For most of the year, you’ve probably had to stay indoors unless you’re in an essential industry. Your daily routine may have changed. You no longer have to brave the traffic for the commute, and you don’t have to wake up early to be on time for work. You may not even need to change out of your pajamas to clock in.
Unless you’re in an industry that’s always client-facing, you may not have been paying attention to your makeup because, well, you’re staying at home. But while you can skip the lipstick or the mascara, there’s one thing you shouldn’t skip even indoors: sunscreen. Here’s why:
UV Rays Can Penetrate Windows
Rain may not be able to get to you when you’re indoors, but sun rays, particularly harmful UV rays, can still get through and damage your skin. Now that you’re working from home, you might want to rethink that work desk positioned by the window if you’re not wearing Korean sunscreen daily. Even while you’re lounging on the sofa, UV rays can still reach you and cause damage you might not see immediately, but you’ll regret in a couple of years. While you still have time, apply your sunscreen and protect your skin even indoors.
You Step Out More than You Think You Do
You’re staying home in the sense that you don’t have any other destinations to go for a long period of time, but every time you take out the trash, get your morning newspaper, or tend to the lawn, you’re technically outside. All of these mean you’re exposed to the sun. If you head out to get the groceries, you also need your sunscreen, even if you’re wearing a face shield. Unfortunately, most of these face coverings don’t give you any added protection from the sun, even as they minimize your risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus.
Your Clothes are Not Enough Protection
Aside from your face, your neck also needs sunscreen to prevent uneven skin tone due to sun damage. Now that the weather is colder, you might have switched your tank tops to turtle necks, but that doesn’t mean your neck is protected from the harmful rays of the sun. In fact, your clothing is not enough to completely protect you. You should still wear sun protection before you wear your clothes, and reapply as necessary, to ensure that you will grow old gracefully, with your neck the same color as your face. The same is also true for your hands and your feet. If they’re always exposed to the sun, you’ll notice them getting undesirable tanlines, and those may be accompanied by permanent sun damage if you don’t change your ways soon.
The cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen are the three steps in your skincare routine that you should never skip even when you’re just staying indoors. Your skin still needs them even while you’re lounging in and binge-watching. Ignoring your skin’s needs will have long-term effects you can’t take back, and by then, your regret will not do you any good.
