For years, I only used sunscreen for June, July, and August. Beach, pool, days with plenty of sun. The rest of the year, the bottle sat at the back of the cabinet waiting for its moment.
No one had told me I was doing it wrong.
The day I changed my mind
It was during a dermatology appointment. The doctor took a photo of me with a UV light camera — the kind that shows sun damage the naked eye can't see. What appeared on the screen looked nothing like what I saw in the mirror every morning.
Spots that hadn't shown up yet. Accumulated damage from years of unprotected exposure. All that time thinking summer protection was enough.
It wasn't.
What no one tells you about UV radiation
The problem is that there are two types of ultraviolet radiation, and they don't behave the same way.
UVB rays are the ones that burn. The ones that turn you red at the beach, the ones that hurt. Those do vary with the seasons — there's less in winter.
But UVA rays are a different story. They're present all 365 days of the year, clouds or no clouds. They penetrate through window glass. They arrive the same in December as in July. And they're responsible for premature aging — the ones that break down collagen, cause spots, and reduce firmness over time.
Their damage doesn't hurt. It's not visible in the moment. It builds up silently over years, and by the time it shows, there's no going back.
What if I spend the day at home or in the office?
This was my next question.
If I don't go out in the sun, if I work indoors, if the day is completely overcast — do I really need sunscreen?
The answer my dermatologist gave me was simple: if you have windows with natural light in your space, you have UVA exposure. It's not the same as an afternoon at the beach, but it's constant. And if you also use retinol, vitamin C, or any active ingredient that makes skin more sensitive — sunscreen is non-negotiable.
What changed in my routine
Since that check-up, sunscreen is the last step of my morning routine. Every day. Even in winter, even when it rains, even when I work from home.
What I had to find was one that didn't feel like an extra step — a lightweight, fast-absorbing texture that left no white residue or shine. One that simply became just another step.
365 days. No excuses.
Summer isn't the only time your skin needs protection. It's just the time we notice it most.
The radiation that ages skin doesn't rest in September. And neither should we.