As athletes, we are exposed to the sun every day for professional reasons alone – and in addition to our daily outdoor training, we also prefer to spend our free time outside in nature.

Nevertheless, the topic of sun protection has not always had a high priority in our lives, which is why we have both already had unpleasant experiences with the effects of solar radiation. We have learned from this!

Angie: "I can really only advise everyone to use sunscreen – especially on the face, but also all over the body. It doesn't matter if it's summer or winter: There are always rays coming through. So I think it's extremely important to take good care of yourself and your skin."

But what actually makes the sun so dangerous, how can you best protect yourself and why is sun protection from newkee particularly suitable for this? That's what we're going to show you today.

Why the sun is good for us

Whether you are a summer person who feels best on hot days, or whether you prefer refreshing walks in the autumn sun or in the cool winter air: the sun accompanies us all every day – whether in a bright sky or behind dark clouds.

And that's a good thing – because the sun's rays have a significant influence on our bodies: for example, they can stimulate blood circulation and metabolism, strengthen the body's defences or even lower blood pressure. In addition, the body forms important vitamin D with the help of the sun's rays - and also releases hormones after only a short time in the sun that put us in a good mood and are good for the soul.

So sunlight is not all bad. Nevertheless, you should always enjoy it in moderation – and with the right protection.

Manuel: "Because we are both always exposed to the sun, it is of course important that we use the right products. Of course, we athletes always train outdoors – so we simply need really good protection."

Dangerous UV radiation: The dark side of the sun

As much as we love the feeling of the warm summer sun on our bodies, we know from our own experience that the sun can seriously damage our skin in several ways.

It depends on the type of radiation:  

• UV-B radiation
  

The short-wave UV-B radiation is responsible for sunburns and can lead to skin cancer by damaging the DNA molecules of the skin cells in the top layer of skin. The ozone layer shields about 90% of the radiation from the earth – but in regions like Australia where the ozone layer is disrupted, this effect is less successful. As a result, the risk of skin cancer is particularly high here.

• UV-A radiation
  

The longer-wave UV-A radiation hits the earth's surface without restrictions and penetrates into deeper skin layers. There it can cause faster ageing of the skin and trigger sun allergies. It has also been clear for some years that UV-A as well as UV-B rays damage the genetic material of the skin – and are thus also considered carcinogenic.

Fun Fact: Besides UV-A and UV-B radiation, the sun also emits UV-C radiation. However, these do not reach the earth at all because they are retained 100% by the earth's atmosphere. Lucky for us, because UV-C rays are the rays with the highest energy.

Crucial for good sun protection: the right UV filters

A good sunscreen is characterised above all by the fact that it provides sufficient protection against both types of radiation. That is why the carefully coordinated combination of UV-A and UV-B filters forms the basis of all good sunscreen products: Because it protects the skin comprehensively and thus helps to prevent sunburn, premature light-induced skin ageing and skin cancer.

The type of UV filter determines how the skin is protected from the sun's rays: 

• Organic soluble filters form an invisible protective shield in the uppermost layer of the skin. There they absorb the UV radiation and convert it into heat. 
• UV filters based on mineral pigments remain on the surface of the skin, where they directly reflect and absorb the sun's rays.

In the development of our newkee sun protection products for body, face and lips, we have chosen to use only organic UV filters. We rely on a balanced UV-A/UV-B broadband filter system – because it is important to us that we protect the skin as comprehensively as possible from the negative effects of UV radiation.

Also crucial: the right sun protection factor (SPF). It indicates by how many minutes the sunscreen extends the individual self-protection time of your skin. 

Manuel: "For us, it was essential to start with a sun protection factor of 50+ in order to have a sunscreen that really protects us and that we know really won't burn.

Our 6 top tips for maximum sun protection  
 

Protecting our skin as well as possible from the negative effects of the sun's rays is enormously important to us. What helps us to do this are these 6 rules, which we would also like to recommend to you:

• Avoid midday sun:
  

For us as athletes, this is not always possible due to training - nevertheless, we try to avoid the midday sun between 11 am and 3 pm as much as possible. This is because we are exposed to the highest radiation in the sun at this time. Our tip: Stay in the shade during lunchtime and postpone extensive sunbathing until early morning or late afternoon.

• Cover the skin: 
  

Another rule that is often not feasible for us athletes, but which we always take to heart in our free time. We keep the sun off our skin with clothing: sun hats and sunglasses are standard for us, long sleeves and long trousers also offer good sun protection. The rule is: the darker the clothing, the better the protection. A white shirt, for example, only has an SPF of 4 – definitely too little for the hot summer sun.

• Know your skin type:
  

In order to correctly estimate your individual self-protection time in the sun (i.e. the time you can spend in the sun without sunscreen), it is important to know your skin type: For very fair skin types, the self-protection time is less than 15 minutes, very dark skin types can even last longer than 60 minutes in the sun. This knowledge will help you to plan your "sun hours" correctly.

• Apply cream properly:
  

Many people use their sun protection product sparingly – a big mistake. Because the specified sun protection factor can only develop its full effect with sufficient dosage: Therefore, always apply generously!

Once you've applied the cream, you're protected for the whole day? Unfortunately, this does not work with sun protection: Especially on the skin of very active people, the sun protection decreases after some time. That's why it's important to apply a generous amount of sunscreen regularly – especially after swimming or when sweating heavily.

By the way: Our newkee daily sunscreen 50+ is particularly waterproof and sweat-resistant – and therefore offers especially good protection. However, you should not do without reapplication!

Angie: "I have learned to apply sunscreen not only once a day, but several times. It is especially important for me that the sun cream stays on the skin when you sweat. And that's where the newkee sunscreen is the best."

• Keep an eye on the UV index: 

A look at the UV index shows you the current UV radiation in your region - an optimal orientation when it comes to choosing sun protection. Protective measures are recommended from a UV index of 3 - then it's time to have sunscreen ready!

• Choose the right sunscreen: 

Be careful when choosing your sunscreen! Above all, make sure that your sunscreen protects against both UV-B and UV-A radiation and has a sun protection factor that matches your skin type. Additional ingredients such as perfume, alcohol or preservatives are unnecessary and can even trigger allergies in the worst case – a good sunscreen therefore does without them.

Our favourite: The newkee daily sunscreen 50+

We are sure: If you are looking for reliable sun protection without compromise, you can reach for newkee with a clear conscience. 

In addition to comprehensive protection against all types of sun radiation, it was particularly important to us that our sunscreen is also suitable for sensitive skin zones without causing irritation or allergies. Therefore, as with all newkee products, we have dispensed with ingredients such as fragrances, colourings or preservatives. Instead, we rely on a sophisticated UV-A/UV-B broadband filter system in combination with the active ingredient L-carnosine, which increases the moisture content of the skin and can also protect against damage caused by UV radiation and blue light. An additional plus is the addition of jojoba oil, which provides care and suppleness. We think: The skin simply doesn't need more.

That's why we love newkee daily sunscreen 50+:

• It provides comprehensive protection against UV-A and UV-B rays.
• It protects against sunburn.
• It protects us from the negative effects of oxidative stress caused by blue light.
• It is suitable for all skin zones and skin types that are particularly sensitive to light.
• It is waterproof and sweat resistant.
• It is vegan, paraben and fragrance free.