Mistakes People Always Make When Applying Sunscreen
Think you’re well protected from the sun this summer? You might be making one of the following mistakes when applying sunscreen, which could harm your skin and your health down the line.
1. You Wait Too Long to Apply It
If you want till you get outside to apply sunscreen, you’re too late. You should apply at least 20 minutes before you actually go into the sun, in order to make sure your sunblock has time to get absorbed into your skin and start working. Your skin is vulnerable when you first go into the sun, so this is important. Although the FDA warns that you need to reapply every 80 minutes (and you do with other sunscreens), SolRX is has been tested and proven to offer coverage for 8 hours in and out of water.
2. You Miss A Spot
If you try to apply sunscreen while your clothes are on, you’re likely to miss spots because you don’t want to get your clothes messy, so you should actually make sure you use a liberal amount before you leave the house. Don’t forget your lips, your underarms, your feet, behind your ears, and the back of your neck. Also, protect your eyes with sunglasses.
3. You Don’t Use the Right Kind
You need a high-SPF (15+), broad-spectrum sunblock, which protects from both UVA and UVB rays, and if you’re going to sweat or go into the water, you need to use a water-resistant formula so your sunblock will not slide off and become ineffective. Don’t use body-only formulations on your face, because formulas designed for your face are more gently manufactured without alcohol.
4. You Don’t Use It When You Should
It doesn’t have to be glaringly sunny outside for you to put sunblock on. During certain times of day, the sun can be quite strong even through clouds. Windows of houses and cars block UVB rays but not UVA - and you won’t be able to tell that you’re getting them, because only UVB rays lead to darkened skin. You can also still get sun when you’re in the shade, under an umbrella, because sun rays reflect off sand, water, and snow.
5. You Don’t Use Enough
Most people only apply about 25-50 percent of the amount of sunscreen they really need. You should be using about one shot glass’ worth of sunblock (two tablespoons) to exposed areas, with a nickel-sized dollop for the face alone. With a spray, apply until there’s an even sheen on the skin. Please note, it’s very unlikely that you will ever apply too much.
These are incredibly common mistakes that most people experience more than once when putting on sunblock, but easily fixed with a little time and extra care when you apply. Safeguard yourself and those you love by eliminating these mistakes, and you’ll be able to enjoy summer with no drawbacks!