By now, I think most beauty obsessives know the myriad of aesthetic side effects that come from unprotected sun exposure. But for those who need a recap, UV rays account for up to 80% of visible signs of aging1, which include fine lines, dark spots, texture changes, and sagging. (Not to mention, UV damage can lead to much worse—i.e. melanoma.) This doesn’t mean you have to avoid sun and time outdoors altogether. To suggest that would be not only unrealistic, but would undermine the mental health benefits of sunshine. 

But if skin health and, ahem, appearance are important to you—it does mean you need to take the appropriate precautions. With just a few extra steps, you could save yourself from dealing with pesky, hard-to-fade sun spots and deeper, more permanent fine lines down the line. It can also save you from having to use more intensive interventions and potent products in the future. So why not just do the extra work now?