Trust me on sunscreen

Sunscreen is one of those things that we know we should use but when it comes down to actually wearing it, we sometimes opt to leave it off.  But, you need to trust me on sunscreen.  It is so important for several reasons and I hope to show you why and possibly give you some alternatives to save your skin.

First, here are the top 5 silly reasons not to use sunscreen:

1. It takes too long to apply.
2. Sunscreen stains the leather on my car.
3. Sunscreen stops you from getting a tan.
4. I don’t want to ruin my spray tan.
5. Mineral sunscreens leave a white tint.

Why is it important to use sunscreen?  Trust me on sunscreen

1. Decreased risk of developing skin cancer.
2. Keep your youth appearance (you’ll look younger, longer).
3. Helps keep an even skin tone.  If you struggle with uneven skin tone, you’ll be happy to hear this one.
4. Set a good example for people that look up to you.
5. It’s imperative for all skin types and skin tones.
6. Protection from sunburn.

Now, please give me the opportunity to refute the silly reasons listed above and to convince you that wearing sun protection is a must and give you some possible solutions to try instead.  Please trust me on sunscreen – it’s really important for your health to wear it.

Do you have to wait 15 minutes after applying sunscreen?

Generally, yes.  Most sunscreens will indicate that you must apply sunscreen about 15 minutes prior to going outside in the sun.  The time is needed in order to allow the product to dry on your skin to form that layer of UV protection.  However, some mineral sunscreens don’t require you to wait the 15-20 minutes but it doesn’t hurt to do it anyway.  Better safe than sorry.

Solution:  try a SPF sun protection shirt instead.  They are lightweight, comfortable, and breathable so you won’t feel hot and you won’t get a sunburn.  My favorite for women is BYOB with an SPF of 30:  Shop Deep BYOB.  It comes in multiple sizes.  I love mine!!!  The link will take you to Shop Deep’s website so you can peruse their items but definitely look for “Women’s Sun shirts”.

And, if you want to know what happens to your skin if you don’t wear sunscreen, check out what stylecraze.com has to say about it.

How to get sunscreen off leather seats?

One of the reasons we hate wearing sunscreen is because it stains.  How do you remove sunscreen from leather?  It’s even harder to remove mineral sunscreen, the sunscreen that doesn’t include chemicals.  So, how do you deal with this?

This is one of the most frustrating things about sunscreen.  You’re trying to protect your skin but then it stains everything you touch.  The best solution I came up with was to use a seat protector.  A friend of mine has one of these to protect the leather on his car after doing his morning run.  He wanted to protect it from the sweat.  Light bulb moment for me!  Use it to protect the seats from the sunscreen that will rub off from your legs.

So, now you don’t even need to remove sunscreen from leather because it doesn’t even have a chance to stain when you use this awesome waterproof sweat towel.

Does sunscreen stop you from getting a tan:

Well, yes.  The whole goal of sunscreen is to protect your skin from the UV rays.  While I do think it is becoming much more commonplace to reduce our exposure to harmful UV rays, lots of people still think they look / feel better with a glow to their skin – a glow that is offered from a sun-kissed tan.  But, there are obvious dangers to that strategy.

Solution:  Try a tinted sunscreen – one that is mineral based so that you avoid all the chemicals that could cause hormonal disruptions.

Can you put sunscreen on a spray tan?

Yes but you need to be mindful of the ingredients.  One of the worst ingredients in sunscreen is something called Oxybenzone.  This is a chemical that is not only very toxic, but it can also increase any skin sensitivity you may have.  The best thing to try is a mineral sunscreen.  Try these suggestions.  Also, here are some spray tanning preparation tips you can use.

Finally, avoid oil-based and aerosol sunscreens as these speed up exfoliation, which would mean your spray tan will come off faster / easier.

Mineral Sunscreens leave a white tint.

I have definitely found this to be true but the alternative is skin cancer.  I think I’d much rather look a little ghostly than have to deal with skin cancer.  So, get over it!  Stop caring what others think and start caring about yourself and your health.

Solutions:  Try a sunhat.  It’s super cute and it offers UV Protection UPF 50+

We all need protection from the sun.  As you can see, there are many solutions you can use to ensure you keep your skin healthy and young looking.  Trust me on sunscreen!

For information on sunscreens and why to avoid certain ones, read Endocrine disruptors in skin care.  Products that use ingredients like avobenzone and oxybenzone that are not safe to use so beware and watch those ingredient lists!

Trust me on sunscreen – you’ll be glad you did.

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