Do you check the weather and then decide if you should wear sunscreen or not?
With winter here once again, it’s time to pack away your swimwear and hats and break out your heavy parkas and leather boots. But since summer is over, do you think it’s time to pack away the sunscreen too? No, not at all! Just because the sun is now hidden behind winter clouds doesn’t mean the threat of UV rays isn’t there.
Wearing sunscreen might only cross your mind during the warm or hotter months, as you don’t want to end your day at the beach with a long, miserable week dealing with sunburn. However, when winters arrive, people forget to apply protective sunscreen before going outside. Remember, you need sun protection all year round. It should be worn every day you plan to spend time outdoors.
Here’s why you should use sunscreen during winter.
Snow intensifies the sun’s rays
Did you know that snow reflects up to 90 percent of UV rays? Shocking, isn’t it? Not only do the sun’s UV rays cause skin problems like premature aging, but they can also cause skin cancer. So even though you may not see the sun’s rays directly through the clouds, the sun’s reflection on snow can be extremely strong and damaging to your skin.
UV rays penetrate winter clouds
Despite how thick overcast clouds appear in winter, nearly 80 percent of the sun’s rays still penetrate through them. There are two main types of UV rays that can affect your skin, one of which can be extremely dangerous during winters.
UVA is a type of ultraviolet radiation that is always present and penetrates through glass and clouds, making its way deep into your skin. UVA causes significant damage to the deeper layers of your skin, causing premature aging and increasing the risk of skin cancer.
UVB rays are another type of UV rays that vary in intensity depending on the season. UVB rays are much harsher on sunny summer days. They attack and damage the surface layers of your skin, resulting in sunburn and even skin cancer.
The thing is, your skin often bounces back after being damaged by UVB rays. However, UVA rays are quite dangerous and are strong all year round, so your skin needs sun protection all year round.
Sunscreen contains useful antiaging properties
If there’s one season where you need to pay extra attention to avoid dry, chapped skin and wrinkles, it’s winter! Using sunscreen can help keep your skin glowing during the harsh winter season as the cold winter breeze can be quite drying and taxing on your skin. Many sunscreens now have proven anti-aging properties. Since UV rays damage the elastin and collagen in your skin, leading to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, regular use of sunscreen not only prevents sun damage, but also has an anti-aging effect.
If you want to protect your skin, be sure to look for a clear sunscreen that contains broad-spectrum SPF and includes other anti-aging properties. If your skin has been suffering from signs of aging as a result of sun damage, check out ML Delicate Beauty’s Retinol Moisturizer. It is the best retinol cream for wrinkles!
Winter sports increase the risk of UV exposure
A study by the Skin Cancer Foundation revealed that UV radiation increases by almost 5% with every thousand feet you rise above sea level. This means that the higher your height, the greater your risk of exposure to harmful UV rays. Also, as mentioned earlier, snow tends to reflect and intensify sunlight, increasing the chances of skin burns.
If you’re a winter sports enthusiast who likes to spend time in the mountains snowboarding, skiing, or staying in a cabin, you need to protect your skin with a sunscreen that contains at least SPF 30. You can just hold a simple sunscreen stick and tube on your ski jacket and reapply whenever you feel it fading. This will help protect your skin all winter long!
Winter Conditions Remove sunscreen faster
When you spend a hot day at the beach, your sunscreen tends to run down with your sweat, requiring you to reapply it. So during the winter season, you can assume that your sunscreen will survive the day just because you don’t sweat. But, this is not true! Most people don’t realize that harsh winter conditions tend to erode your sunscreen even faster.
High winter winds and snow can wear down your sunscreen, reducing its effectiveness. So you can just apply sunscreen in the morning and assume you’ll be protected all day. You need to reapply sunscreen every two hours during the winter to give your skin optimal sun protection.
Winter thins the ozone layer
The ozone layer acts as a shield for the earth from the sun’s harmful UV rays. In winters, the ozone layer is at its thinnest. Additionally, sunburn and windburn also tend to work together during the winter months. So cold temperatures and strong winds often leave your skin quite dry and irritated, allowing the sun’s rays to attack your skin and make it worse. Applying sunscreen to your skin, especially when the sun’s rays are at their peak, will help protect you from these harmful rays. You should apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to ensure maximum protection.
Winter winds are hard on the skin
As the weather gets colder and the temperature drops, your skin starts to dry out. Humidity levels are quite low in winter with increased wind speeds. This constantly removes moisture from the skin, causing dryness and sensitivity. So when your skin gets really dry, all the wrinkles and fine lines become extremely visible and often cause cracking or tearing. Applying sunscreen every day during the winter can help restore your skin’s depleted moisture, making it look more refreshed.
No matter the weather, season or time of year, don’t skip this essential skincare step!
It’s very easy to remember to apply sunscreen on a hot sunny day. However, even though the sun may not feel as strong as it does in the winter, it can have a huge impact on your skin! Skipping sunscreen during winter is a big mistake. Sunscreen should be a key part of your daily skin care routine, no matter the time of year!
Conclusion
Using sunscreen in the winter is an essential, but often overlooked, aspect of a well-rounded skin care routine. Contrary to popular belief, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can be just as harmful in the colder months as they are in the summer. In winter, the earth’s surface is closer to the sun and the ozone layer, which absorbs little UV radiation, is thinner.
This means that exposure to UV rays can still occur, especially UVA rays that penetrate deep into the skin, leading to premature aging and an increased risk of skin cancer. Snow and ice can also reflect up to 80% of UV rays, potentially increasing exposure, especially in outdoor winter activities such as skiing or snowboarding. In addition, even on cloudy days, up to 80% of UV radiation can penetrate the clouds, making sunscreen essential regardless of the weather.
Beyond the direct impact on skin health, using sunscreen in winter also supports the maintenance of an even skin tone and prevents the worsening of existing skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation, melasma and rosacea. These conditions can be aggravated by exposure to UV radiation, regardless of temperature. Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 can help protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
In addition, many winter skin care products incorporate moisturizing elements to combat dryness caused by cold air and heating indoors, offering dual benefits. By making sunscreen a consistent part of your daily routine year-round, you ensure continuous protection from UV damage, keeping your skin healthy and youthful-looking in every season.
Looking for a great way to keep your skin healthy during the winter? Try ML Delicate Beauty’s Anti-Aging Vitamin C Serum! Made with all natural ingredients, this vitamin c serum is guaranteed to breathe life back into dead winter skin.
Do you apply sunscreen all year round, even in winters? If so, let us know in the comments below!
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About the author:
Christine Wright is a trusted beauty expert and esthetician loved by editors and bloggers. She is a prolific writer on the topics of natural, chemical-free skin and body care. She also reviews brand name beauty products, with fairness and a real point of view. She is known for creating products for specific skin types, especially for those with extremely sensitive faces.
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