I thought I was obsessed about sun protection. Until I heard there are people who use sunscreen at night.
WTH?
It’s called SUNscreen for a reason. It protects you from the sun. Why put it on when the star has left the building?
Computers. And the moon. At least, those are the reasons moonscreeners give for their weird behaviour. Do they have a point?
Let’s see what the science says:
Do You Need Sunscreen At Night To Protect Your Skin Again Screen Light?
Did you know that computer screens, televisions and lighting can emit some UV rays?
(Seriously, there is no escaping those pesky UV rays, is there?)
But, their radiation is NOTHING compared to the sun’s radiation. Like, it’s so minimal, it doesn’t really cause any problems.
To put things into perspective, the visible light emitted from an iMac is 100 less damaging than the radiation from the midday sun (when its rays are the strongest). A 4 inch smartphone is 2000 less damaging!
So unless you’re planning to get a suntan from binge-watching Netflix, you’re probably safe.
That said, I get why people might worry about screen light, especially blue light. Blue light is infamous for messing with your sleep cycle, and some studies suggest it might play a small role in aging your skin. But here’s the kicker: wearing sunscreen isn’t the solution here. You’d be better off switching on “night mode” on your devices or using blue light-blocking glasses.
Want a budget-friendly option? Just step away from the screen before bed. Your skin—and your brain—will thank you for it.
I get wanting to keep your skin safe from ultraviolet radiation, but this is bordering on paranoid, imo.
If you’re really worried, turn the lights off or don’t spend too much time in front of your computer. You should turn it off at least two hours before going to bed anyway (don’t complain you can’t get any sleep if you stay up late checking out Facebook).
Related: Should You Wear Sunscreen In Front Of Your Computer?
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Is Wearing Sunscreen At Night Bad For Skin?
You don’t need to wear sunscreen at night. But, let’s say you’re the paranoid type who feels like doing it anyway. Is it gonna harm your skin?
Some experts think that wearing sunscreen at night is a recipe for pimples. They say sunscreen clogs your pores, so you have to take it off before going to sleep.
There’s some truth in that. If you let your sunscreen accumulate too much, yes, it will clog your pores. But if you remove it at the end of the night and then put on a new coat, you’re safe.
Unless, you have breakout prone skin and use a sunscreen with comedogenic ingredients. Wear it night or day, those pimples are gonna get you anyway.
Let’s not forget your wallet. Sunscreen is expensive. Why waste a product that’s meant to protect you from UV rays when there’s zero UV to protect yourself from? Think about all the better things you could spend that money on—like fancy serums or, I don’t know, snacks.
Related: What Happens When You Sleep With Makeup On?
What Should You Use At Night Instead?
Here’s the thing: nighttime isn’t for sunscreen. It’s for giving your skin the TLC it actually needs. Think hydration, repair, and maybe a little extra love if your skin’s feeling stressed out.
Try this:
- Moisturizer: Your skin needs hydration, especially after a long day.
- Retinol: Nighttime is the perfect opportunity to let this powerhouse ingredient do its anti-aging magic. Retinol fights wrinkles and boosts collagen. It just gets degraded by sunlight and stops working, hence why it’s best to use it at night.
- Antioxidants: These help repair and protect your skin from the damage from pollution and other enemies it faced during the day.
See? You can still pamper your skin at night without wasting your precious SPF stash.
The Bottom Line
Save your sunscreen (and your money) for the day. You don’t need it at night. Instead, focus on products that actually help your skin repair itself while you sleep. Your wallet will thank you, and your skin will, too.
I didn’t know that computers and TV’s emit UV rays. Maybe that’s why the lines under my eyes are getting deeper. Eeep!
Tammy, if you have a LED monitor you should be fine, they shouldn’t emit any. But yeah, some computer screens can emit UV light but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. 😉
I wear sunscreen at night because I work the graveyard shift and go home in the morning. then I wash it off before going to bed.
Rubbing the skin under your eyes can make bags/lines under them. I did that for awhile (rubbed under my eyes) because my mascara didn’t stay put and eek! I was getting bags under my eyes over time. Now I try to only carefully dab on eye cream without rubbing: but you may already knew that!
Sarah, oh no! The eye area is so delicate, isn’t it?
I don’t see any point in doing this.I mean the skin has to be able to breathe non chemical stuff(because sunblovk is good,but it’s not all good).I agree with you!
Ria, I agree! We should give skin a rest at night so that it can regenerate and repair itself, wearing sunblock is useless.
haha, yes it really doesn’t make sense to wear it at night. I do wear it on cloudy/rainy days though for the reason that you mentioned
Makeup Morsels, good for you! Sunscreen should be worn every day regardless of the weather but at night it’s taking things too far imo.
I laughed when I saw the title of this post because I used to be paranoid I was ruining my skin by not wearing sunscreen at night. I also read that household lights emit UV rays, and I never knew how much, so a long time ago I did wear sunscreen at night. Now I don’t. However when I don’t leave the house in the day time, I get paranoid when I’m not wearing sunscreen because UVA rays can come through the windows and cause wrinkles! My boyfriend loves opening all of the blinds, and sometimes I put on sunscreen, just to be safe!
Jeni, I wear sunscreen at home during the day too. Everyone thinks I’m crazy for doing it but you’re right. UVA rays can penetrate through windows and cause premature aging and so I’d rather be safe than sorry. After all, putting on some sunscreen doesn’t hurt at all. At home, I use my sunscreen in the summer but in winter when the weather’s bad I use a moisturizer with SPF as that should be enough.
I hate sunscreen in general (I use a powder with sunscreen instead), because I have very oily skin, so do you think I would wear it at night? lol 😉
Stavroula, finding a good sunscreen for oily skin is so hard. Cosmetics with SPF are a great alternative. 🙂
I’m using Physician’s Formula Healthy Wear Bronzer SPF50! 😉 I can’t stand cream/liquid sunscreens, they make my face sticky and more oily, yikes!
Stavroula, that’s a common problem for people with oily skin and it’s a shame cos wearing sunscreen is so important. But I’m glad you found a great alternative. I’ve heard raves about that bronzer, but unfortunately it’s not available here.
It’s not available here either girl !! I got it on ebay and it really works!!! 😉
Stavroula, that’s great! I usually use ebay for discounted high-end products but I will have to look for this one now, thanks. 🙂
Oh no!! I know this post is years old, but I’m seeing people talking about powder sunscreens. They don’t protect your skin! You can’t get an even application with those (same for sprays speaking of that). Also, powder is too light, nobody is going to apply enough powder for it to be effective.
Please, if you’re reading this in 2018 or later, stay away from powder sunscreens!! They should be illegal. Put them on top of lotion sunscreens if you want, but they don’t work alone.
CeraVe makes sunscreens that feel wonderful to wear on my oily skin, also Neutrogena Sheer Zinc is good, and doesn’t burn my eyes. I like to layer them.
Morgan, thank you for the remainder, I couldn’t agree with you more. Powder and sprat sunscreens are very convenient but they don’t protect you as well. It’s not worth the risk. 🙂