By Breelyn Vanleeuwen, PA-C | Founder & CEO of Daily Shade
Summer may be over, but sunscreen season isn’t. SKINSCREEN is the new way to think about Sunscreen. Protecting your skin all year long!
As temperatures cool, swimsuits get packed away, and school routines begin, sunscreen is often one of the first things families stop thinking about. But here’s the important part: UV radiation doesn’t disappear when the weather gets cooler. The temperature outside and UV rays are NOT the same thing.
Your family’s skin still needs protection in September, October, November, and beyond.
Cooler Weather Doesn’t Mean Lower UV Exposure
One of the biggest sunscreen misconceptions is that heat equals UV exposure. It doesn’t. You can’t feel ultraviolet radiation. A cool, crisp fall day can still expose your skin to damaging UVA and UVB rays, especially during the middle of the day. And don’t let the clouds fool you. UV rays can penetrate cloud cover, which means skin protection still matters on those perfectly overcast fall days.
Kids Are Still Outside, A Lot
Think about a typical fall day for your kids:
Car ride or walk to school. Recess. Soccer practice. Football games. Walking home from school. Bike rides. Trips to the park. Pumpkin patches. Fall hikes. Yard work. Weekend adventures. Those little stretches of time outside add up.
We tend to think about sun damage in terms of the big exposures, like a day at the pool or a beach vacation. But cumulative UV exposure matters, too.
That’s one reason establishing sun-safe habits early is so important.
UVA Rays Are a Year-Round Concern
UVB rays are the ones most associated with sunburn, but UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and contribute to premature skin aging and skin damage. And UVA exposure occurs throughout the year. So while your child may be less likely to come home with an obvious sunburn in October, that doesn’t mean their skin hasn’t been exposed to UV radiation. That's why thinking of sunscreen as SKINSCREEN creates the daily habit we need for our kids.
Fall Is the Perfect Time to Make Sunscreen a Habit
Instead of treating sunscreen like something that lives in the pool bag, make it part of your family's normal morning routine.
Brush teeth.
Get dressed.
Apply sunscreen.
Head out the door.
When sunscreen becomes part of everyday skincare rather than something reserved for swimming, vacations, or hot weather, sun protection becomes much easier to maintain year-round.
For children especially, these little habits can help create a lifetime of better sun protection.
Don't Forget the Spots That Stay Exposed
In the fall, most of the body may be covered with clothing, which makes sun protection even simpler. Focus on high quality TRUE Mineral SPF in the areas that are exposed.
Focus sunscreen on exposed areas like:
- Face
- Ears
- Neck
- Hands
- Arms and legs when exposed
And remember that sunscreen is only one part of sun protection. Hats, sunglasses, protective clothing, and seeking shade when appropriate can all help reduce UV exposure.
Check the UV Index, Not the Temperature
If you're wondering whether sun protection matters on a particular day, don't rely on how hot or cold it feels outside.
Check the UV Index instead. Or use our UV Card to help guide you! You can buy that HERE!
The UV Index tells you the strength of ultraviolet radiation where you live. As a general rule, sun protection is recommended when the UV Index reaches 3 or higher.
That sunny 58-degree October afternoon may deserve more sun protection than you think.
Sunscreen Isn't Seasonal. It's Skincare.
At Daily Shade, we believe sunscreen shouldn't be something families have to remember only when they're headed to the beach.
It should be easy enough to wear on an ordinary Tuesday.
Because protecting our children's skin isn't about one summer, one vacation, or one sunburn. It's about the small choices we make over a lifetime.
So go enjoy the soccer games, pumpkin patches, hikes, and beautiful fall afternoons.
Just don't put the sunscreen away with the swimsuits.
Daily Shade® makes TRUE mineral sunscreen powered by 100% non-nano zinc oxide, without UV chemical filters or boosters, and designed for everyday family wear.
