During the sunnier months of spring and summer, it’s more important than ever to make sure we’re properly protecting ourselves from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays on our skin. However, relying on sunscreen alone may not be enough. Without understanding the risks of UV exposure or the limitations of sunscreen, it’s difficult to properly protect yourself from the sun. Adding antioxidants like vitamin C can boost SPF if chosen and used correctly.
Sun and UV damage
UV rays have a positive effect on our health and mental health, but they pose significant risks to the health of our skin. Not only do they increase the formation of ROS (reactive oxygen species), free radicals that can damage both the skin’s surface and the underlying layers, but UV exposure over time can also lead to DNA damage, premature skin aging, and even skin cancer. UV exposure can also damage the skin’s microbiome, leading to inflammation and interference with our immune responses. It is therefore imperative that we protect our skin from the damaging effects of UV rays.
The effectiveness of solar products
Sunscreen is often not enough to protect your skin from the sun. Take the UVB protection factor, SPF, for example. Laboratory tests for SPF (Sun Protection Factor) use 2mg/cm2 of exposed skin, and the SPF is calculated based on this. In theory, an SPF50 provides 98% protection if applied correctly. However, in practice, most people only use a quarter of the amount of sunscreen needed to achieve this level of protection, which is about 0.5mg/cm2 of exposed skin. Even using half the amount of sunscreen recommended by laboratories (1mg/cm2) would still only provide between a third and a half of the SPF protection needed.
We can therefore conclude that applying sunscreen is not sufficient in itself to protect us from the sun in practice. Other measures, such as wearing a hat and long sleeves, and avoiding the sun during the hottest hours of the day, should also be part of the sun protection routine.
Vitamin C to prevent and reduce sun damage
UV rays damage the skin through the process of oxidation. Applying an antioxidant such as vitamin C under sunscreen can alleviate potential problems with dark spots, sun sensitization, allergic reactions, and loss of collagen and elastin in the skin. Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant to counteract the onslaught of oxidative stress resulting from UV radiation. While it does not block or absorb solar radiation, it enhances the safety and effectiveness of sunscreens by neutralizing free radicals that sunscreens alone cannot block.
However, the type of vitamin C used is important, as water-soluble vitamin C, such as pure vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is unstable and can oxidize when exposed to daylight or sunlight, making it unsuitable for morning application. It is a misconception that a sunscreen with SPF50 will address this issue. Not only do sunscreens provide imperfect protection, as explained in the section above, but they are not formulated to prevent the oxidation of pure vitamin C. Therefore, it is important to use a lipid form of vitamin C, which is not oxidizable. Skin Diligent Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil contains a lipid vitamin C, a biotech ingredient, which can be safely applied under sunscreen in the morning.
How to repair skin weakened by the sun?
It is natural for the skin to lose water, a process called Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL). Losing moisture from the skin is a normal process to maintain body temperature at an acceptable level. During the warmer months, sweating causes increased loss of moisture (water and minerals). The sun and heat dry out the skin at a rate many times higher than normal. Dry skin means that the skin barrier is less able to protect you and itself from outside pollutants and pathogens that enter the skin. It also means that fine lines and wrinkles are more visible and skin appears dull.
So besides antioxidants, hydration is essential to repair the skin and restore the moisture it has lost. In skincare, you will need ingredients such as magnesium, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, prebiotics such as inulin to help bring moisture to the skin cells, probiotics to help regulate the skin’s disrupted microbiome, while peptides can help soothe and repair skin cells. All of these ingredients are present in our Cellular Hydration Serum.
At the end of the day, when the sun goes down, it’s important to remove all traces of SPF, hydrate skin cells, and add more antioxidants to fight free radicals. Use Skin Diligent’s Bi-Phase DUO – Cellular Hydration Serum for optimal skin hydration and Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil for its powerful antioxidant boost . The bonus is that the dry oil form of our Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil will further seal in the moisture of the Cellular Hydration Serum, without smothering skin.
The ideal routine to follow for sun protection:
The morning :
- Rinse your face with cold or lukewarm water, never hot.
- Apply 3 to 5 drops of Cellular Hydration Serum.
- Apply 3 to 5 drops of Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil.
- Apply sun protection.
The evening :
- Cleanse face with Triple Action Cleanser to remove sunscreen. Leave on skin for about 20 seconds to remove combination of sunscreen and makeup. Rinse thoroughly by gently rubbing skin with fingertips and pat dry.
- Dampen a cotton pad with mineral water or toner, then gently wipe your face.
- Apply the Cellular Hydration Serum.
- If you have spent the day in the sun, then apply 3 to 4 drops of Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil, otherwise use a light moisturizer.
If you’re a Skin Diligent regular, you know that our antioxidant powerhouse, Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil, is only recommended once a day, in the morning. However, if you’re heavily exposed to the sun, the serum is recommended twice a day.
BUY the complete 3-step routine here
Proper nutrition to help your sun-exposed skin
- Start eating foods rich in beta-carotene and lycopene, such as tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and watermelon in the spring and summer. These are the red and orange foods that are abundant during the warmer months.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin C, and dark green vegetables during the summer months.
- Drink plenty of water as well as fruits and vegetables with high water content like cucumbers, melons, pineapples, peppers, etc.
- Take our Skin & Stress food supplement to stock up on antioxidants and minerals.