We all love a Kiwi summer, and the New Zealand sun is notorious for being harsh and unforgiving, which can damage your skin. Your skin protects your body from the outside world, so it deserves the best protection every day!
It’s become increasingly common for Gen Z to splurge on beauty products and cosmetic treatments and create multi-step beauty routines. So, it’s quite surprising that young people in New Zealand are still drawn to something that can accelerate aging and leave their skin with possible lifelong damage. Yes, we’re talking about the sun and the beautiful tan it gives us. We all want radiant and healthy skin and having a 'hot girl summer' doesn't have to come with sun damage. So, here is the rundown on why SPF is non-negotiable.
Why it is important to look after your skin in summer
The New Zealand sun is different to other countries; we have some of the highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV radiation is what causes sun damage by passing through and ageing the layer of our skin. During the warmer months, we tend to spend more time outdoors which means your skin will need the extra layer of protection.
Practising consistent sun-safe habits can slow premature ageing, including fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. Protecting your skin today is an investment towards stronger, healthier, and more resilient skin for the future.
What is UVA, UVB and UVC?
To help us understand why SPF is the ultimate anti-ageing shield, we need to look how the UV rays interact with our skin.
UVA rays make up 95% of the radiation that reaches the earth's surface. It penetrates deep into the skin's dermis layer and speeds up the skins ageing progress and damages the cell's DNA, causing long-term damage.
UVB makes up the other 5% of the radiation and while they don't penetrate the skin as deeply as UVA rays do – they are still strong enough to cause blistering and sunburn.
UVC are as strong as UVA and UVB but thankfully don't make it past the earth's atmosphere.
The sun produces these rays all year round, so no matter how cold or cloudy the day is, it always pays to wear SPF!
How the sun affects our skin
After being cooped up inside all day, soaking up the sun can give us a boost of energy and rejuvenation. However, when any type of UV ray hits our skin and sinks into the epidermis, it damages the DNA, which causes our skin to produce more melanin to defend itself – this is also what give you a tan. This process repeats and is what causes photoaging, premature skin ageing due to ongoing UV exposure. Additionally, DNA damage can eventually lead to pre-cancerous cells. Our skin naturally ages, however without proper sun protection photoaging can happen at any time, it can also cause hyperpigmentation, broken capillaries, uneven skin tone, fine lines and more.
Sunscreen should be a part of your everyday routine regardless of if you spent a lot of time outside or not. It’s important to remember that UVA rays can penetrate through glass, so that morning cup of coffee by the window could be breaking down collagen and contributing to premature skin ageing. Wearing sunscreen daily also protects your skin from blue light, like from computer screens or your phone, which penetrate deeper than UV rays and trigger inflammation, break down your skin's elastin overtime, and contribute to skin damage.
Reapply, reapply, reapply
Sunscreen isn't a product you can apply and forget about throughout your day; reapplication is crucial. Sunscreen typically lasts for around 2 hours, but its effectiveness can decline after exposure to water, sweat, and friction from clothing. To make sure you are protected all day, it's important to reapply after 1.30 or 2 hours, and immediately after swimming, sweating and towelling off. Regular reapplication allows you to be consistently shielded from harmful rays and environmental stressors.
SPF Products we love
At Caci, we are committed to offering the very best in sun protection and any of our sunscreens will do a great job at keeping your skin protected and glowy but here are a few of our faves:
Murad Superactive Moisturiser SPF 50: Wrinkle Fighting is a lightweight, 3-in-1 multitasking powerhouse. Works to infuse the skin with long-lasting hydration, gentle targets fine lines and wrinkles with sun-friendly bio-retinoid and protects your skin with high SPF 50.
Our Murad Superactive Moisturiser SPF 50: Brightening delivers all-day hydration while vitamin C targets dull, UV-damaged skin and dark spots. This lightweight formula leaves you skin glowing, bright and hydrated.
For a physical, broad-spectrum SPF, try our Skinsmiths Daily Mineral Defence SPF40. Infused with antioxidants, this mineral sunscreen is tinted with iron oxides to provide a sheer finish that gives the skin a healthy glow.
For sensitive skin, try the Murad Multi-Vitamin Clear Coat Broad Spectrum SPF 50. This clear sunscreen uses a power-blend of antioxidant vitamins C-F to combat radical free damage alongside nourishing omegas from chia seeds to stimulate ceramide production and strengthen your skin barrier. This SPF isn't just a sunscreen; it’s a sunscreen plus skin treatment for all skin tones.
