I went to a doctor recently who told me to put sunscreen on only if I plan to go outside or sit near a window for an extended amount of time. I don't do either of those if I am staying at home so should I just not use it when staying at home?
Do you use sunscreen everyday even if you are inside the house?
Discussion📓This is the only healthy/normal way to approach sunscreen. I’m going to believe the cancer council (who have a vested interest in reducing cancer risk as much as possible) over a company/layman influencer who has a vested interest in getting me to burn through expensive SPF
Yeahhhhh except for they have benzo whatever they're calleds in their sunscreen which also cause cancer. I used their sunscreen on my arms a couple weeks ago and got burnt but a la roche posay sunscreen on my face which is where I get burnt most, my face was fine but that cancer council sunscreen did nothing. I'd still be weary of them.
Look, I don’t know anything about that, but I moreso mean the SunSmart app/UV tracking service they provide. It’s free and unrelated to the sunscreen products they sell, and I think every Aussie should use the app
It actually sources information from a government agency, forgot the name, so technically funded by taxpayer money.
Still nice tho.
Ah gotcha. It's also an inbuilt feature in most weather apps now too
Hell no lol. If I'm at home all day, I'm not wearing sunscreen. Sunscreen is expensive and there is zero reason for me to apply it when I'm indoors, away from the sun.
Why would you wear sunscreen when not exposing yourself to UV rays?
Exactly, I don't understand, what's the protection for if OP isn't getting exposed to sun. Moisturiser would be better if they're just at home.
Yes particularly because I use a retinol every night so the skin is more photosensitive. Theres some days when I’ll be home all day so won’t put it on but then I’m out of habit and forget it when I do go out. Even on a home day I might be hanging out laundry or taking the bins out etc so I think it’s just a good habit to do in the morning when I do the rest of my skin care routine
I read you shouldn't use retinol every night. Is there a specific reason you do, or do you use a low % cream?
My skin tolerates it well, I started about 5 years ago slowly
But... Why? You literally just said it makes your skin photosensitive. What are the benefits?
Anti-aging - it’s utterly incredible
I use differin (from my gp) to keep acne under control. If I stop using it the acne comes back. I use the cancer council face and body moisturising sunscreen every morning and am very happy with the results.
That makes sense, thanks for answering my initial question
Sunscreen is part of my daily routine, so if I’m doing my skincare, I’m using sunscreen. It’s a good habit and not doing any harm so I always advocate for it, but you can judge for yourself
That’s what I’m trying todo
Yeah in all honesty I think it’s just good practice to do it with my skin care in the morning. Good practice as in it’s a good habit. Then you know at the very least you have some protection.
This is me too. I have learned the hard way that if I have to think about it, I will often forget.
I feel like this video should be in a pinned post in every skincare sub
I do what your doctor says, although unfortunately that’s almost every single day for me.
Yes, because I sit next to a large window whilst I work from home. I use a moisturiser with SPF and a stronger one if I go outside.
Only a tiny percentage of ultraviolet light gets through glass. You are very unlikely to be sunburned through a window. There is ample evidence online for this claim. You will feel warm, but that is infrared and will not give you sunburn.
It's direct sunlight I'm sitting in and the windows aren't double glazed, you can definitely feel the heat. In the long run I feel more comfortable with and it's still moisturising my skin. Best to be safe than sorry.
I only use it when I go out. Sunscreen is expensive and I’ve got my back to the window in my home office set up, so I don’t feel the need.
Yes. It’s a staple in my routine. I brush my teeth, I put on sunscreen, always.
You need a modest amount of sun exposure to generate vitamin d through your skin. Most doctors if not all doctors would recommend that you spend some time without sunscreen, in direct sunlight.
That is taken care of by my daily time spent outdoors..
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16d
As mentioned elsewhere in this thread very little UV gets through glass. You won't get sunburned through windows.
My spf is hydrating enough that I don’t need a moisturiser in the morning especially as I layer it over the laneige cream skin toner so out of habit I wear it every day, but if I’m not leaving the house I don’t worry about reapplying.
Sunscreen is for outside time only.
I apply sunscreen everyday, I get to work from home but I sit right by the window. I tend to use a Korean sunscreen for those days I’m home but if I’m going out and know I’ll be in the sun all day, I use an Australian sunscreen (ultra violette). I also tend to bring a stick sunscreen with me to re-apply as well.
ooo which stick sunscreen?
Not the person you asked, but I really like the blue/white isntree one, and the skin 1004 stick. I love them for doing my face/ neck/ décolletage /back of hands bc it doesn’t get on my clothes :)
TOCOBO - Cotton Soft Sun Stick SPF50 PA++++ Great sunscreen to reapply, makes my skin feel very supple and soft
Please share all your sunscreens with us🙏🏻
Please share all your sunscreens with us🙏🏻
SKIN1004 - Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF50+ PA++++ My absolute favourite sunceeen I use everyday but I also love the Ultra Violette one for extremely sunny days.
