The Anti-ageing Benefits of Sunscreen
If there’s one reason why you should wear sunscreen all year round, it is definitely to keep your skin bouncy, youthful, and healthy. The skin’s regeneration process starts to slow down as early as 25, and sunbathing without any sunscreen can accelerate this process.
Thankfully, a tube a SPF is a simple solution against sun damage ageing.
In a recent study, Australian researchers monitored the skin damage inflicted by sun exposure among 900 people. Over 4 years, they found that those who used sunscreen daily showed 24% less skin aging than those who applied it irregularly. They also observed an impressive 9% drop in photo-ageing and skin damage in people who started using sunscreen for the study.
In short, there’s no doubt that sunscreen is good for your skin. But how exactly does it prevent it from ageing? Does it come down to its composition and SPF rating? Well, let’s find out by looking at the anti-ageing benefits of sunscreen.
Benefit 1: Maintains Even Complexion
Sun damage is one of the many causes of an uneven skin tone. Whether that’s new appearing moles, freckles, blemishes, or darker patches of skin, an uneven skin complexion reflects a deeper change happening in your skin epidermis. Certain cells mutate, others don’t regenerate, collagen degrades… and this can accelerate the skin’s ageing process.
A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against the damages done by UVA (aging) and UVB (burning). As such, most sunscreens labelled that way can help you maintain an even complexion.
Benefit 2: Reduce Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the free radicals and antioxidants found in the body. This imbalance can be caused by many things, including the sun. If your skin is not regenerating properly or losing its elasticity, you might be experiencing oxidative stress and as a result, the boosting effect it as on wrinkles and overall skin ageing.
To limit oxidative stress, expert recommend to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen. However, not all brands are good for your skin and can have a damaging effect thanks to the chemicals they contain. Choosing a clean sunscreen with antioxidative ingredients such as olive oil can protect and neutralise excess sun damage.
Benefit 3: Boost Skin Regeneration
By preventing oxidative stress, free radicals and UV damage, sunscreen boosts you skin cells' regeneration. But to ensure your cells are fully supported, you need to pick the right SPF formula for your skin.
An SPF number indicates the length of time you can spend in the sun without getting burnt. Each SPF will offer the same UV protection to your skin. The trick lies in applying sunscreen generously and regularly. It's been shown that applying SPF 30 generously is more effective than an SPF 50 spread thinly or not frequently enough.
Other factors should also be considered when you're choosing a to UV protection, such as your age, skin type, and environmental factors. You may burn more quickly than your friends or have a sensitive skin. You might also be tanning during the sun peak hour or heading for a swim every 20 minutes. Taking these into account can give you an idea of how much and how many times sunscreen should be applied to boost skin regeneration.
Choosing a broad-spectrum sunscreen filled with natural ingredients is the best way to ensure you get the most anti-aging benefits. Our tinted zinc cream contains olive oil, cacao butter and zinc - among other ingredients - which are naturally moisturising, antioxidative and protective.