Sure, you may reach for a pair of sunglasses when you get in the car, but you may not realize just how much sun exposure you get while driving. While glass blocks UVB rays, and your windshield is designed to block UVA rays, your car's side windows let in about 63 percent of UVA rays, according to Graf.
Because UVA rays are longer and travel deeper into the skin (making them responsible for wrinkles and other signs of aging), it's important to wear sunscreen when driving -- yes, even in winter -- or apply clear, UV-protective film to your car windows.
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You Are What You Eat
Eating healthy is not only good for your waist line -- it also helps protect your skin from sun damage. Antioxidants like beta-carotene (found in carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach), catechin (found in green tea, dark chocolate, berries and apples), lycopene (found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit) and sulforaphane (found in broccoli, kale and brussel sprouts) help your skin prevent, and repair itself from, sun damage.
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Pop a Supplement
Sunscreen in a pill? Well, sort of. You can sneak in more sun-shielding antioxidants by taking a dietary supplement like Heliocare, $16.99. Dermatologist Vivian Bucay, M.D., calls it "a multifaceted approach to protecting yourself from the sun." Heliocare contains Polypodium leucotomos, a fern native to South America that has been used for centuries to treat skin conditions like sunburn, eczema and psoriasis. "Take it in the morning, and then if you're going to be outside, take it again a few hours later," says Bucay. Just remember that it's a good complement to wearing sunscreen, not a substitute for it.
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Sun-Fighting Skin-Care Ingredients
Just like in the foods you eat, antioxidants found in the products you apply to your face are effective sun protection. Dr. Graf likes Glytone Antioxidant Anti-Aging Serum, $120, whose skin-saving ingredients include vitamins C and E. We also like Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum, $62, which combines stabilized grape seed polyphenols and vitamin C to fight sun damage and protect the skin. Layer one of these under your moisturizer and sunscreen.
