6
Sunscreen:
The Most Important Word in Skin Care
One word: “sunscreen.” Did your eyes glaze over? I don’t blame you. I’ll be the first one to admit that, when it comes to skin-care topics, sunscreen is both confusing and boring. Makeup, sheet masks, oil cleansers—all kinda sexy, right? But sunscreen, well, it sounds about as exciting as homework.
So, on that note, I’m dedicating an entire chapter to it! But hey, I’m not doing this for my health; I’m doing it for yours—when it comes to sunscreen, we’re not just talking about preventing premature aging, we’re talking about preventing skin cancer. Everything we’ve previously covered—cleansers, toners, exfoliators, treatment products, and moisturizers—are ways to maintain and correct the damage that’s already been done to your skin. Sunscreen’s the last step, but probably the most important one, because now it’s all about prevention, baby. (Did I make it sound sexy there? Well, I tried.)
A Marathon, Not a Sprint
No matter what a commercial or label promises, there’s no skin-care product that will result in dramatic, lasting improvements overnight. But even if you’re not expecting immediate gratification, sunscreen is a product that will truly test your patience. Its purpose is to protect your skin, not improve it, and I think that’s one of the reasons it’s so hard to keep up with. Use it day in and day out, and you’re not going to look better, just the same. But just think about that: If you can keep your skin looking pretty much the same, and minimize its damage and deterioration, that’s no small feat over time. Even if you’re young enough that you don’t care that much about aging now, you will someday—and it will come along sooner than you think.
As a California native, I grew up believing that pasty white legs were to be avoided at all costs. Spring break wasn’t really spring break unless you went someplace (even if it was just someone’s backyard) where you bobbed on a noodle in an outdoor pool, played lots and lots of beer pong, and came back a warm golden bronze. We thought that a good tan looked happy and healthy and was synonymous with the relaxing joys of being on vacation.
At the same time, my L.A. County hometown had a pretty big Asian immigrant population, so it was a common sight to see Korean moms driving in their minivans while wearing a full face visor, gloves, and fake sleeves that went up to the armpits—all to protect their skin from the sun. From the outside looking in, it might seem a little bit cray cray to take sun care that seriously. I know it did to my friends and me, and we cracked more than a few jokes at our moms’ expense.
A straddler in both worlds, I avoided anything that might resemble this crazy, overprotective route. All that changed when I went to Korea and saw firsthand that it wasn’t just nerdy older ladies who were conscious about sun exposure. In Seoul, protecting your skin from the sun was smart and savvy and something that everybody did.
So I bought some sunscreen, and sometimes I even remembered to wear it. But I’d still skimp on cloudy days, or when I knew I was going to be inside most of the time, and didn’t take my sun protection all that seriously. What really drove it home and made me a believer was when I started my esthetician training and began to study the science behind skin.
Sunscreen is the real deal. Not to be dramatic, but it can keep you looking years younger and, when it comes to skin cancer, save your life. Still, though, I’ve met tons of people who don’t think twice about going out of their way to eat organic, or spend money on expensive yoga lessons for their well-being, yet let sun protection fall low on their list of priorities. For some reason, a lot of us still tend to think of sunscreen as a negotiable part of our beauty routine, and this couldn’t be further from the truth.
There’s a Korean proverb that goes “Where you plant a soybean, you will get a soybean. Where you plant a red bean, you will get a red bean.” Did I lose you? Ha, well, this is just a long-winded way of saying you reap what you sow. And if you neglect your sun care, twenty to thirty years down the line you’ll regret that you didn’t plant a few dozen acres of soybeans and red beans. Your regret might even be written right across your face—in the form of age spots, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Sun Protection Myths and Facts
While Western popular consciousness is no doubt catching up, Koreans have been in this “stay out of the sun” game for way longer. While I was in Southern California, slathering on suntan lotion to turn my skin a deeper shade of brown, my Korean counterparts halfway around the world were dodging direct sunlight at all costs. When I got to Seoul, I was surprised to see that even on particularly sunny, beautiful days, I’d see many people forgoing a view of the clear blue sky in favor of the protection of sun umbrellas. In California, this didn’t happen—people moved there specifically for the sun.
