Summer is in full swing and after what seemed like a never ending winter, everyone is outside enjoying the sun. For me, one of the best parts of warmer weather means I get to switch things up and take my workouts outside. Any exposure to sun calls for protection and during this time of the year I become extra obsessive around skin protection and sunscreen. To some, this comes as bit of a surprise as most make the assumption that darker skin isn’t affected by sun damage. WRONG!!!!!! That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Both black and white skin can become damaged by exposure to the sun. Even though black skin has a natural SPF of 13.4 while white skin 3.3, both skin colours are equally susceptible to damage.

When I’m outdoors, especially working out or playing sports, I need a sunscreen that is SPF 50, high performing and can stand up to my active lifestyle. Ombrelle Sport Endurance is non-greasy, oil-free formula that provides wearers with 80 minutes of water and sweat resistance. It goes on clear, so I am never left with that unsightly white residue that makes my skin appear grey and even on wet or sweaty skin (think reapply-ing while playing beach volleyball) it still provides an even coverage. My sunscreens of the past were greasy and left my hands annoyingly sticky, not to mention dripped into my eyes on runs or when playing tennis and burned like crazy when I would sweat. Not ideal at all! Not all sunscreens are created equal. Ombrelle Sport Endurance doesn’t drip into my eyes, my hands aren’t left sticky and also gives me protection against both UVB and UVA rays. Are both UVB and UVA protection important? Absolutely. You want to stay protected from UVB as they these are the rays that cause skin surface damage such as sunburns but you should also want to stay protected from UVA as well. Those are the rays that cause long term damage and contribute to premature aging and skin cancer.

Photos by JessBaumung.com

If you’re wondering what SPF actually stands for, trust me you’re not alone. Funny enough, this week is #SunAwarenessWeek and the inquisitive person that I am, I have been chatting with people about the topic of sun protection and how well their understanding is of how sun screen works to keep skin safe. Interestingly, 60% of those I spoke to had no clue what the acronym SPF stands for and almost 90% didn’t know what SPF’s corresponding number means. For years I had swore the SPF number (i.e. SPF 15) simply represented the sunscreen’s strength but in actuality, that number is the length of time that sunscreen protected skin can be exposed to the sun before burning.  Is your mind blown yet? This means, if you normally start to get a sunburn on unprotected skin in twenty minutes in the sun, then SPF 15 would provide you with 15 x 20 minutes (or 300 minutes) of protection.

If some of this information is news to you and you would like to learn more on sun protection and #SunAwarenessWeek head to OmbrelleSunFacts.ca.