Winter is approaching, whispering sweet nothings about heavier moisturizer and ditching your sunscreen because it’s just gray days from here on out, baby. Though St Andrews has been lucky with sunny days as of late, we are entering the season of constant cloud cover, which may tempt you to tuck your sunscreen tubes away until springtime. Don’t you dare! While I am neither a dermatologist nor a scientist who studies ultraviolet photobiology (clearly), I am a sunscreen devotee and an advocate for proper sun protection. If you are keen to learn more about the science (beyond what my layman’s terms here provide) and nitty-gritty of all things skin and sun, I would recommend checking out sites such as The Skin Cancer Foundation or Harvard Health, where you can find professional explanations. In the meantime, let’s jump in, and talk rays and rhetoric.
The Science
An ultraviolet ray is energy produced by the sun, and is usually measured on an electromagnetic spectrum — your eyes may not see them, but your skin sure can feel them. We need to pay attention to Ultraviolet A rays, and Ultraviolet B rays, colloquially known as UVA and UVB, respectively. UVB rays have a shorter wavelength, and therefore have the most effect on the epidermis, or top layer of skin. These are the rays that will make you tan and can cause sunburns and skin cancer. UVA rays have the longest wavelength, and do damage to the dermis, or deeper layers of skin, to affect aging and wrinkling.
The sun protection factor of a product, or SPF, clarifies the level of protection that the product will provide before your skin burns in numeral form. The general rhetoric around sunscreen varies depending on who you talk to; most of the internet has come to the conclusion that SPF is essential for women who want to keep their youthful looking skin for as long as possible, but the majority of us believe it to be a kind of “I’ll use it if I remember, but I will definitely forget to reapply” situation. Only recently has SPF come to be regarded with more respect and importance in popular culture and outside of the health community, especially due to the accessibility of studies and trials.
Not all SPF products are created equal. In fact, not all SPF products are even created to do the same thing! Sunscreen and sunblock are actually two separate entities. Sunblock is what’s known as “physical” sunscreen and specifically targets UVB rays by way of reflection. Sunscreen, on the other hand, is a “chemical” SPF, which battles the UVA rays by absorbing them. These terms are most often used quite interchangeably, but it can be helpful to know the difference when reading labels of products. There are lots of helpful charts by Skinacea and the Skin Cancer Foundation, too.
UV rays have the potential to wreak havoc on your skin. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, UV radiation is a human carcinogen connected to the development of melanoma, which can be easily treated if found early enough, but is best prevented by consistent and correct use of SPF. While we aren’t exactly in prime sunbathing territory with our two hundred days of rain per year, St Andrews is not void of bright mornings or local tanning salons. The skin is the body’s largest organ, which means sunscreen isn’t just a “beauty thing” but a health decision that impacts your overall well being, the way you age, and says a great deal about how you are willing to take care of yourself and your body.
The Product
Sunscreens, like many skincare products in recent years, have benefited significantly from new regulations and improved technology within the skincare industry. Gone are the days of the thick, putty-like stuff you so vehemently hated as a child, and here is the future: silky-smooth, barely-there bliss. People have even made a case for sleeping in sunscreen, because of the anti-aging ingredients! Through medical trials and testing we continue to expand our knowledge of how exactly the sun affects us, and the extent of those effects. There is an incredible website called EWG’s Skin Deep, where you can plug in specific products or even just “sunscreen” to see how products stack up against each other, their specific ingredients, and ratings by toxicologists, chemists and epidemiologists. Now that we’ve gone through the nomenclature, and the science to back it all up, let’s take a look at the lineup.
The Dermatologist Approved – EltaMD UV Clear Sunscreen SPF 46
A cult favorite, EltaMD’s UV Clear Sunscreen checks all of the boxes: light as a feather, unscented, and goes on without the slightest hint of white. This one receives particular praise from healthcare professionals, as it is formulated specifically for people with acne-prone skin (sunscreen has had a historical tendency to be on the “avoid at all cost” list for those of us with sensitive or acne-prone skin), and high SPF protects against both UVA and UVB.
The One Step Fits All – La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer SPF 30
La Roche Posay makes sunscreen easy in more ways than one: available at your local drugstore, and wrapped into one simple bundle with your daily moisturizer. Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer with SPF comes with high praise, especially from those a little less willing to add a whole other step into their routine, or for those who like to be out the door in five minutes flat.
The Popular Demand – Supergoop Glow Screen SPF 30
It might be their packaging, or it could be the sheer array of products they offer, but Supergoop has established itself as the mecca of sunscreen. The beauty of Supergoop is its accessibility and their range of products for pretty much any skin type. They take many different shapes and forms; sticks, sprays, and even powders, but their dewey Glow Screen is the true fan-favorite.
The Miracle Mineral – COOLA Mineral Matte Sunscreen SPF 30
Mineral sunscreen tends to be gentler on skin, but at the expense of some serious white cast. Thankfully, COOLA has come up with their Mineral Matte Sunscreen which will calm and cool your skin while shielding it from those nasty UVs. It’s also packed with antioxidants, and perfect for under makeup or on its own.
The Heavy Duty – La Roche Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen SPF 60+
If there was a sunscreen award for pulling its weight, it would go to La Roche Posay’s Anthelios line, specifically their Melt-in Milk Sunscreen, with 60 SPF that ensures coverage regardless of activity. Sport sunscreen doesn’t have to be smothering, and Anthelios proves it — as its name suggests, the product soaks right into your skin.
Understanding why SPF is so important isn’t merely a skincare concern — think of it falling under the bigger umbrella of health and well-being. But just because you have been sitting inside working on a paper, emerging only to pick up a coffee or migrate to the library, doesn’t mean those invisible rays don’t exist. The issue with sunscreen is that it is so often marketed as something that exists within the vacuum of summertime or exotic vacations. Many of us are under the impression that sun damage is equivalent to temporarily making you look like a lobster, or that its long-term effects are limited to turning your skin to leather, but only if you’re on the beach every single day. There are a whole host of sunscreen myths, most of which are just that: myths. The biggest takeaway is to understand the gravity of potential sun damage, and then take steps against it. Think of adding sunscreen to the list of your daily before-you-leave-the-house essentials: keys, wallet, phone, sunscreen. I promise, your future self (having aged gracefully and possessing impeccable skin) will thank you.