This is a long one so brace yourselves. It’s a 3 in 1.
Number 5: SUNBLOCK, SUNSCREEN, SUN-WHATEVER-YOU-WANT-TO-CALL-IT IS ESSENTIAL.
If you want to get clear skin and you don’t use sunscreen, well then, just stop trying because the world doesn’t work that way. And I am the perfect living example of this.
You always hear “always wear sunscreen, every day of the year” and if you’re anything like me, you ignored that (*shame shame shame lady from Game of Thrones in the background*). I had acne-prone skin, and still deal with that, so just the simple thought of using a sunscreen on my face made me cringe because sunscreens always broke me out and I 100% didn’t want to deal with more breakouts from using sunscreen or deal with that ugly white cast the sunscreen leaves. But what I didn’t realise before was that sun exposure was actually causing my acne as well, and making my hyperpigmentation even worse. I know, mind-blowing, but stick with me here. I learnt this from the skincare goddess Liah Yoo – if you haven’t checked out her videos yet then do it because it was life changing for me.
Sebum oxidation is the one to blame for the pimples on your face and, yes, it can be, possibly, caused by the sun (UV rays). Once that happens, sebum can become comedogenic, clogging your pores, which can lead to more acne. Also, some acne products can cause photosensitivity so sunscreen is extremely important! Sunscreen 365/366 days of the year, whether it’s sunny, rainy, cloudy, you’re staying home or there are unicorns falling from the sky – put that sunscreen on, friends.
Now, there are 2 types of sunscreens – chemical and mineral/physical sunscreens. To be honest, I never tried a chemical sunscreen so I can’t give my opinion on those, but I do know that it adheres and gets absorbed much easier into the skin and it is the preferred sunscreen of people of colour because it doesn’t leave a white cast and it doesn’t feel heavy or even oily. But keep in mind that chemical sunscreens might break you out because of the way the sunscreen works and it might be irritating for people with sensitive skin. Do your research before committing to anything!
Mineral sunscreens or physical sunscreens, my preferred ones, don’t usually irritate your skin because unlike chemical sunscreens, this one doesn’t get absorbed into your skin and it just sits on top of your skin making the rays bounce back. Although everyone hates applying it because of the dreaded white cast that some sunscreens leave; and because the mineral sunscreen is literally sitting on your face the whole day, if you don’t wash it properly, it can clog your pores so keep in mind that you need to thoroughly cleanse your face every night.
To finish it all off: use your damn sunscreen to prevent your breakouts, worsening your hyperpigmentation, anti-ageing, preventing skin cancer, sun damage, etc. and apply it everywhere - your face, your neck, your chest and your ears (don’t neglect your poor ears). Reapply your sunscreen!!! And no, don’t worry, you won’t be vitamin D deficient, you sun worshipper.
Number 6: make-up with SPF is not enough. Especially since people never apply enough. For it to be effective, you would have to cake your face completely. You can use it as a second layer of protection but you always need that first layer to be actual sunscreen.
Number 7: higher SPF doesn’t mean it lasts longer or it’s better. It basically has to do with the fact that most people don’t apply enough sunscreen to get to the SPF 30 or 50 that the label claims so they figured the higher they go, the higher the chances of people getting enough sun protection all over their face. Oh and if your SPF is higher than 50 then it is doing virtually nothing different from the lower ones...SPF 70/100 is gimmicky and gives you a false sense of security, making you think you can stay longer in the sun, therefore increasing the risk of damage.
This was a long post but I hope you enjoyed it - please keep in mind that I am not a skin expert, I just enjoy researching about it and learning about it. You always want to know your skin type and research what is best for you before committing to anything since there is no point in spending money if, later, you find out that you bought the wrong product for your skin. AND please read the ingredient lists while still at the store/before buying your product, especially when it comes to sunscreens since there are some ingredients you want to avoid in sunscreens.