The sun doesn’t take seasons off.
And neither does UV.
Every day. Full stop. But since you’re here, let me give you the actual reason, because “just wear SPF” without context is the kind of skincare advice that goes in one ear and out the other.
There are two types of UV rays that affect your skin. UVB, the ones that burn you, do fluctuate with seasons and are stronger in summer. Fair enough.
But UVA rays? They’re present year-round, at nearly the same intensity, rain or shine, hot or cold. And UVA rays are the ones that penetrate deeper into the skin, breaking down collagen, causing pigmentation, and accelerating the kind of aging that creeps up quietly over years before you notice it all at once.
Clouds don’t stop them. Glass doesn’t fully block them. A cold day in December doesn’t slow them down.
The real damage is the kind you can’t see yet.
This is the part that’s hard to make urgent because it’s invisible in the moment. UV damage accumulates silently over years. The dark spots, the fine lines, the uneven texture that shows up in your 30s and 40s, most of that was decided by your UV exposure in the years before, on perfectly ordinary days when you didn’t think the sun was “strong enough” to matter.
SPF isn’t dramatic skincare. It’s the quiet habit that protects everything else you’re doing for your skin.
“But I’m indoors most of the day.”
If you sit near a window, UVA rays reach you. If you commute by car, UVA rays pass through the windshield. If you step outside for lunch, school pickup, or a coffee run, that counts.
You don’t need to be lying on a beach for UV exposure to add up. The cumulative effect of small, daily, unprotected moments is exactly where most skin damage comes from.
What to actually look for in an SPF.
Not all sunscreens are created equal. A few things worth knowing:
Broad spectrum means it protects against both UVA and UVB. If it doesn’t say broad spectrum, skip it.
SPF 30 minimum for daily use. SPF 50 if you’re spending meaningful time outdoors. Texture matters because the best SPF is the one you’ll actually wear. If it pills under makeup or leaves a white cast you hate, you’ll stop using it. Find one that works with your routine, there are enough options now that there’s no reason to tolerate one you don’t like.
Reapply every 2 hours if you’re outdoors. For a regular indoor day, morning application is enough.
The bottom line.
SPF every day. Even in winter. Even when it’s cloudy. Even when you’re mostly indoors.
It is the single most evidence-backed thing you can do to protect your skin long- term and it makes every other treatment, product, and investment in your skin work harder and last longer.
If you’re already doing this, you’re ahead. If you’re not, today is a good day to start.
