Sneaking SPF Into Your Skin Care Routine (Even on Cloudy Days!)

For someone who burns as easily as I do (fair skinned white girl here) I loathe sunscreen and rarely wear it.

I hate the way it smells. I hate the way it feels. I hate applying it. I hate wearing it. I do everything I can to avoid it, much to the chagrin of my husband who basically worships the stuff.

Knowing as everyone does that too much bare exposure to the sun can increase the risk of skin cancer and cause early skin aging, I just shoved this information aside as something I will “deal with” or “think about later”. Now that I am seeing fine lines and sun spots in my 35 year old skin – and especially now that I am becoming more health conscious – I’m beginning to realize that “later” is “NOW”.

The reality is, that wearing sunscreen is important, especially on your face. While we are bundled up in the winter, the truth is, it doesn’t matter what season it is or what the weather is like, harmful ultraviolet rays are abundant and are still striking directly on our faces – every day.

Dermatologists are pretty much all in agreement that you should wear sunscreen every day, even on cloudy days, because when you are outside you are constantly being exposed to UV radiation, which easily penetrates through the clouds.

Even when it’s overcast, up to 80% of the sun’s rays are still being absorbed by your skin. And the presence of snow can nearly double the amount of ultraviolet radiation that bombards your skin. This means, every single day of the year, no matter what the weather is like, if you are outside for even 10 minutes – less for individuals with paler skin – you need to be applying SPF.

If you don’t protect your skin, you’re going to accumulate damage in the skin, which can lead to developing cancerous skin lesions later in life.

How to Sneak SPF Into Your Skincare Routine

First, you need to find an SPF that is suitable for daily wear. I had purchased a facial sunscreen off Amazon a few years back, but the task of slathering it on my face each morning proved tedious, and again, I hated the “sunscreen” feel on my face. It was a hated chore, and so of course the habit didn’t last long.

But recently, when shopping for a new BB cream, I stumbled upon the Bare Minerals brand, which features moisturizers, BB creams and foundations, all with SPF 30! Then it dawned on me (not sure why it took this long) that I could sneak sunscreen into the products I already wear every day (like moisturizer or color correcting cream) so I don’t have to add an extra step to my morning routine… AND the application feels less like spreading zinc oxide all over my face.

I’ve Googled “is the SPF in my moisturizer enough” and the verdict seems to be – for every day wear, yes. BUT, for days when you plan to be out in the sun for awhile (swimming, hiking, beach going, etc.) then, no. In those cases it is still necessary to apply an additional sunscreen in frequent two hour intervals for full protection.

While I’ve not quite worked up to THAT level of dedication to sunscreen, I can say that I am now making a point to wear my Bare Minerals SPF 30 moisturizer and SPF 30 BB cream every single day, even on days where I don’t intend to “go anywhere”. When viewing it as a non-negotiable skincare routine and an act of self-love, it takes out all the stigma I’ve built up around SPF. I can focus on moisturizing and evening my skin tone, and not even have to think about “putting on my sunscreen.” EASY PEASY!

CURRENT STATS

Start Weight (May 15, 2020): 201 pounds

Current Weight (June 8, 2020): 188.6

Total Pounds Lost (Since May 15, 2020): 12.4

Pounds Left to Lose to Reach Goal Weight of 130 pounds: 58.6