Just about anyone in skincare will tell you that there are 2 effective ways to prevent visible signs of aging: botox and sunscreen. Both are prevention, however botox is more expensive, permanent, and noticeable than sunscreen. Today I am discussing indirect sun exposure, SPF, and sunscreen! I am sharing the best daily sunscreen for your face to reduce aging. These products are not sponsored. I love the mentioned products and want to help you age gracefully.
As a child, the most annoying part of beach trips was applying thick, greasy sunscreen that took an eternity to apply. Of course, my mother would always force me to re-apply a few hours later. Of course, the answers were, consecutively, “okay, in just a minute… as soon as we finish this game… let me rinse the sand off first.” I prolonged applications, hating each one.
Today, I do not walk to my car without a layer of protection. So what happened? Well I could be a smart-ass and say 29 happened. However, it was actually having to get a pre-cancerous mole removed and diving into skincare and sun damage that opened my eyes.
Embarassingly, after 29 years of fair skin, severe burns, and red hair, I finally went to a dermatologist when I got severe eczema. The eczema is another story, which I have written about many times HERE. I got a full body scan as I have plenty of moles and freckles. To my surprise I was ordered to have one mole biopsied and was shocked further that it turned out to be pre-cancerous on a moderate level rating (mild, moderate, severe, then cancerous).
I had it removed further, but I love to gather knowledge and subconsciously dove deep into why and how I had to have said mole removed.
INDIRECT SUN EXPOSURE
First, allow me to share some knowledge. You should all know that I love sharing interesting info and facts.
If you do not intentionally spend time outside but walk out to your car every day for 10 minutes a day, you would absorb the volume of sun rays equivalent to sitting 72 hours in the sun, without sunscreen, a year.
Any derm will tell you that everyone in today’s society has worse sun damage on the left side of his face due to driving in cars. If that isn’t enough to convince you, check out this photo of a 28-year semi-truck driver with severe sun damage on only the driving side of his face:
Sure you know to wear sunscreen daily, but this is a direct reminder. Our skin is prone to UV damage in rain or sunshine. Here is a quick explanation in lamens terms:
FREE RADICALS
Our skin is exposed to free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules looking to scavenge an electron to naturally balance its shell) including smoke, UV light, the ozone, and environmental pollutants in the air. These free radicals are tiny oxidative chemicals that naturally want to react with atoms in your skin simply because you exist. Because of a variety of science stuff that I don’t need to get into, the electrons would rather hook up with the atoms of pollution than stay in your skin atoms. Traitors.
This destroys atoms in your face that form cellular walls of your skin. Cells then die, breakdown, or in rare cases, change DNA and cause an ERROR that causes them to turn to a cancerous skin cell. The free radicals also react with and break down collagen. Collagen keeps your skin plump, smooth, and wrinkle-free, but is killed by UV light.
COLLAGEN BREAKDOWN
All light and sound is composed of different length rays. The sun produces UV, or ultraviolet, radiation, or light rays called UVB, UVA, and UVC. UVB is adsorbed on the surface while UVA penetrates deep into your skin.
UV radiation causes hyper-production of elastin. Next, your body produces an enzyme that breaks down this elastin. Inadvertently, it breaks down collagen at the same time.
MELANIN
UV pushes certain cells in your skin called melanocytes to produce melanin. This darkens your skin and is what causes freckles. Freckles are the first warning sign that your skin is risk for aging and has been susceptible to UV radiation. Somehow knowing that makes them not so cute to me.
CELL SUICIDE
Our bodies have a normal and nifty cell reaction, called “aptosis” or cell suicide. The body’s natural preventative reaction to cancer is to peel. Peeling is a result of mass skin suicide. If your skin is resulting to these extreme measures, you can know you are getting damage.
BACK TO PREVENTION
Okay, so all of this is really good info, but do we really need to wear SPF every day? Personally, I would love to pass for a 30 year old at 45. I’m also not getting any younger (neither are you, my friend). I cannot control my environment or pollution, but I want to age gracefully.
However, I can avoid smoke, wear oils with antioxidants (that react with free radicals to save your skin), and I can prevent UV light from penetrating my skin through SPF. I can get botox to avoid repetitive folding of my skin at the same place with each smile or unavoidable expression, but that is a larger and pricy commitment.
Wearing a simple layer of sunscreen is ONE thing we can do daily to age just a little less than everyone else each day. Those little daily steps will lead to hundreds of miles over the course of years.
WHAT I USE
My skin tends to remain dry, so I do not mind a wetter, moisturizer. I love to use SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 tinted moisturizer.
It is not greasy and contains enough pigment to smooth freckles and skin. I will note that my sister thinks it is oily, but she also never wears makeup. It works well to mix with concealer or as a first layer on my skin in the morning. It glides on smoothly and easily and is affordable at $34. This has lasted me 2 months and I consider it to be the most important part of my routine. As you can see in the photos below, it is very smoothing and does not simply fill the creases. The second photo is after it is rubbed over my skin.
If you have oily skin or do not want color, try Murad Invisiblur Protecting Shield. It smooths, fills in wrinkles, primes, and protects. It is extremely lightweight and gives a soft skin feel.
If I leave you with nothing else, find some sort of SPF to wear daily. THIS INCLUDES MEN! Lets all age gracefully and beautifully together.
If you need more convincing, do me a favor and watch THIS VIDEO by time.com through an ultraviolet lens. Comment your favorite SPF product below and check out the shoppable widget below of items I use that contain SPF. Have a great Wednesday and remember to wear your SPF through winter!
SHOP MY FAVORITE SPF PRODUCTS
With Joy,
Audrey
