Sunscreen vs. Breakouts

Wearing sunscreen is one of the most important ways to protect yourself from skin cancer (and even wrinkles) and it’s as easy as just putting on face lotion everyday. You’re never too young to start using sunscreen on your skin; in fact, the earlier you start the better! Your future self will thank you. 

Most moisturizers nowadays have SPF built into them, so if you’re already putting on moisturizer as part of your daily morning routine, using sunscreen won’t even add another step. Either way, whether you choose to use a moisturizer/sunscreen combo or keep them as individual products, an SPF of at least 30 is recommended for protection (and 50 is even better). If you wear makeup, make sure to apply sunscreen before any other products. Or, try a tinted sunscreen, which actually works even better than non-tinted ones because the particles carrying color also reflect sunlight. So give one of those a try… but remember to look at yourself in natural light to make sure that the tint you chose actually matches your skin tone. 

Despite the benefits of sunscreen, many teens complain that it makes them break out – the thick, greasy lotions in particular. If this is you, make sure you’re using a sunscreen that’s for your face specifically. Body sunscreen is normally too thick, and it’s another reason why people opt for a moisturizer with SPF. If you have oily skin, try a sunscreen that’s oil-free. If you have dry skin, sunscreen could actually protect you from the sun’s harsh rays, which dry out your face and cause oil overproduction (cue the pimples…).