To many, the month of May means Spring is in full-swing and Summer is just around the corner, time for worshiping our favorite big yellow ball in the sky. But with fun in the sun comes the responsibility to protect against damaging rays with sunscreen, so May is also Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Although, even when the sun isn’t shinning during the day, both UVA and UVB rays are still passing through the clouds and affecting your skin. Turns out, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, about 80 percent of UV rays can pass through the clouds. Meaning that even if it happens to be a cold and cloudy day, sun protection is still very important.
Though we do get vital nutrients from the sun, such as Vitamin D, many of us know that prolonged sun exposure isn’t the best thing for our skin’s health. But it is less commonly understood that sun rays are actually one of the most significant contributors to premature signs of aging. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of how much exposure we’ve had throughout the day, especially for commuters, so not only is sunscreen important but reapplication throughout the day is just as important. Most sunscreens last between and hour or two hours, so keep that in mind for planning.
Whats the difference in UVA and UVB?
Well, UVA rays penetrate into the dermis, which is the deepest layer of your skin, this can cause premature aging and wrinkles. And UVB rays are the sunburn rays which play a key role in skin cancer. Think of UVA as aging, and UVB as burn. Learn more here.
To avoid being caught with no sunscreen, you could work toward making new habits such as applying sunscreen every morning and keeping a bottle in your purse or car. A crowd favorite around Beyond Aesthetics is the Epionce Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50 Lotion. I use it daily and it doubles as my primer for my make up. It goes on smooth, is not greasy, lasts 80 minutes and is water resistant. It is also recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective broad spectrum sunscreen and was awarded “Best Under Makeup” by the Shape Magazine 2017 Sun Awards.
One thing that you might not know is that there is really no such thing as a water-proof sunscreen. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are both physical blockers (as opposed to chemical blockers) and are best at resisting water. Many sunscreens containing these can leave a chalky white appearance, which isn’t very aesthetically appealing, but Epionce products are made to leave a clear non-shiny look. Both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide have non-comedogenic properties, meaning that neither contain oils that would clog your pores. This passes the esthetician test!
If we do get down the line and discover we have a bit of sun damage on our skin, there are treatments to help reverse these signs. IPL Photofacials use intense pulsed light to bring darks spots to the surface of our skin and then flake off. DermaSweep uses infusion solutions to brighten dull, damaged skin. Microneedling is controlled damaging of the skin to invoke your body’s natural healing response to renew skin. Depending upon your particular case, an Aesthetic Professional can advise you on which treatments will work best.
I’m going to be honest with you, I truly didn’t start to take care of my skin until I got into this industry, and now I’m trying to play catchup. I had no idea of the harsh affects that the sun actually had on my skin. I want to keep my skin as healthy and youthful as possible for as long as I can, and now I understand a big part of that means protection from the sun. We can still enjoy the sunshine, just as long as protect ourselves from the harmful rays.
Show us your #SunSafeSelfie
