Don’t Make These 4 Common Sunscreen Mistakes

Sunscreen is crucial to help protect our skin from wrinkles and lines—not to mention cancer and other ills. But while it seems simple to use, we often don’t get it quite right. But with a few quick shifts, you can get the most out of your sunscreen for maximum benefits.

More is more, not less. Some people treat sunscreen like other types of cream and think a dab will do the trick. On the other hand, some experts recommend a shot glass full of the stuff applied all over the body. Since we’re all different sizes, it’s not easy to know what the exact set amount should be. But for sure, you should go beyond a dab and when in doubt, more is better than less.

Don’t set it and forget it. For lots of us, sunscreen is indeed a part of our morning routine. Then we forget about it. The problem is, even a powerful sunscreen will get absorbed into the skin and stop being effective after a couple of hours. So apply in the AM but then bring along a travel-sized tube to reapply every couple of hours, especially if you work outdoors with significant sun exposure.

Higher SPF is not better. People see SPF 100 and think they will be impervious to the sun’s rays even if they’re hiking through the desert. This is not the case. First, many dermatologists say that SPF between 30 and 50 is fine—big numbers are not any more helpful. Second, reapply every 2 hours and more frequenty if you’re at the pool or the beach.

Skipping over spots. Often, people slather up their face with sunscreen but skip over the scalp, ears, neck and top of the feet. To get that whole body protection, you need to get sunscreen on your whole body, period.