Do you spend a lot of time outdoors? Are you religious about reapplying sunscreen every two hours or are you a one and done applier? Regardless of your lifestyle, here are a few tips to maximize sun protection for your skin all day long.
How Long Does Sunscreen Really Last?
There’s actually no definitive amount of time that sunscreen will last on your skin. It’s commonly thought that reapplying sunscreen every two hours is your best chance of preventing sunburn, though sunscreen is broken down by the amount of sun exposure to your skin, not by the passage of time. If you’re planning to spend a lot of time outside on any given day, it’s best to stick to the 2-hour rule, even if the sun isn’t out. However, if most of your day will be spent indoors, using sunscreen in your morning routine is likely enough.
Of course, our days never end up going exactly as planned and at the end of the day, it’s common to end up with more sun exposure than you originally thought you’d have. The best way to ensure your skin is always protected is to keep your favorite bottle of Arizona Sun handy. Keep your go-to SPF factor in your purse, backpack, your car, and by your front door.
What Does SPF Mean?
You probably knew that SPF stands for “sun protection factor,” but we certainly won’t hold it against you if that’s all you knew! After all, the science behind sun protection is a little complicated. The easiest explanation of this relates to the actual number next to the SPF abbreviation. If you’re wearing Arizona Sun SPF 30, that means, ideally, your skin will be protected for 30x longer than if you weren’t wearing sunscreen. If you’re wearing Arizona Sun SPF 45, ideally, your skin will be protected for 45x longer than if you weren’t wearing sunscreen. Now does that mean your skin is guaranteed to not burn or not burn as quickly based on the SPF factor? Definitely not! Arizona Sun always recommends that if you’re outdoors, reapply every 2 hours for the best defense against sunburn.
A Higher SPF Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Have to Reapply
It’s easy to believe that SPF 70 drugstore sunscreens keep your skin protected for longer without reapplying. The higher SPF gives us a false sense of security about much longer you can be out in the sun. Slathering on a higher SPF sunscreen and then spending hours upon hours outdoors without reapplying or seeking shade defeats the purpose of using it.
Arizona Sun’s highest SPF is 45 which, when reapplied every 2 hours during sun exposure, is all you’ll need. The best part? The non-greasy formula that we carefully created dries quickly and doesn’t leave you feeling greasy, a common factor of high-SPF drugstore sunscreens. Think of our lower SPF ranges as a way to remind yourself that, no matter what SPF factor you’re using, you’ll have to reapply every 2 hours for your best defense against sunburn.
Trust the Experts in Sun Protection
We encourage you to visit Arizona Sun to check out all of our sunscreen types. From water-resistant to oil-free to sunscreen just for kids, we have you covered. Check back for more tips and tricks about sun protection from the best Southwest suncare brand since 1982!