Did you know that not all sunscreens are the same? While most sunscreens are designed to protect the skin from sun damage, only broad spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVA and UVB rays. 

Learning about the ingredients in your sun protection can help you make the right choices for your skin. Read more about the importance of broad spectrum sunscreen and give your skin full protection from the sun.

Broad Spectrum Protects From UVA & UVB Rays

So what do we mean when we say ‘broad spectrum sunscreen?’ Put simply, broad spectrum sunscreen protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays, providing better protection from different elements of sun damage. 

UVA rays enter the middle layer of your skin, helping to cause signs of aging over time. Premature wrinkles are one of the first signs of damage from UVA rays.

UVB rays can damage the outer layer of your skin and are responsible for causing the majority of skin cancers, particularly melanomas.

Using a broad spectrum SPF can help protect from both UVA and UVB rays, ensuring your skin is protected at a surface level, as well as deeper protection to help prevent long-term damage. Effective sunscreen isn’t just about the SPF numbers, it’s about the type of protection you put on your skin.

The Benefits of a Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

Used as part of daily sun protection routine, a broad spectrum sunscreen will help provide many benefits, including:

Prevents Early Signs of Aging

While everyone starts to age eventually, you can prevent premature aging or severe signs of aging by wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen. This will help protect against wrinkles, lines, sun spots, and hyperpigmentation, which can age your face prematurely leaving you looking older than you are.

Skin Cancer Prevention

It’s a common myth that black people don’t need to wear sunscreen – our skin is just as much at risk of skin cancer if we don’t protect it! Learn more about the risks of melanoma and how to protect your skin from developing skin cancer in the future. 

Impedes Sunburn

Sunburn is not only painful and uncomfortable, but it can also cause permanent damage. A broad spectrum sunscreen can provide you with enhanced protection, helping you enjoy the sun safely. Check out how much sunscreen you should be using to protect your skin.

Overall Healthy Skin

Using sunscreen should be a key part of your daily skincare routine. Not only will it keep your skin protected from the sun, but a high-quality product will also help keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Remember to reapply regularly to keep your skin safe from the sun, and look for products with SPF built into them for extra protection. 

At Black Girl Sunscreen, we’re thrilled to provide a range of broad spectrum skincare products to help you enjoy the ultimate protection for your skin:

• Make It Hybrid SPF 50 Sunscreen – Your must-have product to enjoy effective protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Helps hydrate and smooth your skin to boost skin health and appearance.
• Make It Pop Lip Gloss – Enjoy glossy, poppin’ lips with SPF 50 to provide essential protection for one of your most important assets.
• Make It Glow SPF 30 – A sunscreen spray takes the hard work out of applying your daily sun protection. With hydrating ingredients, it’ll leave you with a radiant glow while keeping your skin safe from damage. 

Explore our full range of sun protection products designed for both kids and black girls in mind and make sure your skin is fully protected from the risks of sun exposure

When it comes to protecting your skin, sunscreen is essential. Sunscreen will help protect your skin from burning, but it will also help stop some of the signs of aging caused by UV rays. 

But sunscreen is only effective at preventing sun damage when it is applied correctly. Believe it or not, there are some commonly missed spots that many people neglect when applying sun protection, leaving these areas vulnerable to damage and skin cancer.

Think you’ve been applying sunscreen correctly? Take a look at our guide to the most commonly missed areas to apply your sunscreen so you can get it right every time.

What Happens When You Only Use Sunscreen on Your Face? 

If you want to know what happens when you only apply sunscreen to your face, then this viral tweet gives you a very clear idea:

Cheek and neck of a 92-year-old female, who used UV-protective moisturizers on her face but not on the neck for 40+ years.https://t.co/Q8wWxY2tDE pic.twitter.com/FBSswmYxt1

— Avi Bitterman, MD (@AviBittMD) September 2, 2022

When using sunscreen, it’s important to not only think about the short-term use to prevent burning or excessive tanning, but the long-term implications too. Over time, sun damage can cause premature aging, leaving visible damage as well as increasing your risk of skin cancer. So while the signs aren’t visible right now, as we age, the more likely we are to increase our risk of skin damage.

When using sunscreen, it’s important to not only think about the short-term use to prevent burning or excessive tanning, but the long-term implications too. Over time, sun damage can cause premature aging, leaving visible damage as well as increasing your risk of skin cancer. So while the signs aren’t visible right now, as we age, the more likely we are to increase our risk of skin damage. .

Commonly Missed Spots to Apply Sunscreen

While the tweet above shows where sunscreen was neglected, the neck is just one of several areas that are vulnerable to sun damage.

Your Neck & Chest

Your neck and chest are constantly exposed to the sun, especially during the summer as you shed the clothing layers. As you apply sunscreen to your face, make sure you also apply to these areas. A spray sunscreen works wonders, and you can check out our guide to how to use spray sunscreen to help you apply it properly.

Your Lips

Believe it or not, even your lips are susceptible to sun damage. Lips are extremely fragile because they do not have any sweat glands or sebaceous glands and only produce a small amount of melanin. The best way to protect them is to regularly use protection with SPF. Choose products like our Make It Pop Sungloss with added SPF to keep your lips kissable and protected at the same time.

Your Eyelids & Ears

Burning your eyelids and ears is no joke. The fragile tissue is the thinnest on the body, less than 1 millimeter thick. Eyelids are meant to protect our eyes, but the lids themselves need protection too. The damage over time can also make you look much older than you are. Remember to apply to these areas when protecting your face for full coverage.

Your Scalp

Your scalp is particularly vulnerable to UV rays, which is why you need to protect it. Cover your hair with a hat or a scarf to help you keep your scalp out of the sun.

Your Feet

Don’t forget to protect your feet with SPF, including the soles if you’re lying in the sun. Make It Glow SPF 30 is a must-have product to keep your feet soft and smooth and protected with broad-spectrum sunscreen.

Your Hands

Finally, women need to remember to protect their hands. Apply sunscreen regularly, (every two hours) including after washing, or use SPF gloves like our Sun Shield UPF 50 Gloves to keep your hands safe from the sun.

Now that you know more about the areas where people forget to wear sunscreen, you can take active steps to protect yourself from head to toe. Invest in a good everyday sunscreen like our Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30 and enjoy both short and long-term protection for your skin.