Sunscreen Slip-Ups: 3 Common Mistakes That Reduce Protection

Sunscreen to protect your skin
The wrong way to use it

Some people use sunscreen incorrectly, which can reduce its effectiveness in protecting the skin from harmful UV rays. Here are three ways to avoid these mistakes:

 

The American media outlet Lifehacker, which provides useful information for everyday life, is attracting attention with an article titled “Three Ways to Reduce the Effectiveness of Sunscreen.” According to Lifehacker, sunscreen helps to reduce the amount of UV rays that reach our skin. Simply put, it forms a thin protective layer on the skin to prevent irritation caused by UV rays.

However, this protective layer can easily be compromised. We can completely lose its protective benefits by simply changing how we store and apply sunscreen.

1. Don’t Store Sunscreen in Your Car

Storing sunscreen in a hot car can diminish its effectiveness.

Sunscreen is designed to protect your skin from UV rays, but when exposed to high temperatures, its ingredients can break down or become unstable. The article suggests that you should avoid keeping sunscreen in your car during hot weather and instead store it in a cool place. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also recommends protecting sunscreen from heat and sunlight.

2. Do NOT Freeze It

While it might seem refreshing to apply frozen sunscreen on a hot day, this can also impact its effectiveness.

A TikToker with over 920,000 subscribers shared a video of using frozen sunscreen using ice trays, but the German cosmetics brand Nivea stepped in to discourage this behavior.

Nivea commented on the video from last year, thanking the TikToker for using Nivea and advising, “It is better to use sunscreen at room temperature.”

Freezing sunscreen can alter its texture and cause it to lose its protective properties. Sunscreen typically has a lotion-like consistency, and freezing it can cause the water and oil components to separate, making it less effective when applied. It is recommended to use sunscreen at room temperature for optimal results.

3. Don’t Transfer Sunscreen to Other Containers

Transferring sunscreen to a different container and using it is also not advisable.

Transferring sunscreen to smaller containers can change its texture and reduce its effectiveness. Some people may transfer sunscreen to smaller containers for convenience, but this can lead to issues with the sunscreen’s consistency and efficacy. Different containers, such as glass, metal, plastic, or silicone, may interact with the sunscreen’s ingredients, affecting its performance. Using sunscreen from its original packaging is generally advisable to ensure it works as intended.

By. Kim Hae-Min (khm@wikitree.co.kr)