8 Reasons Why You Think You Don’t Need SPF (But Really Do)

When it comes to wearing sunscreen, does anybody actually love it? For some, it smells good, but it's too greasy and might even cause breakouts. For others, it smells too sunscreeny and leaves an unattractive whitecast. Whatever your love/hate relationship with SPF might be, it's safe to say that every person needs to wear it in order to provide ultimate sun protection for their skin. Although we all have our individual sunscreen skepticisms, the benefits of applying it far outweigh the inconveniences a sunscreen product carries. We've already made it easy to help you find a clean SPF product in our Uncovering a Truly Clean SPF for All blog post. Now, we've gathered the top eight reasons merbabes like you don't like wearing sunscreen, and how to make wearing an SPF product more fun!

My skin doesn't sunburn

Yes, it does! It doesn't matter how dark your skin tone is or how "used" to the sun your skin is, your skin will always be prone to sunburn or UV-related damage, even if you’re unable to easily see or feel it’s impact. UV damage doesn't care about how often you're in the sun or your skin color. Sun damage, and sometimes even sunburn, isn't always seen or felt. 

I don't like the way it smells

In our opinion, nothing screams beach vibes more than the scent of sunscreen, but we get it's not a scent everyone loves. The signature scent of sunscreen has been around since WWII and comes from a combination of cocoa butter, coconut oil, and jasmine flower. Since then, that timeless scent has been replicated into a myriad of sunscreens, even when cocoa butter and coconut oil aren't even ingredients present in the formula.

You can find a variety of SPF products on the market, including Earth Harbor’s newest gem Eclipse Sheer Mineral Sunscreen, that are labeled "fragrance-free" or "unscented" and soak up all the necessary sun protection without smelling like coconut or zinc.

It's cloudy and/or rainy today

The two main types of UV rays are UVA and UVB. While UVB rays are the rays emitted from direct sun exposure which can cause sunburn and skin cancer, UVA rays can penetrate clouds and windows (yes, it's that powerful) and cause premature skin aging. 

It's important to opt for an SPF product labeled "broad spectrum" or "full-spectrum" to ensure you're being protected from all of the major UV rays. Eclipse Sunscreen is broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen lotion that helps protect skin against UVA and UVB rays, blue light, and pollution damage.  

Sunscreen is toxic/bad

If you've already been using clean and natural beauty products, you've probably learned the importance of detoxing your skincare. Not all sunscreens, even some chemical-based sunscreens, are toxic and bad. This is why it's important to read the label. While some ingredients in chemical-based SPF products may be allergenic to humans, others may be detrimental to marine life and coral reefs.

Once you find the perfect-for-you clean and natural SPF product, you won't have to worry about it being toxic for you or bad for the environment. Eclipse Sunscreen is reef-safe, nontoxic and non-nano, so you can feel good about protecting your skin and sea creatures too. 

I work indoors every day

This is a fair argument. If you work indoors, the sun can't reach you, right? Wrong! Of the two major types of UV rays that hit your skin, UVA rays penetrate your office window and can cause pre-mature skin aging. The blue light emitted from your electronic devices can impact hormone health and age your skin prematurely too, including fluorescent lighting that might be looming above you in your office or home.

It's important to remember that wearing SPF products isn't just for pool and beach days, but should be part of your daily skincare ritual.

My makeup has SPF in it

If you're already choosing makeup products with SPF, then you're on the right track for protecting your skin from sun damage. But the SPF in your makeup (or moisturizer) only goes so far, and doesn’t always cover your entire face, neck, or chest. SPF protection isn't just for your face, but all of your body that's exposed to UV. 

My skin is sensitive and sunscreen makes my skin feel greasy or causes breakouts

Finding a clean and truly natural sunscreen protection that caters to sensitive skin is far easier than it was a few years back. There are sunscreens that are gentle for sensitive skin, contain non-comedogenic (a fancy way of saying it won't cause a break-out), and oil-free lightweight ingredients that don’t cause a white cast. Eclipse Sunscreen is 100% Mineral sunscreen and the ingredients are non-comedogenic and plant-based ingredients. Discover more about Eclipse's formula in Eclipse's blog post. 

It takes too long to apply

Yes, applying SPF daily does add time to your skincare ritual, but it’s so worth it. We believe an effective SPF sunscreen is the single most important skincare product everyone should be using, and might even save time in the long run. You might have to add even more steps to your routine when you need aloe for a sunburn. It's far easier to prevent sunburn and skin aging than it is to combat skin damage after it's already happened.

Find Your SPF BFF for Sunscreen Love Everyday

We’re pretty sure it's a safe bet to say that if you don't like wearing sunscreen, at least one of the above reasons resonates with you. We hope that you’re inspired to find your perfect SPF match, so you can wear her without worrying about any of the items we listed above. We believe that no matter the excuse, there's a workaround so that you can feel comfortable in your sun-protected skin.

Our Favorite Daily Sunscreen:

ECLIPSE Sheer Mineral Sunscreen

Sources:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-compact-fluorescent-lightbulbs-damage-skin/