SPF in Winter – Yes, this is a thing… but you already knew that you need SPF every day, even in winter so please make a Christmas promise to us and promise to wear one… your skin will thank us!
It is second nature to pretty much all of us to apply sun-screen during the summer months. We should all know by now the importance of protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and a lot of us make sure that a key part of our beauty routine in summer involves sunscreen, but lots of us forget about it once the cold weather sets in. Are you guilty of this? Tut, tut! What if I said to think of it this way… Let’s say you’re 30 now. In 30 years, would you rather look closer to 70 or 50? I know that you all would rather look younger, longer… so please wear SPF daily.
After years of experience in the beauty industry and treating sun-damaged skin, applying SPF during winter is my golden piece of advice. Despite these grey and gloomy clouds (plenty of them!) you can still get sun damage during winter. Wearing a sunscreen during winter will help prevent cumulative sun exposure, fine lines, wrinkles discolouration and even skin cancer.
Let me explain…
Let’s get down to the science. Sunlight contains ultraviolet rays (aka UV rays) including UVA and UVB rays, which can be harmful to our skin. We tend to be more aware of sun damage in summer because the rays that are responsible for sunburn (UVB) are strong. In winter, UVB rays tend to weaken, but we’re still at risk from UVA, which penetrate clouds (yes, really, and let’s face it, living in the UK means plenty of clouds during winter), making us at risk of sun damage on winter days. UVB rays are less likely to get through clouds, but they can reflect off snow and ice on clear days, particularly at high altitudes – skiers, beware, make sure you pack a good sunscreen as well as your thermals when you hit the slopes over the Christmas break!
Why we need SPF for our skin?
UV rays can cause a lot of damage to our skin, such as premature ageing and even skin cancers. Slapping on sunscreen can reduce fine lines and wrinkles as we age, and can significantly lower our risk of skin cancers. A no brainer really, for the sake of an extra 30 seconds in the mornings, we’re not doing our future selves any favours by skipping out our sunscreen application.
What SPF should I use?
Let us take the headache out of this for you. We have tried and tested several brands but can-not look pass Heliocare. With the perfect mix of UVA and UVB, Heliocare helps to protect and prevent the onset of premature ageing. UVA protects the skin at a cellular level i.e. prevents DNA damage and UVB prevents the skin from burning. With a slight tint Heliocare makes the perfect skin primer. We stock Heliocare in the clinic for all those that pop in and quote “ROSIE’S SPF BLOG”, there are plenty of savings to be had to help keep your skin looking as best as it can all winter long… which could be a long time knowing our English weather!