SPF for lips—Necessity or extra?
I spend countless hours researching skincare products but it never occurred to me to consider taking care of my lips until a colleague at work mentioned it.
“Two weeks ago, I discovered a sunspot on my lip!” she exclaimed.
That was all she needed to say to bring me down the rabbit hole of lip care, specifically SPF-related. Here’s what I learned:
Losing Elasticity
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), going sans SPF can lead your lips to lose elasticity which can make your lips appear thinner and more aged.
Say bye to plump, youthful lips. 🙁
Skin Cancer
Your lips are already thin as they are and using non-SPF lip products (especially glossy ones) magnify UV rays to penetrate deeper to not only cause loss of elasticity but also diseases like skin cancer.
Lip Inflammation
A step away from skin cancer, lip inflammation can develop from overexposure to harmful UV rays. This condition is scientifically known as Actinic cheilitis and is characterized by scaly lesions, as well as dry and rough lips.
Going sans SPF can lead your lips to lose elasticity which can make your lips appear thinner and more aged.
This brand new information had me checking all of my lip products to see if they had SPF. Or should I say enough SPF? I ended up talking with a chemistry student who works in a cosmetics lab in France and received some great tips.
How much SPF is needed?
SPF 15 is enough to block 93% of UVB rays while SPF 30 blocks 97%. Also remember to use SPF on cloudy days just like sun cream for your face! And reapply every two hours as suggested by the AAD.
How to know if your product has SPF—and enough of it?
If your lip product doesn’t specifically say “SPF” on the packaging, check the ingredients list to see if titanium dioxide or zinc oxide is on the list. You can also check if it has other UV blocking ingredients. However, not all companies disclose how much SPF is in the product so it’s best to trust the products that specifically tell you how much is in there.
I was sad to discover that my absolute favorite Ginger Sugar Tint Lip Balm from Aritaum does not have SPF protection. So I was excited to try out the new A by BOM Lip Balm from Be Mused Korea!
They had me at the chic packaging.
I love that the A by BOM Lip Balm is incredibly nourishing — yet beautifully pigmented. I’m very no frills and practical when it comes to non-skincare beauty items so I automatically go for tinted lip balms to kill two birds with one stone. Now with SPF, that’s three birds.
Look at that swatch!
I was surprised to discover that this buttery honey colored lip balm transforms to a lively bright pink shade upon application. It’s long lasting on the lips, and also has both UVB and UVA protection needs covered with SPF 14 PA+.
This is definitely my must-have lip product for my purse this summer!
What lip product do you have in your purse? Does it have SPF?
A by BOM Hand & Lip Duo
A by Bom Lip Balm (Shy Yellow) gives your lips the perfect amount of moisture and vitality. With ingredients carefully selected from nature, such as Horse Chestnut seed extract and Sweet Almond oil, your lips are infused with long-lasting hydration and added glow.
