SPF For The Win!
Confession: I didn't start wearing sunscreen as an adult until I turned 29. I was always one of those kids whose mom slathered on SPF 100 during softball and cheerleading season but I did a horrible job keeping it up when I became an adult. I am a sun queen and I believe the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice! Sunbathing at the beach is one of my favorite things to do but I noticed a few years ago sun spots and damage on my nose. After the small panic attack and a trip to my dermatologist, she got me all the way together and told me I basically need to be putting on SPF EVERY DAY. Turns out Black does crack and you too my melaniated friend will suffer the consequences if you don’t start slapping on that good ole SPF!
My mind was blown after doing a podcast episode of the Fit Files (Ep. 26) with Shontay Lundy founder of Black Girl Sunscreen. I was one of those people who thought people of color didn't really need to protect our skin because of melanin. Shontay was filled with knowledge and dropped gems on the importance of wearing sunscreen everyday. Her journey of starting Black Girl Sunscreen to where she is now is so inspirational and to see another woman of color winning at being an entrepreneur makes my heart smile! <That is your hint to check out the podcast episode!> I can’t rave enough about this product especially because it does not leave behind any white residue!
UV Rays also known as Ultraviolet Radiation are real and they wreak havoc on your skin. I mean if you think about it, Rays are short for Radiation and there is nothing positive that comes to mind when you hear that word. The sun emits 3 types of UV Radiation. UVA, UVB and UBC. While these rays are not visible to the eye, we definitely should not be ignoring them!
UVA- Accounts for 95% of all the radiation that hits the earth. To me, they are the most dangerous because they have the longest lasting effects. These rays penetrate the second layer of the skin and play a major role in skin aging and wrinkling.
UVB- Damaging to the top layer of skins and accounts for sunburn. These rays are linked to skin cancer and account for 5% of the sun's rays.
UVC- The shortest of all the UV Rays never reaching the earth because they are absorbed by the ozone layers.
SPF should be a priority and a part of your daily skin care routine. It prevents burning, slows down premature aging and protects against harmful rays! We are all trying to keep our skin hydrated and healthy which is all the more reason we should include SPF in the mix!
Thanks for reading Fam!