I don’t know about where you are, but here in Northern England, it’s turned decidedly sunny. Summer is definitely on it’s way - Hurrah! …Which for a lot of people means long afternoons in the park or the pub garden, and sunburnt shoulders the morning after. As an ex-beauty therapist with paranoia about skin ageing & sun damage, sunburnt skin terrifies me!
Ageing is a natural and unavoidable process, however, why speed it up? The damage caused by sun exposure is well known - both in terms of the cosmetic damage leading to premature ageing as well as functional and scary skin-cell changes leading to burns and cancers. In Northern Europe, we haven’t received persuasive, serious government messages like Australia’s “slip, slop, slap” campaign (slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat) and I’m not entirely sure why, when Cancer Research UK’s statistics show that melanoma skin cancer is now the most common cancer in women in their 20s.
Sun damage, of course, occurs all year round, and I would encourage everyone to wear an SPF15 moisturiser or sunscreen every single day, but summer is the time of year when people sit in the sunshine for long afternoons, go for sunny walks and generally spend more time outdoors. It’s easy enough to pop some sunscreen and a few products with SPF into your handbag or car glove box, that way you can top up as your day progresses. And this advice isn’t limited to those with paler skins. Although dark skin affords some natural sun protection, damage can, and does occur.
I’m a belt & braces kinda gal, so although layering products with sun protection doesn’t multiply your protection (for example, wearing a moisturizer with an SPF of 15 and a foundation with SPF 10 will still only give you a combined SPF of 15), I still like to choose as many products as I can with added sun protection, especially at this time of year.
Anna x
Recommended products with Sun Protection Factor (SPF):
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