The sun is shining and summer is in the air! And as with most other seasons, that means it's time to adjust your beauty routine a little. That's right … I'm talking sunscreen. While we all know the importance of using sunscreen, many people don't realize that it takes more than a dab in the morning to you're your skin–and that of your kids–safe and protected. Below, check out six common sunscreen mistakes you and your family didn't know you were making:
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1. Using the same sunscreen from two summers ago: Expiration dates definitely matter when it comes to sunscreen, as the ingredients in it deteriorate over time. Not to mention, bottles that have already been opened are more likely to get contaminated with germs. So if you're still using an old lotion, it's time to chuck it and invest in a new one.
2. Using makeup with SPF as sunscreen. SPF in makeup is great, but most women don't wear enough foundation or concealer to provide the amount of protection necessary. Plus, makeup wears off over the course of the day, leaving you with nothing to protect your skin from UV rays.
3. Not using enough sunscreen. Applying sunscreen is one of the few times, when too much is not a bad thing. Using just a dab won't be effective, so make sure you use enough to evenly disperse all over the skin.
4. Not reapplying it. The skin soaks in the lotion rather quickly and sweating, swimming, etc., can causes sunscreen to wear off even faster than you think. Try to reapply a minimum of every couple of hours, especially if you're in the sun.
5. Only applying sunscreen on sunny days. UV radiation penetrates clouds and fog so just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't doing damage.
6. Using the highest SPF possible. Just because it reads SPF 60 doesn't mean it gives double the protection of SPF 30. In fact, SPF 30 blocks out about 96 percent of harmful UVB rays while SPF 60 blocks a little under 99 percent. Go with whichever one you feel more comfortable with, but it won't change the amount you need to put on or the number of times you need to reapply.
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