Diamonds & Pebbles: Sun Week Pt. I: SPF Facts.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve found myself being totally immersed in all things sun and SPF related. What started with the tentative launch of Glossier’s first sunscreen (and their impressive marketing tool of discussing various sun-related issues in the lead up to the launch) snowballed into all my beauty blogs talking about the oncoming summer and making all the right preparations. However, it wasn’t until last week when temperatures hit the high twenties that it really hit me: summer is coming. With that in mind, I thought I’d do my very own Sun Week, after all, I have a deep love for sunscreen and want to dispel myths that Black people don’t need it, and that it’s not all that important in everyday life. So to kick off Sun Week, I’m starting with a few interesting (and kind of weird) facts about the stuff that helps protect our skin when the sun comes out.

SUNSCREEN CAN LAST FOR UP TO THREE YEARS

This one makes me happy because I’d been using my trusty Nivea sunscreen for the last couple of years and wondering if it was time to toss (NB. I threw it away two months ago). With impressive formulas that can keep it in good shape for up to three years, you no longer have to feel guilty about having to throw away a half full bottle at the end of the summer just because you haven’t been able to finish it yet.

THERE IS LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPF FACTORS

I actually only discovered this last week after reading an article that went into detail about how to pick the right sunscreen for you, and I was incredibly shocked. After years of believing that the higher the factor, the better the protection, to say my world came crashing down would be an understatement. The truth of the matter is that there is very little difference between SPF factors, and in actuality, SPF 30 blocks about 95-97% of UV rays, while SPF 50 blocks about 97%. Sure, I’ll continue to lather on the SPF 50, this just means I won’t have a meltdown in Superdrug or Sainbury’s the next time they’re out of SPF 50.

SPF SHOULD ALSO GO ON YOUR NAILS

Another fact that really shocked me, but yes, aside from the obvious places – face, arms, legs, back, stomach etc – your nails also need that SPF loving. Forgetting your nails and their surrounding areas (fingers, hands, oh not forgetting those toes) leaves them more vulnerable to skin cancer and lesions that can lift the nail. And not to be outdone, but the ears are also another place that usually gets forgotten about.