Yes!! Every day of my life. Although I have said before I spend a lot of time near windows tending my plants and also with my face very close to my python's UVB lamp so I think it's extra important for me even indoors. Even if I don't plan to do either tho I put sunscreen on in the morning!!
I only use it when the UV is above 3
If i'm inside all day, generally no, unless i'm by a big unshaded window.
No I don't.
Edited to add: I check the SunSmart app constantly. Even though today said sun protection not recommended (in Sydney), I still wore sunscreen as I went out, and some skincare I use makes my skin more sensitive.
I always put it on before I do my makeup/morning routine. So if I’m staying home and not getting ready, I won’t put it on. But it’s such a habit in my makeup routine that I even apply sunscreen before my makeup when I’m getting ready at night 😅. It’s like a primer for foundation and I think helps my makeup look more glowy so there’s no downside to always putting it on out of habit, even at night.
I’ve already had a few autopsy’s for skin cancer scares so I’m not risking it even on a cloudy day or in winter.
No, I don't if inside the house. I don't think anyone does. Maybe if you could be called outside in a hurry? It would be a waste of sunscreen.
I thought windows were UV filtered. I thought I read something about cats not being able to use the filtered sunlight to produce vitamin D if indoor only.
I only use sunscreen if I think I’m likely to burn. Absolutely not inside.
Why on earth would you use sunscreen if you aren’t going out in /near the sun?
There’s no sun in the house unless you’re sitting in a sunny window for some amount of time so no, I’m not wearing SUNscreen, inside.
Nope! I have sensitive skin, sensitive eyes, and I'm very sensitive to textures and sensations on my skin. I can tolerate sunscreen when I need it, and wear it any time I leave the house. But I will not be wearing it on a day that I'm inside 100% of the day.
No, never. No need
Yes, it’s just part of my routine now. Plus I could plan to be inside all day, but then have to go out for some reason. It’s just best for me to make it a habit
I have just started using sunscreen every day on my face. I have been terrible with it all my life. I mostly avoided the sun and if I did go in it I treated my face the same as the rest of my body and put sunscreen on then. I’m highly reactive so I use a Korean aqua milk one which states spf 50 (but is not accredited by the TGA in Australia).
Yes. It's just part of my routine.
Yes! Everyday inside or outside. I have very pale skin and use the ultra violette tints.
Yes. Every single day. I wfh and my office has a window.
I reapply with an SPF 50 BS mist at my desk throughout the day. In summer, spring, autumn, it’s every 2-4 hours, depending on where I am in the house, and how hot it is.
In very low UV index days in the depths of winter, especially where I’m inside for the day, I’ll just do one application as it’s part of my AM skincare routine.
If I’m going outside to exercise / go for a long walk, run errands or drive somewhere, I’ll reapply with liquid SPF 50+ BS over my makeup. A serum formulation and a Juno velvet sponge works best for me.
I’ve been told I have very good skin for my age. I do have pigmentation but it’s hormonal not sun damage, and I’m not giving up my HRT!
I wear spf moisturiser every day. A lot of sun damage occurs from many small exposures over time eg ducking out to the clothesline with no sunscreen on. So I just wear it every day regardless.
Sunscreen is just the last step in my morning skincare routine, regardless of where I'm going I've always got sunscreen on my face.
I wear sunscreen as part of my daily skin routine so yeah pretty much I have it on my face and neck every single day. You never know if you're popping out somewhere.
I apply it every day, rain or shine, even if I’m not leaving the house. It’s a good habit to keep up and the sunscreen I use (cancer council) is as cheap as chips.
I’ve done this since my early 20’s (now mid-40’s) and appear as though I’m in my 30’s. It’s the easiest and cheapest anti aging trick there is.
I do because I’m near windows :) I think it’s good to do it everyday unless you’re genuinely going to be in a dark room all day.
I do, because sun damage is cumulative and I rarely wore it as a kid. The first eighteen years are crucial apparently, and I only started wearing it when I was in my late teens (and even then not in high amounts). So I probably have a lot of invisible damage. Sunscreen is part of my morning routine now.
I go outside everyday at some point - walking my daughter to school, down the street for a coffee etc, so yes, I wear it everyday. I put this one on every morning https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/86049/la-roche-posay-anthelios-xl-dry-touch-spf50-sunscreen-for-oily-skin-50ml
Always ! My house has lots of large windows and bifold doors though so it’s pretty bright and sunny.
It's a habit now for me. It does amuse me in winter when I'm leaving the house before the sun rises and getting home after the sun sets every day, but still wearing SPF. I would rather stay in the habit as well because I use a few products that make you extra photosensitive, and it has made a noticeable difference in fading some dark pigmentation from acne scars.
Every single day. I’m a melanoma survivor and am still high risk. It’s now a habit and one I’m trying to instil in my child too.
