Protecting the skin with sunscreens is a rule that must be followed for the good of our skin, but sunscreen must be used correctly. Here are the 10 common mistakes that are usually made with sunscreen: it is very important to know how to recognize them in order to avoid them and... keep our skin safe!

Protecting the skin from the sun's rays is a fundamental step in preserving its health. Using sunscreen is essential to ensure effective defense, but mistakes are often made that can compromise the effectiveness of sunscreen. In this article, we will explore the 10 most common mistakes that are usually made when applying these products. It is vitally important to recognize and avoid them to keep our skin safe. Here's what they are:

1. I have olive or dark skin, so I don't need cream

One of the common but very dangerous mistakes we can make regarding sunscreen is thinking that if we have dark and olive skin we don't need to protect ourselves from UV rays. It is very true that those with a light complexion run a greater risk of burning than those with olive skin, but even Mediterranean complexions must protect themselves from the sun's rays and its damage.

Indeed, it very often happens that the lower tendency to redness can lead to underestimating the time of exposure to the sun and its consequences. We therefore scrupulously use sunscreen even if we have olive skin, after the first few days of exposure to the sun we can use a cream with a lower protection factor, but without ever giving it up completely.

2. How and how much cream to apply

The sunscreen is spread on clean, dry skin without skimping on quantity.

It should be massaged until it is well absorbed, we realize it because the skin appears soft and shiny.

The right amount of sunscreen should be 2 mg per square centimetre,
this dose guarantees all the protection factor indicated on the label.

If we use less cream, the protection factor will also be lower.

That's why it's really very important not to skimp on the amount of cream we apply if we want our skin to be protected in the right way.

3. Applying the cream once is not enough

Most sunscreens protect for about two hours.

The cream should therefore be applied several times during the day and in any case always after a shower or bath and if you sweat a lot (this also applies to water-resistant sunscreens!).

4. The best time to put on sunscreen

The best time to apply the cream depends on the type of filters it contains.

If we are using a sunscreen with physical filters, it will be applied directly on the beach
(or in the place of exposure to the sun) and not before.

This is because physical filters act by refraction, to be clear they are like a barrier on our skin that shields the sun's rays, so if we applied the cream long before going to the beach, once we arrive part of its "barrier" action it would have already run out.

The opposite is the case of sunscreens with chemical filters. In fact, chemical filters act by absorption, so they must have time to penetrate deeply into the skin and saturate it to have maximum effect.

For this reason they should be spread on the skin at least 30 minutes before leaving the house.

5. Ingredients matter

As always, it is very important to pay attention to the ingredients and to read the labels.

We prefer physical filters as they have a safer toxicological profile than chemical filters, do not interact with the skin and are potentially less allergenic, making them suitable and highly compatible even for the delicate skin of children.

In addition they are more eco-sustainable, in line with what we believe in!

They do not have the devastating effects on the aquatic flora and fauna of chemical filters which remain afloat and prevent the sun's rays from penetrating the water, killing plants and algae and taking away food from the fish.

6. Sunscreen should always be applied, not just at the beach

One of the most common mistakes we can make about sunscreen is thinking that if there's no sun, you won't get burned.

UV rays also pass through the clouds, for this reason the application of sunscreen is essential not only if we are not directly on the beach or the sky is cloudy, but also if we are in the city.

In fact, whether it's a sunny or cloudy day, going outside without sunscreen can cause damage to the skin.

Recent studies have shown that the sun immediately triggers a reaction that damages the DNA of cells not protected by sunscreens.

7. The areas not to be forgotten

There are some areas of our body that we almost always forget when we apply sunscreen.

The two parts of the body taken least into consideration are the eyebrows and the hairline.

Other critical points are behind the knees, insteps, armpits, lips and earlobes.

In fact, they are all very sensitive areas that we usually tend to forget until they signal their existence to us with a nice sunburn

Let's not forget to protect your hair well too!

We choose a protective and restructuring oil that keeps them soft, saving them from dryness and fragility, so as not to find them dehydrated and stressed at the end of the day and at the end of the season.

Once you get home, wash them with a mild shampoo for frequent washing and nourishing conditioner and masks.

8. The umbrella does not necessarily protect us

Another common mistake concerning sunscreen is thinking that we are safe under the umbrella.

The sun's rays reach us anyway because they are reflected by the sand and the surface of the water, even more so if we have an umbrella near the shore.

The shade cast by the umbrella and the tents only serves to give us some refreshment from the heat, but it does not adequately protect us from sunburn.

In the sun or in the shade it is therefore essential to apply sunscreen!

9. Moisturizer instead of sunscreen

Using a simple moisturizer instead of sunscreen is another bad habit that can have really dangerous consequences for our skin.

Sunscreens contain a filter that shields UV radiation, responsible for sunburn and photoaging of the skin, while moisturizers only serve to keep the skin soft and hydrated.

During exposure to the sun, a sunscreen cream should therefore be absolutely used, while the moisturizer can be applied in the evening and in the morning as part of the normal summer beauty routine.

10. In the sun we choose a specific make-up

When we go to the beach it would always be better not to apply any type of make-up on the skin, but if we really cannot do without it, we choose specific make-up products to be applied in the sun which often contain a sun filter, and we apply every use sunscreen as a base.

In this way we will keep away the risk of unsightly sun spots.

And always remember that sunscreen saves our skin!