Any skincare fan will know the importance of wearing SPF.
Along with a daily hyaluronic acid dose and a hit of retinol before bedtime, wearing sunscreen everyday is a beauty-must that is constantly drilled into our minds.
With most of us self-isolating indoors at the moment it begs the question as to whether we still need to top our moisturiser with a dose of SPF.
“It’s an interesting topic and one I’m being asked frequently at the moment,” said Dermalogica skincare expert Candice Gardner.
MORE: The ultimate DIY facial for your skin type to keep skin glowing during self-isolation
“Those who have been rigorous with sticking to an SPF regimen are now questioning whether this still remains a necessity. Much of this depends on the individual, how you’re spending your time and what your home layout is like.
“We’re still encouraged to seek fresh air once a day and as the sunshine is out, it’s imperative that you protect your skin. It may not seem hot enough for you to be concerned about the impact, but the UVA rays are still strong enough to lead to skin damage.
“It's also important to consider where you’ve set up your working from home desk,” she the Dermalogica education manager. “If you have set up near a window, it’s important to still continue with your daily SPF regimen.
“You may have heard that you can't get a sunburn through glass, but that doesn't mean glass blocks all ultraviolet, or UV, light. The rays that lead to skin or eye damage can still get through, even if you don't get burned. Whilst UVB, the high intensity wavelengths that cause burning, cannot penetrate glass, you will still be vulnerable to the skin damaging and ageing effects of UVA”.
Candice also warned that blue light emitted from computer screens and smartphone devices could have “potential for health concerns”, so that it is best to be on the safe side when it comes to SPF protection.
MORE: 6 beauty brands doing brilliant things during the Coronavirus pandemic
“Research is still emerging in this area and we do not yet have sufficient data collected over time to define accurately the level of exposure required to cause a specific degree of damage,” said Candice.
“However, since blue light borders UVA in the electromagnetic spectrum, some sunscreen filters like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can also shield from blue light at the same time as providing UV protection”.
Didn’t realise you still needed to top up your SPF? Here are some of our favourites to get your hands on ASAP…
SPF products to wear indoors
The Body Shop Skin Defence
This non-greasy formula protects against UVA/UVB rays while the infusion of vitamin C leaves the complexion with a brighter finish.
SHOP NOW: The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Lotion SPF 50+, £18, The Body Shop
Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Aqua Gel
Ideal for oily skin types this ultra-light gel formula is soothing and protective.
SHOP NOW: Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Aqua Gel, £29, Feel Unique
Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin
The low-SPF moisturiser is sinks straight into skin and leaves a lovely silky finish.
Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense
This invisible formula provides added blue light protection for all of the technology-fuelled days of self-isolation.
SHOP NOW: Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense Spf30, £49, Feel Unique
La Roche-Posay Anthelios
A water and sweat resistant product that will keep you protected on your daily walk and even during garden sunbathing sessions.
Better top up before the sun comes back out!
Aleesha is digital shopping writer at woman&home—so whether you're looking for beauty, fashion, health or home buys, she knows all the best places to splash your cash. She earned an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London in 2017 after graduating from University of Leeds in 2014 with a BA in English and Spanish (which took her to Madrid for a Rioja- and tapas-packed year). Aleesha has worked for woman&home since 2019, when she joined the team as their digital news writer. A year on the news team gained her quick and reactive writing skills and a love for breaking stories, invaluable insight into where to get the best lifestyle releases first, an AOP awards nomination and the nickname ‘crazy watch lady’ after she stalked the royals via breaking news alerts on her Apple Watch.
Before joining the woman&home team, Aleesha wrote for their sister site GoodtoKnow, where she covered celebrity news, health advice and where to snap up the cheapest lifestyle buys. With a background in beauty, Aleesha has also written for Stylist and Women’s Health where she developed an understanding into what makes a stellar product and which brands are worth paying attention to. She never leaves the house without a good slathering of SPF and is always on the hunt for new lipsticks to add to her ‘Lipstick of the Day’ Instagram story highlight (and color-coordinated collection).
But it’s not just beauty buys Aleesha can help you with. Social media savviness, strong PR relationships and a need to stay in the know mean she’s all about the latest fashions, clever gadgets and reliable lifestyle buys too. She loves indulging in an interior craze (with a bedroom drowned in prints, plants and pink), is a regular visitor to the Missoma and Edge of Ember 'New In' pages and can’t resist the allure of a kitchen gadget—just ask her three coffee machines. Being a product specialist on a brand for bold women (and living the single life) means that Aleesha also knows a thing or two about the must-buy sex toys, so she relishes in unleashing her inner Carrie Bradshaw on our sex & relationships pages.
When she’s not playing around with new products and testing anything she can get her hands on, Aleesha spends most of her time with her head in a current bestseller, catching up on the latest Netflix craze with her sister, trying out new recipes, drinking wine with her bestie and (in non-COVID times) has been known to be a bit of a jetsetter amongst her friendship group.
Follow her latest shopping & lifestyle advice, beauty insights and social antics on Instagram at @aleeshabadkar.
Twitter: @aleeshabadkar
LinkedIn: aleesha-badkar
Email: aleesha.badkar@futurenet.com
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