Should you use sun protection in winter?

Our recommendation is clear: yes, sun protection is also needed in winter.

And here’s why...

We are exposed to UV rays every day, from the sunlight that enters through our home windows to the one we receive when we go shopping or to work. In addition, it has a cumulative effect, meaning that the old saying “the skin has memory” is true. Over time, after prolonged and sustained exposure, the skin can suffer irreversible damage.

Cold and cloudy days make us forget that the sun is still shining on us, creating a false sense of protection. The truth is that UV rays reach our skin all the same.

In the short term, this means that our skin feels more dehydrated and becomes rougher and drier. That is why the sun is said to be one of the main factors responsible for skin ageing.
In the long term, the damage is greater and much more visible: collagen and elastin cells break down, flaccidity and wrinkles appear, and the proliferation of dark spots accelerates. And finally, the most serious consequence of radiation build-up is skin cancer.

Do we burn more easily in the snow?

Ultraviolet radiation is up to eight times more intense in snowy environments than anywhere else because of:

• Altitude: the higher the altitude, the closer we are to the sun and the thinner the atmosphere, so it absorbs a smaller proportion of UV rays and radiation levels increase.

• Reflective properties of the ground. Snow is one of the most reflective surfaces: up to 80% of rays bounce back and are projected again onto our skin.

For this reason, it is advisable to wear sunglasses with UV protection and to apply sun cream to all areas exposed to the sun: face, ears, neck or hands.

100% natural mineral sun protection

Within MATARRANIA’s authentic organic cosmetics, a sun protection range could not be missing. We offer two formats: a cream SPF 50 and a fluid SPF 30, both 100% natural, vegan, water resistant, ocean and river friendly, with a light texture that does not leave a white trace, and with a non-nano mineral filter.

MATARRANIA’s sun cream uses a mineral filter that is safer for health and completely respectful towards the environment, which is always our aim with our organic cosmetics. It is a physical filter, as if you were placing a screen on your skin, reflecting solar radiation in the opposite direction. It works immediately, so it protects you from the very first moment.

Sun cream is essential for everyone and for all skin types, especially for those who suffer from any skin condition or are trying to reduce dark spots. Just as you have already incorporated some key steps into your morning facial routine, we strongly recommend, for your health, that sun protection continues to be one of them (the last step in fact, you can find a post here where we explain in which order to apply sun protection).