Over the summer, you may have been on the lookout for cast-free sunscreen to add to your daily skincare regimen. As the most important step in any routine, applying sunscreen before sun exposure protects the skin from premature aging, skin cancer, hyperpigmentation and other damaging effects. And although sun protection is emphasized under direct sunlight, sunscreen isn’t reserved just for hot, summer weather.
“UV rays can penetrate the clouds and damage our skin year round,” says Ron Robinson, Founder and CEO of BeautyStat. As the temperature lowers you will have to cycle your skincare regimen to adapt to dry, fall weather– thick creams, hydrating cleansers, skin treatments– but this important step will always remain the same during every seasonal shift. “It’s important to wear sunscreen everyday no matter the season.”
For darker skin, we may underestimate the importance of sunscreen, with our deep melanin assumed to be resistant to the consequences of sun exposure. “Black skin does have natural UV protection,” Robinson says. “But studies show that darker skin only might have an SPF of around 10-13.” “Black skin is also more prone to hyper-pigmentation, so wearing a daily sun protection will help prevent further darkening of spots and uneven skin tone,” he continues, even as dark, winter nights draw near.
He suggests a “minimum of broad spectrum SPF30 for optimum UV protection” in your year round daily regimen. At BeautyStat, their latest sunscreen innovation combines 20 percent vitamin C with SPF 50 mineral sunscreen. The formula protects not just from sun exposure, but from the effects of free radicals– which increase the appearance of aging– blending into most skin tones with no white cast.
If you haven’t been wearing sunscreen in any season, you may already be noticing the damaging effects on your skin. But, how do you repair your skin from sun damage? “I recommend a vitamin C serum and or a gentle exfoliating daily face peel to repair the damage,” Robinson says. “[These products] even out skin tone, treat hyper-pigmentation, smooth and brighten skin that can become dull and discolored from too much sun exposure,” oh– and get yourself some SPF.
