Sunny facts
It's lovely to warm up in a bit of sunshine. Turn your face up and soak in that nice, cozy warmth. Right? Not quite.
Prolonged exposure to UVA radiation causes photoaging of the skin. Collagen fibers break down, discoloration and wrinkles appear, and there can even be damage to DNA structures.
Meanwhile, exposure to UVB radiation is the main cause of sunburn and skin cancer.
The SPF you see on sunscreen stands for Sun Protection Factor, and it tells you how many times longer your skin can stay in the sun without burning compared with unprotected skin.
SPF 50 means you can stay in the sun 50 times longer before you get the same damage as without sunscreen. Of course, coverage is never perfect, some of it runs off with sweat and the protective layer wears off over time, so the rule of thumb is that sunscreen works at about 60%. That means putting on SPF 50 works like SPF 30, and SPF 30 like SPF 18.
Fun fact: unlike UVB, UVA radiation passes easily through clouds and windows. That's why it's worth putting sunscreen on your face even on a cloudy day.
Tanning beds give off this radiation too, so it's no surprise that girls who eagerly sunbathed in the past now have skin like crepe paper.
In Asia I've seen plenty of crazy tanning fans who find out fast, after day one, that 3 hours in full sun was a bad idea after all. Most often it's fat, freckled British girls, red as boiled lobsters, with skin peeling off in sheets from their shoulders, cleavage and backs. I'm guessing they just as quickly stop wondering why Asians cover up from their wrists to their ankles.
You won't catch me frying on a sun lounger. I avoid the sun as much as I can and would rather pick up some color along the way.
I've heard it's good to make use of the morning sun, when it's not as harsh, to make sure your body produces vitamin D efficiently. It also helps regulate your circadian rhythm.
The best sunscreen I've used so far is from the Korean brand Holika Holika SPF50. It spreads easily, smells nice and doesn't leave a crumbly crust on your face. It's pricier than your average sunscreen, but it's definitely worth it.
It's also worth hiding your eyes behind a decent pair of sunglasses.