Well the very first sunscreen mistake you can do is not wearing any! By now, you know that wearing sunscreen everyday is important in saving your skin from getting into a whole bunch of trouble later on. Spending time under the sun can up your chances of developing skin cancer plus the fact that it speeds up skin aging. Yet even the best sunscreen on the planet won’t do u any good if you’re not applying it appropriately. Below are some of the most common ways that you’re probably messing up with sunscreen and how you could really protect your skin from dangerous UV rays.
1. You wait first until you are outside before lathering your sunscreen on
It’s very easy to notice people go to the beach, strip down to their swimsuit and wait first to get settled into their cozy blankets before they start lathering sunscreen on. If you’re going to get exposed to the sun, you’d want to apply your sunscreen 30 minutes before you go out in the open. That way, you leave time for the product to get absorbed first by your skin and get it working for your own good.
2. You apply sunscreen around your clothes.
You can get skin cancer at just about any area of your body, so if you really wanna get protected, it’s best to apply your sunscreen on when you’re in the nude. If you’re applying your sunscreen when you’re already fully clothed or you’re already on your swimsuit, chances are you’ll be applying it a bit gingerly so as not to get the product into what you’re wearing, making you miss on some spots or not apply enough amounts of product on your skin.
3. You always forget to protect your lips.
Your skin is vulnerable to UV rays, much like the rest of your skin, ergo, it is essential that you do not forego the use of sunscreen on your pouters. But then again make sure that you do not use the same stuff or product that you use on the rest of your body. Go get a trusty lip balm equipped with SPF—products that are especially formulated for the lips and are much thicker which will make it stay longer. Frequent reapplication is also recommended as talking, eating, laughing and constant lip-licking can remove the sunscreen on your lips a whole lot faster.
4. You miss applying sunscreen on some key areas.
Oftentimes, people miss applying sunscreen on a lot of less-obvious areas in the body that are as important to protect like the toes and feet, the nape, underarms, ears, the inner upper arms and the eyelids. Again, make sure that you apply sunscreen ALL-OVER your body.
5. You seat or rinse it all off
Make sure that you’ll be using a sunscreen that’s appropriate for your activities for the day. Water –resistant formulation works best if your day involves a lot of swimming, other water-related activities and a whole lot of perspiring. Otherwise non-water resistant formulas will just slide right off your skin once you sweat or immerse yourself in water.
6. You are using a body formula to protect your face.
You should realize that there is a difference between the formulations of body and facial sunscreens. Your face is generally more sensitive than most other parts of your body. Therefore, sunscreens made for facial application are generally created and tested to cause less irritation and not trigger any breakouts. So if you’re acne-prone, make sure that you do not apply body sunscreens on your face because you might end up drying your face more and might cause you to have pimples and other skin problems.
7. You only use it when it’s sunny outside.
UV rays still come through even if it’s cloudy and the sun is not shining bright, so make sure that you do not skip on your sunscreen if you’re going out on a not so-sunny day.
8. You don’t apply enough sunscreen.
Spray formulas are great for continuous coverage. To ensure that you’re using sprays correctly, it is recommended to hold the spray bottle six inches from your skin while spraying non-stop. Afterwards, rub it in (even if the spray bottle says that you don’t have to) to make sure that you’re not missing any spots. Repeat the spray once more and then you’re good to go.
