SPF is the Sun Protection Barrier. This helps to gauge how well a particular product (like sunscreen) will protect your skin. Several dermats will suggest a sunscreen from the range SPF 15-30 depending on how quickly your skin burns when in contact with the sun. If your skin burns easily, a higher SPF is recommended. However, if you can’t physically see or feel your skin burning, this doesn’t mean you don’t wear any sunscreen! Wear that stuff, gurl.
As much as the UV rays from the sun is good for us (hint, vitamin D), too much exposure to the sun actually degrades the collagen in our skin. Hold up, what’s collagen? It’s a super cool protein that essentially holds your skin together with it’s BFF elastin (another protein found in your skin). When these proteins start to lose its effectiveness, their elasticity starts to deteriorate, making the skin loose and start to sag. Sunscreen actually helps to protect these proteins!
Now, let’s look at lip products. Products like lip balm have a relatively new addition to the product, and it’s bringing all the rage with it - the addition of the SPF factor. Several lip products have followed suit and have started to put the SPF on the package. Does SPF really help your lips, tho? OF COURSE, GURL! The most obvious reason for SPF is protection against sun damage. But did you know, this also inadvertently protects the lips from further damage like chapped lips and dryness?
