You gotta wear sunscreen. Your skin needs it to stay healthy and to prevent wrinkles, fine lines, age spots and skin cancer. Sunscreen is your best weapon bar none! But if you’re not applying it correctly, it won’t be as effective 
. Don’t worry we’re here for you with the how to apply basics to make your sunscreen work for you.
Choose the Right Sunscreen
You want to wear it everyday but how do you choose the right one? According to the Skin Cancer Foundation - make sure you choose a broad spectrum sunscreen or SPF product that’s an SPF 15 or higher.
A broad spectrum sunblock will protect you against both UVA and UVB rays. SPF is only a measure of protection against UVB rays. In general UVB rays cause sunburn and skin cancer while UVA rays cause skin aging and skin cancer. So make sure to look for “broad spectrum” on the label.
Here’s a refresher on SPF and broad spectrum protection:
Apply Before You Head Out
Fifteen minutes before heading outside – make sure you apply your sunscreen or broad spectrum SPF product. It takes approximately 15 minutes for your skin to absorb sunblock properly.
Some say physical sunscreens like ours offer immediate protection. Our advice is to head the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s advice to apply at least 15 minutes before heading out. If you wait until you’re in the sun to apply, your skin is unprotected and could get burned.
To remind yourself to apply before heading out – think of sunscreen like toothpaste – something you just do every morning!
Make Sure You Apply Enough
I think this tip is the one most people forget or don’t know about. Heck I didn’t even realize how much to apply until I started this company. The common recommendation as described by Dr. Elizabeth K Hale professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine is:
“Approximately two milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin. In practice, this means applying the equivalent of a shot glass (two tablespoons) of sunscreen to the exposed areas of the face and body – a nickel-sized dollop to the face alone.”
The next time you take a shot think about your next sunscreen application to make sure you’re applying enough 
. The next time you apply sunscreen think about that souvenir shot glass you bought in Florida to make sure you’re applying enough.
Apply to ALL Exposed Skin
If your skin is bare, it needs sunscreen on it! It’s not just about the face everyday. Your hands and neck are often exposed to the sun daily too. So sunblock them up!
Here’s a good reminder about the places we often forget:
And if you’re at the beach in your swim suit or trunks make sure everywhere is covered.
Reapply
Sunscreen needs to be reapplied at least every two hours and immediately after swimming or excessively sweating. Unfortunately sunblock isn’t one and done for the day it needs be a multiple times a day thing.
More Sunscreen Tips
There you have it, the 101 of applying sunscreen. Print this list out if you need! Now if you’re thirsting for more sunscreen tips – we’ve got them. Check out our Suncare Smarts or Sunscreen and Sunblock blog series.
