Listen up Glossies, because you might be fighting a losing battlewhen it comes to reducing fine lines and wrinkles! It turns out that even if you have a regular and healthy anti-ageing skincare routine, UV rays from the sun are still causing your skin to lose its firmness and elasticity. Don’t worry though! I’ve got the solution for you: when it comes to maintaining a youthful-looking complexion, a broad spectrum SPF is the anti-ageing miracle worker you’ve been looking for!
Sun Damage Causes Premature Ageing
You don’t need me to tell you what the short-term effects of sun damage are (hello red, sunburnt skin). You might not know, though, that in the long run not using an SPF every day can have terrible and long-lasting effects on your skin:
♦ Sun Damage Causes Wrinkles And Fine Lines: UV rays destroy the collagen and elastin in your skin, both of which are responsible for its firmness and elasticity. Trust me, you want to maintain healthy levels of both to preserve a youthful-looking complexion.
♦ You’ll Have Dry And Flaky Skin: Sun damage also reduces the levels of fatty acids in your skin. Without them, your skin can’t stay hydrated, plump or younger-looking.
♦ Skin Cells Don’t Renew As Fast: UV rays can also slow down skin cell renewal. Essentially, this means that old, dead skin will build up and congest your pores – and no one wants that!
♦ It Causes A Dull And Uneven Skin Tone: Sun damage can also cause pigmentation marks and dark spots to appear on your face.
All in all, sun damage is pretty much your biggest obstacle to younger, firmer and plumper-looking skin.
Prevent, Don’t Reverse
Ask any dermatologist and they’ll tell you that it’s easier to prevent the effects of sun damage than it is to reverse them. In fact, the older you get, the more your skin struggles to repair the effects of sun damage. The sooner you start using an SPF every day, the better. Here are three tips to help you out:
1. Choose A Broad Spectrum SPF
You should pick an SPF that protects your skin from both UVB rays (the shortwaves that cause burnt, red skin) and UVA rays (the longwaves that penetrate deeper into the skin and cause long-lasting damage).
My advice? Look for a "broad spectrum" SPF. This means that the sunscreen will protect your skin from both UVB and UVA rays. It's the most effective way of preventing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
2. Opt For At Least An SPF 30
According to the NHS website, you should use an SPF of at least 30 to protect your skin against UVB rays. Your sunscreen should also have at least a 4-star UVA protection.
Insider Tip: To check if your SPF is suitable, look for the letters UVA in a circle. This means it meets the required skin-protection standards.
3. Use An SPF Moisturiser
One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to sun damage is that it only happens on sunny days. In reality, UV rays can damage your skin all year round, even on cold and cloudy days. It goes without saying that adding an SPF into your skincare routine is a must.
You can either apply an SPF onto cleansed and toned skin after your serum but before your moisturiser, or use a moisturiser that provides broad spectrum protection. The moisturisers below would all do the trick! Plus, they’re available to buy on LookFantasticusing your GLOSSYCredit.
Vote In Our Poll: Do You Use An SPF?
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