Sure, the sun feels great on your shoulders, and we’ve been conditioned to believe that we look better with a tan. Still, the sun is not our friend, and there’s actually no such thing as a “healthy” glow because it can actually damage the skin, increase your risk of cancer, and age your skin prematurely. So how do we change our mindset and start taking our sun protection as seriously as we should? Well, first we have to be convinced that it’s actually worth our time. To do that, I want to address some common questions and misgivings that you might have about protecting yourself from the sun.
I hear about UVA and UVB all the time and see it on sunscreen labels. What’s the difference?
You’re not alone if you are confused about what the different numbers and acronyms stand for on a standard sunscreen product. UV stands for “ultraviolet radiation,” which is a form of energy that comes from the sun. UV spells disaster for your skin, and it’s been deemed a human carcinogen (the term given to any substance or radiation that is cancer causing) because it causes damage to the skin’s cellular DNA.
• The A in UVA stands for aging ray and has a long wavelength, which means it penetrates deep into the skin (the dermis). It’s not only a cancer creator, but it plays a major role in aging because it attacks the collagen in your dermis. You should hate it.
• B stands for burning and has a shorter wavelength than the UVA ray, so it penetrates the skin more superficially. UVB is the main cause of skin cancers, and you can also thank it for that sunburn you got last summer. You should hate it, too.
It’s best to use a sunscreen that contains both UVA and UVB protection. Look for a sunscreen labeled “broad spectrum protection,” which means it has passed the critical wavelength test to protect from both aging and burning rays. See the chart below to see what ingredients protect against which specific rays.
| Chemical Absorbers | Protects Against |
| Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA) | UVB |
| Avobenzone | UVA1 |
| Cinoxate | UVB |
| Dioxybenzone | UVB, UVA2 |
| Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX) | UVA2 |
| Ensulizole (Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid) | UVB |
| Homosalate | UVB |
| Meradimate (Menthyl Anthranilate) | UVA2 |
| Octinoxate (Octyl Methoxycinnamate) | UVB |
| Octisalate (Octyl Salicylate) | UVB |
| Octocrylene | UVB |
| Oxybenzone | UVB, UVA2 |
| Padimate O | UVB |
| Sulisobenzone | UVB, UVA2 |
| Trolamine Salicylate | UVB |
| Physical Filters | |
| Titanium Dioxide | UVB, UVA2 |
| Zinc Oxide | UVB, UVA2, UVA1 |
| Source: skincancer.org |
FYI, the FDA no longer allows companies to label their products as “sunblock,” because no lotion can block the sun completely; it can only screen out some of the UV rays. Hence the term sunscreen.
So what does UV do to my skin?
You’ll be amazed to know how much UV rays actually act like laser beams, shooting into your dermis and damaging collagen fibers (proteins that give structure to the skin) and elastin (a protein that creates the spring in the tissue beneath the skin). Also, some of the damage is collateral damage. When your elastin starts breaking down, the body produces enzymes called metalloproteinases (also referred to as MMP), which further contribute to collagen breakdown and even more wrinkles.
Similarly, when the UV rays damage the cellular DNA of your skin, your body tries to fix the DNA, a process that itself produces toxic free radicals. These unstable free radicals destroy everything in their path, causing wrinkles, sunspots, and skin cancers. Products and foods that are labeled or called “antioxidant” help fight free radicals.
Now I’m scared of free radicals and UV. What do I do?
Wear your sunscreen.
There are two main types of sunscreen that keep the evil rays away from the cellular DNA and collagen in the dermis.
Physical sunscreen (also known as mineral sunscreen) sits on the skin like armor and forms a barrier between the sun and your skin to keep rays from penetrating. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are classic mineral sunscreen ingredients. Remember back in the day when lifeguards had that patch of white on their noses? That was mineral sunscreen, so it’s been around for a long time. The plus side of mineral-based sunscreens is that they’re gentle on the skin (and won’t irritate conditions like rosacea, which can be supersensitive to both the sun and sunscreen) and they work immediately upon application. With technological advances such as nanotechnology, many sunscreens are now formulated to be lightweight, blendable, and nongreasy, so your nose won’t look like a lifeguard’s.
