4 RIGHT WAYS of Applying Sunscreen

It feels like summer this year is more scorching hot than ever. And by now, we understand the importance of wearing sunscreen all year round. But did you know that there is a RIGHT WAY to wear sunscreen? 

In today’s posting, we’re going to look at the RIGHT WAYS of applying sunscreen to maximize the benefits of its sun protection. 

1. Amount of sunscreen applied - “Two Finger Rule?”

In most posts, it is recommended that you use the “two finger” rule to figure out the right amount of sunscreen to apply. Two finger rule basically means that you should apply two strips of sunscreen squeezed from the tip to the base of the index and middle fingers. 

Although this is an excellent and simple rule, it often feels TOO MUCH to apply on your face and neck. So we suggest this: Apply a small amount all over your face and neck, and layer again afterward. For example, let’s say you want to follow the two finger rule. In this case, you can apply one strip of sunscreen, then give it time to absorb, then reapply another strip. Our Protection Cream is perfect for this because it absorbs fast. 

2. Broad-spectrum all the way!

In our posting about sunscreen and sun protection, we explained different types of UV rays: UVAs, UVBs, and UVCs. And out of these three, we mentioned that UVAs and UVBs are what we want to protect our skin against because UVAs contribute to skin aging and can penetrate windows and clouds while UVBs contribute to skin cancer and burn our skin. So it is important to apply a sunscreen that can protect our skin against BOTH of these UV rays. That’s where the term “Broad-Spectrum” comes into play. Broad-spectrum sunscreen contains active sunscreen agents that protect our skin against UVAs AND UVBs. So when you look for a sunscreen, make sure to look for the term “Broad Spectrum,” like our Protection Cream. 

3. Apply sunscreen with antioxidants. 

When it comes to sun protection, there is no such thing as 100% protection against UV rays. UV rays penetrate the skin to a certain degree, causing oxidative damage to the skin cells. So minimizing oxidation damage is important to reduce damage to the skin. This is where antioxidants come into play. Using a sunscreen with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E, like our Protection Cream, would help minimize the oxidation damage. And applying an antioxidant, like our Vitamin C Serum, before applying sunscreen doubles the protection against oxidation damage. 

Another way to minimize damage from UV rays is to ensure that your skin is fully hydrated and moisturized so that the skin barrier will be intact to protect skin cells. 

4. Don’t settle for foundation with SPF without applying any SPF underneath. 

Just because the foundation you apply has SPF in it, it doesn’t mean that you can skip sunscreen altogether. The reason is that for sun protection to be effective, it has to be applied in a great amount, as mentioned in the first point. So if you want to protect your skin against UV rays with a foundation with SPF, you need to apply a lot of it. But this would lead to cakey finish. That is why we recommend using a separate sunscreen even if you are using a foundation with SPF in it. 

I hope these tips helped a little! If it did, don’t forget to give us a shoutout by starting a live chat on our website! Make sure to let us know that you’ve read the blog along with the email address you used to sign up! We’ll choose one lucky winner for a special $5 gift card that you can use towards your purchase online!