Most people know how important it is to use a good sunscreen in the summer if they want their skin to look nice for the season. However, many don’t realize that they need to do the same in the winter as well because the sun works 365 days a year and can cause sunburns or even cancer in December as well as June.
If you’re an outdoor type and like to spend a lot of time in the sun, protecting your skin with sunscreen is important if you want to avoid premature skin aging. Winter sports aficionados are perhaps under even more danger than someone who enjoys his time lounging on the beach in summer. Not only does the higher altitude of the mountains mean that the sun’s UV rays are stronger, but those same rays can also be reflected by the snow.
Should You Use the Same Sunscreen in Summer as Well as Winter?
While any sunscreen is better than none, there is a difference between what you should use in summer and what in winter. The reason is simple. Strong wind and snow will reduce the effectiveness of a sunscreen.
Because of this, and to avoid any unwanted sun burn or other problems for your skin, you should be more liberal with sunscreen when there is snow around you than when you’re wearing short-sleeved T-shirts. In other words, if you’re going skiing, go ahead and generously apply the sunscreen.
You should also make sure to apply sunscreen wherever your skin might be exposed to the sun and the air. Many people miss areas around their eyes, neck or the ears.
If you’re going on the slopes or you plan to spend most of your day outdoors, be sure to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or above. In addition, you should also carry some sunscreen with you and reapply after two hours. Colorescience’s Sunforgettable mineral brush with SPF 30 or SPF 50 is the perfect, most convenient way to make sure you are safe from too much sun exposure. Purchase Colorescience Sunforgettable here.
What Else Can You Do for Protection?
There are a couple of other things you could do to protect your skin against the sun in the winter. One of them is to always wear a hat to protect your scalp.
Your eyelids are also very susceptible to sun damage. Constantly squinting, due to sun glare, can cause wrinkles to form at the corners of your eyes (crow’s feet). The best way to avoid that is to wear sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection.