A chemical sunscreen (also known as synthetic sunscreen) filters the radiation by absorbing it and then transforming it into heat energy. Because it’s a chemical process, you should give it about fifteen minutes after application for it to soak in and work effectively.
Chemical sunscreens can be a lot lighter than mineral formulas, and most go on like moisturizers, leaving no visible traces. Chemical sunscreens typically contain a combination of two to six active ingredients, such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, or octisalate. Some environmental groups claim that chemical sunscreens (as well as some physical ones) can absorb into the skin and bloodstream, causing everything from allergic reactions to hormone disruptions. There are also other groups (including the FDA) that have published studies claiming that chemical sunscreens do not have harmful side effects and can be used on children six months and older.
There are many sides to this story, but my two cents is that you will be healthier and safer overall if you use sunscreen than if you do not use it at all. If you’re truly concerned, I’d recommend zinc oxide or titanium oxide sunscreens that do not have nanoparticle-size ingredients and therefore cannot be absorbed into your bloodstream.
What does SPF mean, and how do I pick a number?
First things first: SPF stands for “sun protection factor,” and it measures how effective the sunscreen is at blocking UVB rays. There are different models for measuring SPF. One is based on time: If it takes ten minutes of direct sun exposure for your unprotected skin to turn red, putting on SPF 15 will give you approximately 2.5 hours of sun protection (SPF 15 x 10 minutes = 150 minutes). Most people start to burn within five to ten minutes, but those with fair skin can start to sizzle almost immediately, especially in direct sunlight. Another is based on the strength of the formula: SPF 15 blocks 93 to 95 percent of UVB rays; SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of UVB rays; SPF 50 blocks 98 percent of UVB rays; and so on and so forth. Neither of these models is perfect, but both can give you some sense of the difference between SPFs and how that impacts your level of sun exposure. Your skin burning and turning red is an indication of damage from UVB rays, but you can still sustain a lot of UVA damage without these warning signs, so don’t assume you’re in the safe zone just because you don’t see any signs of sunburn.
As you can see, despite the jump in sun protection factor from the number 15 to 50, there’s a plateau in the amount of protection that you’re getting. That’s why the FDA created tighter regulations around SPF labeling. You can no longer buy products that say SPF 100, and companies now must label anything over SPF 50 as 50+.
So if I’m wearing waterproof SPF 50, I’m good all day, right?
Wrong. Pay no heed to any “waterproof” or “sweat-proof” claims on products. In fact, the FDA no longer allows companies to market sunscreens with these words, because they’re simply misleading.
If you’re sweating or swimming, your sunscreen will undoubtedly wash off and you won’t be as protected as you were. The common rule of thumb is that you should reapply your sunscreen every two to three hours. If you’re sweating, reapply even more often than that. Swimming? It’s a good idea to reapply every time you come out of the water.
I’m good at math. If I combine my SPF 15 moisturizer with my SPF 30 BB cream, does that equal SPF 45?
Nope. When you combine two products with different SPFs, your total sun protection factor will be equivalent to the highest SPF you applied—in this case, 30. But don’t let this stop you from layering. Protection is protection, and the more products you use with an SPF, the better.
I’ve seen a lot of brands with a “PA” and the + symbol. What do they stand for?
PA is actually a rating developed in Japan to determine the amount of UVA protection a product offers, in addition to the standard way SPF measures UVB protection. Japanese researchers developed the PA system by converting the existing PPD (persistent pigment darkening) rating system, which measures skin-aging UVA rays. You will see ratings like PA+ Low UVA protection, PA++ Moderate UVA protection, or PA+++ High UVA protection.
You’re preaching to the choir—I wear sunscreen when I go to the beach or Coachella.
Bravo! That’s a start! Now how about incorporating sunscreen as part of your daily routine? In fact, most of our sun exposure doesn’t come from the beach or entire days outside, but from everyday exposure that adds up over time.
