We’re firm believers that there’s no totally wrong way to use sunscreen; if you’re using it, we’re happy. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: using sunscreen every day, year-round is the best thing you can do for your future skin. It’s the single most effective way to help prevent premature aging, discoloration and most importantly against skin cancer.

That being said, there’s always room for improvement. If we can do better, why not? We snuck in some time with one of Dermstore’s favorite dermatologists, Dr. Ashely Magovern, for some sunscreen 411.

Beyond the face, what SPF products do you recommend for full body protection?
I love EltaMD UV Lotion and UV Sport. I keep them in my summer bag at all times. They are both so easy to use, blend easily, and provide great protection. Using a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide is really important on those summer days because zinc oxide provides protection across the entire UVA/UVB range. La Roche-Posay also makes really elegant sunscreens for the body, like Anthelios 60 Cooling Water-Lotion sunscreen. The organic scalp and hair mist by COOLA is the perfect product for the scalp, part line (we see a lot of skin cancers here), ears and eyelids.

How often should you reapply SPF on your face? What about on your body and scalp?
Generally, we recommend that you reapply SPF every 2 hours (regardless of the body part), but honestly, I think that’s hard to do. If you know you are going to be outside all day (like at the pool, beach, Disneyland), then reapplication every couple of hours is a great idea. If you are just going to work or having a casual day with some outdoor exposure, my recommendation is to make sure that you put a good layer (nice and thick) on in the morning to all the areas that will have exposure. Before you leave the house is always best. If you wear makeup, it’s almost impossible to reapply sunscreen lotion or cream, so this is where the powder brushes and spray mists come in handy.

Should you be using SPF on your hands before a gel manicure?
Yes, it’s a great idea to do this! I think you should put it on before you leave the house for your manicure. Actually, you should probably put sunscreen on your hands every morning while you’re doing your skincare routine. Even though salons use both UV and LED lamps, they both can emit ultraviolet (UVA) radiation, so either wearing sunscreen or fingerless gloves is a good idea during your manicure to protect yourself from the UVA radiation exposure. Luckily, a study in JAMA Dermatology reported that the exposure associated with gel manicures doesn’t pose a big risk for skin cancer, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.