We know you’ve heard it all before, but how often do you really wear SPF in the winter? While yes, there are still some sunny says in winter, even when the sun stops shining, SPF is still an incredibly important part of your skincare routine.
“Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can stop protecting your skin against harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun,” says dermatologist Sejal Shah, M.D. “Ultraviolet radiation reaches the Earth every day, even when it’s cold or cloudy, so you need to protect your skin year-round.”
And she’s not wrong: according to the American Academy of Dermatology, 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can still penetrate your skin on a cloudy day. And we know how much stronger the sun is Down Under.
“You need to wear sunscreen even when you’re outside for a short amount of time,” says Shah. “[And] ultraviolet radiation can penetrate window glass, so you need protection when you’re indoors as well.”
A study published in the journal Science even found that some sun damage (which can lead to skin cancer) continues to take place hours after you’ve gone inside.
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to slather on the greasy sunscreen you might use when you’re hanging by the pool – there are a ton of new daily moisturisers with broad-spectrum SPF 30.
“You need about a shot glass full for the whole body and a nickel-sized dollop for the face,” she explains.
One of our favourites at the moment is Naked Sunday’s SPF 50+ Hydrating Glow Mist ($39.95 nakedsundays.com) because it’s actually a top-up spray sunscreen that is no only SPF 50+ but can be added on top of your makeup – think of it as a setting spray that does so much more for your face.
Makeup with SPF provides some protection, but Shah warns against depending solely on it. “Typically you need significantly more than you normally wear,” she says. “Also makeup is not always applied uniformly to the face, so you may not get the same amount of protection [everywhere].” Shah recommends always layering a moisturiser with SPF under makeup.
If you plan taking advantage of the NZ travel agreement and hitting the slopes, prepare accordingly: “Snow and ice can reflect ultraviolent radiation,” says Shah. “[Plus], there is more ultraviolet exposure at higher altitudes.” She recommends applying a water-resistant sunscreen (just like you’d use at the beach) with an SPF of at least 50. Naked Sundays also do a SPF 50+ Collagen Glow Creme ($34.95 nakedsundays.com) which is a 4 in 1 primer, sunscreen, collagen-booster and moisturiser.
“[Again], sunscreen needs to be applied every two hours or immediately after sweating, swimming, or towelling off,” she says.
You heard the lady.
