Eternal youth—something we all want. We’re always searching for a skincare product that will reverse time and booking appointments for injectables such as Botox and Dysport in hopes of maintaining youth. If you’re over the age of 21—you likely already have a wide variety of skincare products with anti-aging benefits—but there is a product that works and it doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars. It’s called sunscreen. Sunscreen is our best protection against UVA and UVB rays—both with can damage our skin and cause pre-mature aging.
Unfortunately, wrinkles and sunspots aren’t the only two things that we need to worry about when it comes to sun exposure. According to skincancer.org:
A person’s risk for melanoma–the most serious form of skin cancer–doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns.
If you want to lower your skin cancer risk and slow the aging process, below are four ways you can prevent sun damage:
1. Wear Sunscreen
That “YOLO” mentality is only going to get you so far in life. Most young people turn down sunscreen because they think they won’t tan. I’m a sunscreen fan girl, I wear it all year-round and guess what…I still tan!
Wearing sunscreen won’t prevent you from getting a tan — but on that note, a tan is actually your skin’s injury response to excessive UV radiation. If you’re out in the sun, you’re getting damage, but sunscreen will prevent the severity of that damage.
In recent years, there has been concern over the chemicals in sunscreen. If you’re worried, use a mineral sunscreen instead.
Those sexy sun worshippers from the 70’s and 80’s who would sunbathe in baby oil don’t look so hot and sassy anymore, do they? If you ever see someone over the age of 40 who has amazing skin…chances are they wore/wear sunscreen everyday.
2. Worship the Shade Instead
Are you a city dweller? If so, you’re most likely in the sun more than you realize. When walking around the city, always pick the shady side of the street. It’ll also prevent the dreaded farmers tan. If you’re having a beach day, consider bringing a beach tent or a large umbrella with you—your skin will thank you.
3. Soothe
Did you spend a whole day out in the sun? Restore, nourish and moisturize your skin with an aloe infused lotion. We really like the Aloe Soothing Night Cream from The Body Shop! The Sun Bum Cool Down Lotion is also great.
4. Don’t Get Obsessive
Don’t be afraid of the sun — some sun exposure is good for you—it’s a natural Vitamin D supplement. A great way to take care of your skin without thinking about it too much is to use a skin primer and foundation that already have sunscreen as an ingredient. We also recommend you replace your daily lotion with one that has SPF—specifically in the summer when more skin is showing. We love this lotion from Eucerin and this one from Hempz. It also wouldn’t hurt to start incorporating a hat into your every day look.
There you have it. The secret to eternal youth is sunscreen. How do you take care of your skin? Let us know in the comments below!
*This article was updated on 05/09/22
