Sun in the city

Risks of the sun in the city

As soon as the first rays of sunshine appear in the city, café gardens and outdoor seating areas fill up with people. However, we don't always think to protect our skin. But even in the city, the risk of sunburn is there.

Beware of UV in the city

In the city, UV is everywhere, too. When you go out in the street, UV rays can easily reach your face, décolleté and hands. As you know, exposure to the sun doesn't come without risk. Sunburn, sunspots, skin ageing, or worse, melanoma, are some of the most serious consequences of UV rays for the skin.

Dangers aggravated by pollution

The phenomenon of urban pollution (carbon monoxide, vehicle exhaust fumes and heavy metals) aggravates the harmful effects of the sun. Especially since the glass facades of city buildings strongly reflect the sun's rays. Worse still, UVA (which penetrates deeper into the skin than UVB) can even pass through windows, so it reaches you even when you’re in your car or at the office. And the warmer the weather, the more the pores of the skin open and dilate, making the skin more prone to taking in particles of pollution. It’s this same pollution that is largely responsible, like the sun's rays, for premature skin ageing.

Stress as an aggravating factor

The stress of city life can have a harsh impact on the skin. Like the sun and pollution, stress is a factor in skin ageing. Combined with the other two factors, stress aggravates the skin. To avoid risks posed to the skin by public transport, work and sleep, it’s important to adopt a healthy lifestyle and protect our skin.

PROTECT YOURSELF FOR A BETTER TAN

Wearing sunscreen doesn’t mean no tan - quite the opposite! It prevents sunburn and other skin damage caused by sun exposure and keeps you looking good for longer.

Good habits for protecting your skin in the city

Many day creams now include an SPF filter in their formulation. If this isn’t the case for your moisturiser, you should add sun protection of at least SPF 50 to your morning beauty routine to protect yourself from UV rays, choosing the right protection for your skin type. In addition, the antioxidant properties of some sunscreens have soothing properties against the stress of UV rays and pollution, and may play a role in stabilising sun cream formulations while increasing their effectiveness.