Do we still need daily SPF in isolation?

If you haven’t had it drilled into you by every facialist, dermatologist, doctor, beauty expert, skinfluencer, mum, dog, aunty or cousin that SPF is a MUST HAVE in your daily skin routine, then you’ve essentially gotten away with murder because that is some impressive escape work, friend.

However, as we wrote our ‘essentials’ shopping list this week, it got us thinking. Do we really need to be dropping $$$ on suncreen right now, if we’re spending little to no time at all in the sun?

Is SPF a step in my skincare routine that can take a momentary back seat?

Answer below, and let’s find out whether you should be applying your daily SPF:

1) Do you have a window in your house?

2) Do you use a computer, TV or mobile phone?

3) Do you have fire alarm, hair dryer, or microwave?

4) Do you spend ANY time outside, even if its cloudy, in the middle of winter and for a short period of time?

If you can answer yes to any of the below questions, then you need to be wearing sunscreen every day.

And if you answered NO to all of the four questions… are you ok?

Is my SPF 15+ moisturiser or foundation enough?

Nope, it isn’t. When purchasing your sunscreen be sure to look for one that is labelled ‘broad spectrum’. This means it protects you from:

UVB rays: These are the most vicious of them all, the ones causing sunburn and skin cancers.
UVA rays: These guys will find you ANYWHERE. They penetrate through your windows when you’re inside, in the car or even on an aeroplane. These guys may not cause you hot, red blistering burns, but they are responsible for dark sun spots and wrinkles.

A good way to remember this is, UV(B) for BURNS and UV(A) for AGEING.

Some our favourite broad spectrum buys include: Cancer Council Face Day Wear Moisturiser Matte SPF50+ Invisible and Banana Boat EveryDay SPF 50+.

Ok but lights are off.. blinds are down…?

If you haven’t heard about our good friend Mr Blue Light, then you can read all about him and his mischevious ways here. Also known as High Energy Visible Light, this culprit penetrates into our skin from our phones, computers and TV’s. Leaving us with the lovely gift of discoloured patches and hyperpigmentation on our skin.

Our electronic devices are not only to blame. We need to also be aware of the infrared radiation that comes from household items such as our heaters, hair dryers and microwaves. These can also be responsible for dehydration and further damage to our skin. Infrared radiation (IRA), is best described as light you can feel as warmth, but you cannot see.

Image credit: @glopedia

Yes this would all be terribly frighting and overwhelming if a product invented to protect us from ALL OF THE ABOVE didn’t already exist…

So next time you’re wondering whether you should forego your sunscreen just because we are all housebound, please swiftly flashback to the above questions!

And while you’re here, check out some of our fave facial suncreen finds.

Main image credit: @cindycrawford + @bellahadid

Do you use SPF every day, regardless of whether you’re indoors or not?

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