply sunscreen on the neck and eye area. The clothes we wear do not cover the neck area, it is always exposed to direct sunrays just as our face. If you do not put on SPF on the neck, that will cause premature aging or skin damage in that area. Your eyes also get affected by the UV rays and show signs of aging as fine lines, wrinkles around the eyes. You need to make sure that you slathered your SPF properly, covering all the areas that are exposed to direct sunlight. Also, do not forget to use your sunglasses.
4. Applying moisturizer over sunscreen
The fourth common sunscreen mistake that we make is applying moisturizer over sunscreen. Sunscreen should always be the last step of your skincare routine in daytime. You should be applying a moisturizer first and then the SPF, not the other way around. When you apply your moisturizer after, it compromises the SPF barrier on the skin. You cannot get the full protection against the UV light if the barrier is compromised.
5. Water resistant sunscreens
Water resistant sunscreens are effective against water. When you go for swimming or go to a gym or in case of sweating when you run or jog, if you are not wearing a water-resistant sunscreen, you are more likely dripping through your SPF and it is not going to offer 100% protection. You need a water-resistant sunscreen to ensure the long-lasting protection against UV rays. The mistake that we do with this sunscreen is we do not reapply the sunscreen when we are out of the water. It is true that this sunscreen gives protection in the water but as soon as you are out, the effectiveness decreases. So, you need to reapply.
6. Applying moisturizer as SPF
This is also a very common mistake. There are some bb creams, foundations or moisturizers which already have SPF in them. Well, that’s a plus, but you cannot solely rely on that product for protection against UV light. You need to use a sunscreen separately even if you are using this kind of product.
7. Not applying enough sunscreen
Last but not the least, the common sunscreen mistake we make is we don’t apply enough sunscreen. You should be applying a thick layer of sunscreen and reapplying throughout the day for maximum protection. A little amount of SPF on the skin is not going to be enough, it can lead to skin tanning. Skin tanning is basically injury to the skin, which in no way good for your skin. No sunscreen can give you 100% protection. Use SPF 30 which gives 97% protection or SPF 50 which gives 98% protection. Higher than SPF 50 does not mean higher protection. It is not okay to go in the sun for a long time even when you are wearing SPF.
Also read my blog on hyperpigmentation: https://demystiifyingbeauty.com/how-to-get-rid-of-hyperpigmentation/
Note: Use your sunscreen everyday, no matter what type of sunscreen you are using. It can be a Chemical or a Mineral sunscreen. The best sunscreen is the one that you use. All people regardless of their skin color and gender should use sunscreen. Do not forget SPF is your BFF.