Dermatologists have long been advising us to protect our skin with sunscreen before heading out. In spite of their best efforts, many of us still don’t heed their advice because slathering sunscreen over all the areas of our exposed skin is just so tedious.
We may no longer have that excuse though.
Recent dermatology developments are now promising a technology that allows us to apply our sun protectant as we wash our faces. In other words, we’d be able to use wash-on sunscreen.
While this idea isn’t new, there is a new product that has caught the attention of beauty bloggers and dermatologists alike: Dr. Russo Sun Protective Day Cleanser SPF 30.
Most sunscreens have the chemicals (active ingredients) octocrylene, oxtinonate, and avobenzone to help protect your skin against UVA and UVB rays. Dr. Russo promises that these active ingredients will still remain on your skin – even after you wash away the cleanser.
The product has already made its way to shelves in Europe, but the FDA has yet to approve of this product entirely.
However, we may not have to lose hope.
Dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman says these products may actually be worthwhile. The active ingredients bind to the top layer of your skin to provide you UV protection. Dr. Engelman is in full support of any method that can help incorporate more sun protection into any person’s daily routine.
He does, however, assert that you should still use another sunscreen lotion or cream, even after using Dr. Russo’s cleanser.
For Dr. Gary Goldenberg, his concern with the wash-on sunscreen isn’t with the technology, but rather with how people end up using it. “The trick is letting the product sit long enough on your face for it to be absorbed,” he says, “It is also tricky, because after you use the cleanser, you can’t do anything that will risk removing the sunscreen layer like rubbing, using toners, acidic lotions, or anything exfoliating.”
The take away? We should really stop being lazy and just use that sunscreen.
