Why you need to wear sunscreen

 There are so many ways nowadays you can fake a sun kissed tan, little sunburn on your nose, or freckles … so why are you still frying your skin outside to get that look! Sunscreen will NOT completely eliminate the possibility of any of those looks, but what it will do is reduce the risk of cancer and premature aging. And those effects your skin develops from the sun, like a sunburn, are signs of possible early cancer and aging.  

So, if us and the rest of the beauty gurus and dermatologists on the internet telling you that sunscreen will:


  1. Reduces risk of skin cancer

  2. Defend yourself from a sunburn

  3. Prevents premature aging

has not convinced you just yet to incorporate into your daily routine, maybe this photo will.

Pictured on the right is an image that was published in a New England Journal of Medicine.[1]  This 69-year-old man was a truck driver for 28 years of his life. As you can see, the left side of his face appears to have more wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging skin. That is because the 28 years he spent on the road; the left side of his face was exposed to the sun as it was positioned right next to the window.

UVA rays can penetrate through windows, as we see with truck driver’s left sides of their faces, BUT also penetrate through clouds. So, for the sake of your skin, wear sunscreen even on cloudy days so you do not end up with the wrinkles and sagging that this man did.   

Rainy, cloudy, snowy, or sunny… add sunscreen into your daily morning routine! Fortunately, many brands have added SPF into the formulas of tinted-moisturizer, primers, or chap sticks. By finding a product like one of those, you are not even adding any more steps or trouble for yourself. Sephora, ULTA, and local drug stores are perfect places to look for sunscreen that you will love enough to use every single day!

Your skin will also benefit from the moisture and other vitamins delivered to it through sunscreen! There is no limit to how many times a day you can re-apply; we suggest doing so every two to three hours. We have found that keeping a small sunscreen in your purse or backpack or in your car, or at your desk is extremely convenient.

It can be convenient if you make it be. It can also be stylish if you make it be! Incorporate accessories into your look that block sun exposure for your skin. Big straw hats are our current beach staple as they can complete an outfit and provide extra protection from UV rays. These are perfect for vacation and beach days etc… but the bucket hat trend could be more fitting for day-to-day wear. Bucket hats with a wide enough brim can protect your face from rays while allowing you to look like you are up to date on all the Instagram influencer and Vogue trends…

Share with us @theedgemag how you protect your skin from the sun!