In the summer it is normal to be exposed to the sun casually and unexpectedly, if you are one of those who take care of the skin of the body and face, something you should have on hand is sunscreen for the face and lips.
We often hear about the importance of protecting our skin from the sun's rays. The face is the part of the body most exposed to the sun, and because the lips are located on the face, they are almost never covered, so they are constantly in contact with sunlight.
"As you may have noticed, the skin on the lips is much thinner than the skin on the rest of the body, even thinner than the skin around the eyes, which is why they need special care, although it is very common to forget to use sunscreen on the face and lips!"
Do you use sunscreen for your face and lips?
If your answer was "no", then I invite you to continue reading.
Protecting the skin of your lips from the sun's rays is vital, as this area of the face lacks melanin (the skin's natural pigment that acts as a sunscreen), which is why they don't tan but can burn easily. Sunlight can even impact collagen production in the lips and, in addition to burning them, can accelerate premature aging of the area and the face in general.
Daily use of sunscreen for the face and lips is necessary, as UV (ultraviolet) rays are the most important risk factor when it comes to skin cancer.
The importance of SPF (Sun Protection Factor)
For lip care, an SPF suitable for withstanding high temperatures, wind, and other climatic factors that directly affect the condition and luminosity of this area of the face should be provided.
When choosing a sunscreen for your face, you need to be aware of your skin's resistance to sun exposure before redness and subsequent sunburn occur. The number accompanying the SPF indicates the increased duration of your skin's natural defense against redness prior to sunburn.
To calculate the SPF protection time, you can perform a simple operation: multiply the time you can be in the sun without your skin reddening by the SPF number. That is, if your skin's natural resistance time to the sun is 10 minutes and the SPF number is 15, it means that your skin will be protected for 150 minutes, specifically 2 and a half hours.
What you should avoid when using sunscreen on your face:
It's a mistake to use sunscreen meant for the face or body to protect your lips; on the contrary, it will irritate them because they aren't designed for that purpose. It's important to know that there are different products depending on the area of the body you want to protect; the density of each product is different because the skin on the face and lips is more delicate and thinner than on the rest of the body.
Recommendations:
Keep your lips moisturized.
Drinking water constantly and applying lip balm isn't enough; it's important to use special lip products with SPF. Did you know that licking your lips to moisturize them can be harmful? Saliva acts like a lens and intensifies sun exposure.
Use water-resistant sunscreen.
Lip sunscreen is the type of sunscreen that fades the fastest. For this reason, you should reapply it as often as necessary while you're at the beach or pool.
Choose the SPF you will use.
Just like body sunscreens, lip balms also contain a specific SPF. To protect your lips from the sun, choose a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Avoid using lip gloss without prior sun protection.
Lip glosses are not a substitute for sunscreen; using them as sunscreen because it's what you have on hand can damage your lips, as they can direct ultraviolet (UV) rays to the area, similar to a magnifying glass effect.
Exfoliate your lips.
Before or after sun exposure, if your lips become dry and peeling, you should exfoliate them. Use LE BON BEE's Lip Scrub; it's excellent for removing dead skin cells. Keep in mind that, because it's such a sensitive area, you shouldn't exfoliate too vigorously to avoid damaging it. It's recommended not to exfoliate immediately after sun exposure, as your lips will be more sensitive than usual.
Apply Vitamin E.
LE BON BEE's Vitamin E enhances sun protection. While not a sunscreen itself, studies show that applying Vitamin E to your lips will better protect them against the sun's harmful effects. It seals in moisture so you can enjoy your summer stroll without worrying about applying a protective balm so often.