I wear a daily face cream with SPF 30+ every day. Put it on after showering. That and deodorant. That’s my routine. Have done since in was 19 and my skin looks pretty good for my age almost 30 years later. I put on sunscreen sunscreen if I’m going to be outside for more than a half an hour in the sun.
50spf all day everyday.
If I’m going outside for more then 5 minutes i put sunscreen on beforehand.
I go out every hour or two and play ball with the dogs so I have to wear on days I’m staying home too. Unless it’s rainy etc. which has been fairly often lately then we stay in. Well they just go out for a quick potty. And I don’t wear it those days.
Yes!
Of course not. I don't think I need sunscreen if I stay like a meter away from the window during 8 AM to 4 PM, and I live in Indonesia
Humans actually need a little amount of UV exposure. More if you're born dark-skinned. Avoiding UV like a plague is counterproductive to your health.
I wear sunscreen every day- even mid winter, not leaving the house days. Pure vanity and as directed by my dermatologist.
I do wear it every day but that’s because I use it instead of moisturiser so I don’t even have to think about it.
Yes. I have spf in my moisturizer and in my foundation. So I don’t purposefully wear it everyday but I do lol
Not Australian but in the warm months where I am I will apply it to my arms now. Few years ago I was working in my office that has a ton of natural light and got a fucking sunburn on my forearm from it 🤷
If I am outside on a hot sunny day I put on sunscreen
This thread has left me so conflicted. 😅 At my last skin check the doctor told me to do hourly reapplication if I'm outside because I'm a super fair redhead, but SunSmart and most other advice seems to contradict that. I think I'll stick to regular reapplication, but this thread has made me feel a bit less stressed about "slacking" in the past by only doing four-hourly.
if i plan to leave the house in any capacity i wear sunscreen. if im indoors then no
I wear sunscreen everyday, with the very occasional exception that I am staying indoors all day. I work indoors and always wear sunscreen under my makeup and when I'm at home, I will always apply sunscreen even just to hang out the washing. I have heard from various dermatologists that sunscreen is important (like your dr mentioned) even if you are sitting next to a window. As I am approaching my 30s and thinking more long-term, I am leaning towards always applying sunscreen so that I don't regret it later in life. Not just for aging reasons but also for cancer/health reasons.
I put it on every day, even if I'm going to be inside. I don't sit in a windowless room all day, so my skin is seeing some sunlight.
I wear it everyday as part of morning skincare routine.
I’d ask yourself is your house windowless and doorless? Great! Don’t worry about it, otherwise I would do it not because you don’t want a sunburn (not gonna happen while indoors) but because it’s the cheapest anti aging solution ever.
Yes because I use a moisturiser with spf so it’s just part of my normal routine and not a separate product that I use in addition to moisturiser.
I use tend to gravitate towards any of these products which are daily moisturisers with spf: 1. https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/89014/cancer-council-spf-50-day-wear-face-matte-invisible-75ml-tube 2. https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/73680/hamilton-spf-50-everyday-face-cream-75g 3. https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/130770/ego-qv-face-moisturising-day-cream-spf30-125g (my go-to for winter - slightly more moisturising and lower spf) 4. https://skinstitut.com/products/face-the-day-spf-50
Thanks for including product links!
Thanks for the product list. The first two on the list make my eyes sting. I wonder how the QV would fare and also if it would be enough for QLD winters. Do you reapply it throughout the day?
I don’t find the QV one stings at all. I don’t reapply unless I’m outside all day or swimming or exercising. I think whether 30spf is enough would be determined by what the UV rating gets up to in the winter. I’m down in Melbourne so it’s definitely fine for here.
Thanks heaps for your response. I’ll add it to my to try list
No problem! QV actually have really great customer service and are known to be generous with samples. If you reach out to them with questions about their products (eg whether it will sting your eyes) they might be willing to send some to you. Might be worth a try!
Oh that’s good know. Thanks again. :)
Yes, I use sunscreen as my moisturiser in the morning. 365 days a year I wear sunscreen. My skin is already noticeably less aged looking compared to peers in my late 30s who don’t do daily sun protection.
FWIW I’m very pale skin toned and have been actively trying to reduce freckles and sunspots for 4-5years and don’t know if I would be as diligent with it if I had a much darker skin tone.
No. According to everything I’ve read we should but I honestly cannot be bothered. I like the feeling of a bare face at home. Feels like my skin can breathe
Yes if I’m sitting near windows/sliding doors. I wear face sunscreen every single day I go outside though even if I’m driving to work.
This is a joke right?
Depends, are you a chef or someone exposed to flames indoors? Then yes you gotta wear it to protect your skin
What does common sense tell you?
Your body won't absorb vitamin D if you wear sunscreen all the time
I wear sunscreen if I'm going to be outside during the times the SunSmart app recommends sun protection. Today, it says "sun protection not required", so I'm not wearing sunscreen.