Anyone who has had a skincare conversation with me would know that one of the very first things I always ask is “Do you wear sunscreen every day?“. More often than not, the answer I receive will either be a “No” or a “No, but I wear it when I go (insert outdoorsy activity with sun exposure)“. There are so many things wrong with that answer, and most people do not even realize it.

Not to downplay all the other essential skincare steps such as cleansing and moisturizing by any means, but from my experience, sunscreen is easily the most overlooked and misunderstood piece of skincare out there. Believe me, I didn’t think much of sunscreen either until about 7 years ago, and even then, that was still years after I had the worst sunburn experience of my life. Perhaps it had something to do with me growing up in sunny California where everyone wants that sun-kissed tan but had I been told the facts, I would have started wearing it much earlier. If you’re here now, that means you’re taking the first step in the right direction. Furthermore, no matter how young or old you are, it is better to learn and start now than to never do it at all.