Sun protection in winter: does it make sense?

It’s the question I get every autumn. The sun is gone, it’s raining, so do I still need to use sun protection? Short answer: yes. Long answer: it depends on what you're working on, but for almost everyone, it’s the step that makes the rest of your routine effective.

Why light gets through even without the sun

What causes your skin to age and triggers pigmentation isn’t the warmth you feel. It is radiation that you cannot feel and for the most part cannot see. A portion of it penetrates clouds and glass, so that includes behind a car window or at a desk by a window.

That doesn’t mean a winter day weighs as heavily as a day at the beach. It means it is not zero, and that it adds up over the course of a whole year.

If you are working on pigmentation or aging

Then SPF is not an extra on top of your serum. It is about half the work. Anyone using a targeted product without sun protection is taking away what’s there while new damage is being added in the meantime. That is the main reason why people think their skincare doesn't work.

If you are using retinol or acids, your skin is also more sensitive to light. In those cases, sun protection is also a must.

How much do you need?

More than most people use. For your face and neck together, count on about two finger-lengths of product. If you don't do that, you end up with a lower level of protection in practice than what is stated on the packaging.

If you are outside for longer periods, reapply. Definitely after swimming or drying off, because that is the moment when most of the protection disappears.

The texture determines if you keep it up

This is where it goes wrong in practice. A sun product that feels sticky, leaves a white cast, or makes your skin shiny won't be used after two weeks. The best sun product is the one you enjoy applying every morning.

There is more choice than you think: light gels and fluids, oil-free formulas for skin that gets shiny quickly, richer textures for dry skin, and tinted versions that you can wear as a light foundation. The latter are a great solution if you want a little coverage on your skin anyway.

Where do you start?

In sun protection for the face, you can find the textures listed, from light and liquid to tinted. Heliocare is the brand I reach for most often, precisely because the textures are pleasant enough to make it a habit.

Don't forget your hands, your décolleté, and your ears. Those are the places where you will see the difference in ten years compared to the rest.

Not sure which texture suits your skin? Let me know what you are currently using and where things are going wrong, and I will help you look for a solution.