Even on a ten-minute walk around the block with your pup, your face is being attacked and damaged by the sun’s rays. Also, don’t let an overcast day fool you. The majority of UVA and UVB rays can still penetrate clouds. Even on a snowy day, 80 percent of the rays can reflect off the snow directly onto you.
If you’re inside but near a window, you’re getting sun exposure. If you’re riding in a car, damaging rays still come through the window. If you’ve got a flight during the day and you plan to have your window shade up, put on that sunscreen! The sun is even more damaging at higher altitudes, so think about that when you’re getting on a plane, or hanging out in Denver.
Whatever, Charlotte—you’re Asian, so of course you have good skin. Skin is all genetics.
You’re partly right, but not totally. You do inherit your skin type from your parents, but your genes account for only 10 to 20 percent of aging. A mind-blowing 80 to 90 percent of your aging is a result of environmental factors.
In 2012, truck driver Bill McElligott’s sun damage made international news. At sixty-nine years old, McElligott had driven a truck for twenty-eight years without wearing sunscreen, leaving the left side of his face exposed to the sun through the driver’s side window. The difference between the left side of his face and the right, which was shaded and got significantly less exposure, was shocking. The left side was saggy, wrinkly, and spotty and looked twenty years older than the right. It looked like special effects out of a movie—Google his name and you can see this cautionary tale for real.
While McElligott’s case was extreme, he’s not alone, and most people in the United States who drive a lot have more sun damage on the left sides of their faces. In the United Kingdom, where drivers sit on the right side, it’s reversed, with the right sides of their faces aged significantly more than the left. So think about that the next time you jump in the car and head to Target.
Fine. I’ll wear sunscreen. If I wear SPF 50, can I call it a day?
Oh, if only life were that simple! Even if you put sunscreen on in the morning, you’ll still need to reapply throughout the day. Reapplication is key because SPF protection fades and is ineffective after a few hours’ time—even if you haven’t sweat a single drop. If you’re spending most of your day inside, out of the sun, this is where cushion compacts and makeup with sunscreen really come in handy, because you won’t have to completely start over to reapply. You can just freshen up your makeup and your SPF at the same time.
#sokosecret: One of the one million reasons to love cushion compacts is that most have SPF and are formulated to be applied over and over again throughout the day. You can touch up your makeup and reapply your SPF in one go.
But seriously, I just hate wearing sunscreen.
If you haven’t tried it lately, you’re probably not aware of the huge improvements in products with SPF. Nowadays, there are a lot of lightweight, nongreasy, nonpasty-looking sunscreen options, so keep trying new ones until you find one that you like (a lot of Korean beauty companies are really generous with samples, but sadly, a lot of U.S. companies are still lagging behind in this department).
Also, the less you like wearing sunscreen, the more reason to splurge on those sunglasses and hats. Make sure you go for lenses with 100 percent UVA and UVB absorption (and the bigger the frames, the better) and that your hats have a decent brim that actually shades your face.
I personally don’t leave the house in the daytime without sunglasses, because they protect the skin around my eyes, which is the thinnest and most delicate and needs all the protection it can get. Now, when I’m working as an esthetician and giving treatments, I really notice the sun damage that people have under and around their eyes.
Also, some clothing (such as a long-sleeved cotton T-shirt) will protect you, but only at a very low level, the equivalent of around an SPF 5.
Am I good if I use SPF makeup?
SPF makeup is a start, but you’re probably not applying nearly the amount of product necessary to get the protection you need. SPF makeup often gives you a false sense of sun-protection security, because you can’t rely on it alone to do the job.
When companies make claims about SPF protection, they’re usually testing a tablespoon of product. If you’re not using that much, then the level of sun protection you’re getting is far less than what it says on the bottle. So don’t skimp on your sunscreen—it’ll pay off.
But I really need a tan! I’m so pasty!
Been there, done that, so I completely understand where you’re coming from. Especially if you’re on a vacation, a tan is the most envy-inducing souvenir you can bring back. I’m sorry to break it to you, but do you want to know what a tan really is? Visible sun damage. So, how do you like them coconuts?
When UV rays attack your skin, your body tries to protect itself from the damage by producing melanin, the pigment that causes your skin to tan. Unfortunately this whole process causes cell mutations and produces free radicals.
