In my search for the right sunscreen for summer, I came across some surprising facts that I feel are not commonly known amongst the public. First of all, sunscreen should be worn everyday, regardless of the season or if the sun is even out. UV rays can still penetrate through the clouds if the sun is not out, they are invisible. So, I don’t know about you but that makes my beauty routine a little different!

So what’s the difference between UVA and UVB rays? UVA rays cause aging and can lead to skin cancer down the road. UVB (or burning rays) cause you to burn, and can also lead to skin cancer. So you should really be looking for a sunscreen that has protection from both. Another interesting realization that I discovered is that the higher the SPF, the more thick of a consistency you will get. So a lower number like 15 for your face would be better than 50 or higher. For your body, an SPF of 15-30 is perfectly fine. Sunscreen will only be effective though for about 2-3 hours so you do need to re-apply. Wait, what if I work in an office all day? Do I need to take off all my makeup and re-apply? No way, that is dumb. The rule of thumb is, if your makeup gets removed by sweating or swimming, then you need to re-apply to the face. But as long as your makeup is intact, so is your sunscreen. For office workers, you should still be applying sunscreen in the morning. That should hold you over for the minimal sun exposure you may encounter.

How much sunscreen do I need to use? For the whole body, you should be using about an ounce. Most bottles come in 4-6 ounce bottles so you do the math. If a bottle is 4 ounces then that is only 4 uses and you should be running out pretty soon. It’s a good idea to buy a separate sunscreen for the face, an SPF of 15 is good. Use about a quarter-sized amount for your face. That will give you the protection you need. So really, you should not still be using last summer’s sunscreen (mainly because you need to be using it everyday). Don’t forget to re-apply every few hours.

Now for the fellas, you don’t get off the hook! Try to find a sunscreen you like as well. Make sure it’s oil-free so you don’t have to worry about a greasy feeling. There are even sunscreen pads that are quick and easy to use in the morning. If you are outside for more than 10 minutes everyday, you need to be using sunscreen. And If you’re not, then that’s really sad and you need to get out more!

Now that you know, I hope you’ll start wearing sunscreen everyday with me!