During the sunnier months of spring and summer, it's more important than ever to ensure 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 such as vitamin C can boost SPF if chosen and used correctly.
Damage caused by the sun and UV rays
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 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. Therefore, it is imperative to protect our skin from the harmful effects of UV rays.
The effectiveness of sunscreens
Sunscreen is often not enough to protect skin from the sun. Take, for example, the UVB protection factor, SPF. Laboratory tests for SPF (Sun Protection Factor) use 2 mg/cm2 of exposed skin, and the SPF is calculated based on this. In theory, an SPF of 50 provides a protection rate of 98% if applied correctly. However, in practice, most people only use a quarter of the amount of sunscreen needed to achieve this level of protection—about 0.5 mg/cm2 of exposed skin. Even using half the amount of sunscreen recommended by laboratories (1 mg/cm2) is estimated to provide only between a third and a half of the necessary SPF protection.
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 counter 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 because 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 offer 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 biotechnological 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 moisture loss (water and minerals). The sun and heat dry out the skin at a rate several times higher than normal. Dry skin means the skin barrier is less able to protect you and itself from outside pollutants and pathogens that penetrate the skin. It also means fine lines and wrinkles are more visible and skin appears dull.
Along with antioxidants, hydration is essential for repairing skin and restoring lost moisture. In skincare, you'll need ingredients like magnesium, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, prebiotics like inulin to help replenish moisture to skin cells, probiotics to help regulate the skin's disrupted microbiome, and peptides to help soothe and repair skin cells. All of these ingredients are found 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 - the Cellular Hydration Serum for optimal skin hydration and the 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 seal in even more of the moisture in the Cellular Hydration Serum, without suffocating the 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 sunscreen.
The evening :
- Cleanse your face with the Triple Action Cleanser to remove sunscreen. Leave on your skin for approximately 20 seconds to remove the combination of sunscreen and makeup. Rinse thoroughly by gently rubbing the skin with your fingertips and pat dry.
- Moisten 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, in cases of heavy sun exposure, 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 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.