Also, forgo the tanning beds. Those should have stayed back in the 1980s where they belong. There’s a reason they’re shaped like coffins—they damage your skin and can cause skin cancers.
#sokosecret: Have you ever noticed when someone’s skin has a lot of white spots? That’s sun damage, too—those cells have been so tapped out that they literally can no longer produce melanin. It’s kind of sad. Poor cells.
You only need sunscreen when you’re older.
Actually, sunscreen is even more crucial before age eighteen, because a whopping 80 percent of your total lifetime sun exposure takes place before you exit high school. That’s right—you accumulate major UVA damage from those teenage tans, and it’s a huge factor in the pigmentation that you’ll start to see come out on your face decades later.
Parents in Korea are extra vigilant, and you often see them slathering their kids with sunscreen, shielding them with wide-brimmed hats, and urging them to stay in the shade. This helps make sun protection a habit kids grow up with, so it’s not just another chore to add to their routine as an adult.
For me, I can’t change the fact that I refused to wear sunscreen during the long hours I spent outside as a cheerleader, passionately cheering on the flag football team as the cocaptain of the junior high squad. But I do know I’ll make my kids, nephews, and nieces (and any child within shouting distance) grow up with this knowledge, and a good bottle of sunscreen.
#sokosecret: Mineral sunscreens are great for kids. Formulated with zinc or titanium oxide, they’re less likely to irritate sensitive skin.
I guess it’s too late for me, then.
Not at all. You’ll reap the benefits from being sun savvy at any age, especially when it comes to protecting yourself from skin cancer! According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common cancer, accounting for nearly half of cancers in the United States. But in sun-vigilant Korea, skin cancer doesn’t even make the list of the ten most common cancers! Coincidence? Methinks not.
If you have a family history of skin cancer, you should be extra careful. Watch out for any sores that don’t heal, moles that change size or color, or spots on your skin that feel extra tender or painful.
Fine. I’ll wear sunscreen. What else do I need to know about it?
Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your lips, hands, chest, ears, neck, and shoulders. You ever wonder why these areas are the most telltale signs of a person’s age? Because they’re often neglected in the skin-care process and also pretty consistently exposed to the sun. You should use a nickel-size amount of sunscreen for your face and an equal amount for your neck and chest.
Also, as I mentioned in chapter five, you need to be extra cautious about sun protection after you exfoliate or use products that contain retinol.
Sunscreen should be the last part of your skin-care routine, because applying anything on top of it (like a moisturizer) will dilute it. Wait at least four minutes after putting on your SPF to apply makeup, and make sure your makeup includes SPF as well. See page 113 for some of my favorite sunscreens.
SKIN STORIES: Dave Cho
SOKO GLAM COFOUNDER (AND MY HUSBAND)
I have to give my mom some major props. I remember when I was a young, overweight elementary school kid (with Coke-bottle glasses and braces), my mom taught me to always, always wear sunscreen and to use facial soap, not bar soap, for my face. Skin care is all about prevention and being proactive, so I’m thankful that I was educated at such a young age.
Before Soko Glam, I spent more than eight years on active duty in the U.S. Army as a combat arms officer, serving almost the entire time overseas (including a deployment to the Middle East). I’ve experienced extreme weather conditions (over 130˚F in the desert and –30˚F in the Arctic tundra) and gone weeks without clean, running water. To say the least, my skin has taken quite a beating. But even through all of this, I still get compliments on my skin, and people ask what kind of products I use for my face. Maybe it’s because while others were sleeping or eating chow, I took a quick few minutes to do what was necessary: apply SPF. Most of the time, the questions come from women, but sometimes (discreetly) from men as well.
I wear SPF on my face every single day without fail. Recently, I had unexplained pain and required a trip to the emergency room, but I still took the time to put on sunscreen before I left the house somehow—it sounds crazy, but it’s more like muscle memory now. Whenever Charlotte checks out my skin under a Wood’s lamp (a black light that reveals the condition of the skin under the surface), she sees very little pigmentation. This is probably because I’ve religiously worn sunscreen ever since I was a kid. So again, thanks, Mom!
