Working From Home? Don't Forget About Your Sunscreen Protection!

Sunscreen is such an important skincare routine that often gets overlooked. Many of us assume to use it only when going outdoors. Did you know that sunscreen is essential to protecting your skin from visible and invisible light.

What is visible and invisible light?
Visible light is light that we can see on the electromagnetic spectrum. Lasers, rainbow, and sunlight (UVA) are some examples of visible light. Even blue light emitted from your screens are part of visible light.Invisible light is infrared, X-rays, gamma rays, and UVB. 

Which light is damaging for my skin?

● Infrared light emitted from cooking over a stove

● Prolonged exposure to your TV, laptop, tablets and smartphone screens

● UVA

● UVB

Why is it damaging to my skin?
These types of lights emit radiation. The heat from it can affect the skin’s elasticity and firmness, causing premature ageing to your skin.

With many of us staying indoors due to COVID-19 safety measures, we now spend extended hours on our phones, laptops, cooking, or working by a window. All of this exposes us to harmful visible and invisible light.



What SPF is best for indoors?
You don’t necessarily need a high SPF for indoor protection. You need broad spectrum protection or UVA PF which should be on the packaging. This shows that the sunscreen is tested for indoor use.

Alternatively look at the ingredients label for Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. If it is mentioned at the top of the list, it is formulated for visible and invisible light protection. These two ingredients help to form a barrier to protect your skin.

Do I need to use makeup with SPF?
No, but if you layer your make up over your SPF, the colour pigment can help to protect your skin from harmful rays.

A good tip to help with the stickiness is to have a thin layer of virgin coconut oil before adding sunscreen and makeup.

To learn more about sunscreen and the science behind it, watch the full video of VMV Hypoallergenics Founder, Laura Bertotto and her Mother, a Dermapathologist, below.