Sunscreen in winter might seem a little over-the-top, even for those among us who take their skin care very seriously. But it’s not just that sunscreen itself is important—which it very much is, no matter the season. After all, sunlight is still sunlight, whatever the season. “If you’re outdoors and can see your hand in front of your face, there is enough UV exposure to cause skin damage,” says Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New Haven, Connecticut. And on top of that, she adds, snow can act like a giant reflector, bouncing up to 80% of UVA and UVB rays back onto your skin.
But it’s more that your sunscreen formula itself might merit an upgrade when the cooler weather sets in. After all, “winter is prime time to lose skin hydration: The air becomes more arid and dry, and thus pulls more moisture out of our skin,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY. She recommends people reach for a sunscreen that actively hydrates skin, minimizes transepidermal water loss from skin, and fortifies the skin barrier. To that end, it’s essential to find one that includes “hydrating ingredients—such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and squalane—but it’s also just as important to improve the skin barrier with lipids and fatty acids to minimize how much water is lost into the surrounding environment,” she says.
Vogue’s Favorite Winter Sunscreens:
And, even if you’re spending more time indoors, you don’t get a free pass. In fact, skipping the sunscreen can still cause issues, since “visible light and blue light from laptops, phones, and LED bulbs continue to hit the skin,” says Dr. Gohara. “This is particularly important for women of color and those with melasma, because visible light significantly drives pigment production.” And certain sunscreen formulas—namely, tinted ones—deliver added protection against this type of light damage.
All told, your sunscreen habits shouldn’t change with the seasons. What you might need to rethink, though, is the sunscreen itself—in particular, swapping a lightweight or mattifying formula for something more nourishing. For a sunscreen that can keep skin soft, supple, and (most importantly) safe during the winter months, experts recommend these picks.
