If You Hate Applying Sunscreen—And Getting Burned Anyway—Read This
This is not something most beauty editors would readily admit, but here goes: I love the sun. Always have. That’s not to say that I’m not smart about my exposure to it. My mother is a skin cancer survivor and I have been slathering on various forms of SPF since I was a small child. But until recently, going one step further and covering up in protective clothing was not something I engaged in: long sleeves or leggings would seriously impact my outdoor fun, I reasoned—and ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) swimwear and headgear did not match my “beach vibe,” to put it euphemistically. But a new crop of tasteful—and even chic—UPF options, coupled with some very real concerns about a new constellation of freckles, have made me rethink my position.
I’m not the only one.
“You need to tap into the vanity of it,” Whitney Bowe, M.D., says of a more general uptick in the popularity of UPF clothing that she’s seen among her patients as a steady stream of new brand samples continues to flood her office. “People are just more aware now, not just of the risks of skin cancer but also the risk of aging from the sun,” adds the Manhattan-based dermatologist, who cites dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and crepiness as chief offenders. Combined with rising environmental concerns about the harmful chemicals in many sunscreens, which prompted Hawaii to pass a landmark bill this month prohibiting the sale of formulas containing two major ingredients found to seriously impact coral reefs, and it’s little wonder that interest around UPF clothing is swirling.
Here’s how UPF clothing works: Numbers are assigned to garments based on lab tests that register the amount of UV radiation that can penetrate a specific fabric. While SPF numbers only correlate to protection against UVB rays, which can cause sunburn, UPF protects against both UVB and UVA rays, which penetrate deeper into the skin. “It’s not that the clothing is actually impregnated with sunscreen,” explains Evan Rieder, M.D., an assistant professor of dermatology at New York University. “It’s about the materials and the color and the composition,” he continues, pointing out that a UPF of 50 offers optimal protection. Recent design advances from brands like Los Angeles–based Cover take this into account with fabrics that are moisture-wicking and breathable—a far cry from older pieces that felt heavy and looked cumbersome. “I’m still waiting for Jacquemus to make the Bomba hat with UPF 50,” Rieder jokes, imagining a world where the UPF and the luxury markets collide; in the meantime, there are a number of great options now available for the whole family—including its littlest members.
“The kids’ UPF market just blew up,” says Bowe, who anticipates a burgeoning boom in the men’s UPF clothing market, as well. “Men hate reapplying sunscreen,” she notes. Unsurprisingly, so do women, which was the impetus behind Bowe’s new capsule collection with Mott50, which includes a one-piece long-sleeved maillot and a dress in a poppy coral color. “Putting on sunscreen every two hours is a pain,” she says frankly, adding that on average, most people apply about one-third to one-half of the amount they need to get the SPF rating listed on the bottle. While you still need to protect exposed areas (hands, neck, face, et cetera), the more surface area you can cover with UPF apparel, the less time you need to waste at the beach or the pool, a summer hack, Bowe insists, that can be “life-changing.”
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