Why Sunscreen Is A Lifesaver For Both You And Your Skin

Sunscreen is an unbelievably important step in your skincare routine and affects your overall skin health. This needs to be a non-negotiable step all year-round even if it’s cloudy or if you’re spending most of your day indoors. 

The main reason is of course, sun safety. It’s so important to protect your face and body from harmful UV rays as it can damage your skin, lead to various skin disorders and increase the risk of skin cancer. 

“Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Two in three Australians will be diagnosed with a skin cancer by the age of 70.” – Cancer Council

Consistently applying sunscreen can also help brighten any existing discolouration and prevent hyperpigmentation. As sun damage is a major cause of uneven skin tone and darkened pigmentation.

Sun damage even causes photoaging and the breakdown of collagen, which can lead to premature ageing as this worsens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Sunscreen helps protect essential proteins such as keratin in your skin, which are crucial in maintaining overall skin health and a smooth skin texture.

Things to keep in mind:
-   We should all be reapplying sunscreen throughout the day.

The standard rule of thumb is:
*Reapply every 2 hours if you’re out in the sun
*Reapply every 3-4 hours if you’re in the sun intermittently 
This is a great basic guide to follow but keep in mind that there’s so many variants that can apply: like if you’ve been in water, or sweating profusely, or even the type of sunscreen you’re using can also affect how long it lasts on your skin.  
-      Use approximately ½ teaspoon of sunscreen for your face (as the recommended amount is 2mg of product per square centimetre of skin). But we do recommend you read the application instructions as each product can slightly vary.

Sunscreen and sun protection is not only crucial for your skin but also for your overall health, as it’s important for you to be mindful of your exposure to potentially harmful UV rays.