@stopiteli I am convinced this works! #tutorial #contour #summer #lifehack #hack #beautyhack #snatched #tiktokwellness #hiddentalent
Another day, another TikTok trend dominates our “For You” page, and this time, it’s the “sun contouring” fad. What is it? Well, some people are avoiding applying sunscreen to the eyes, lips, and down the very center of your nose to get a “natural” contour, one that comes from tanning the skin. Model Eli Withrow went viral for her technique, which involves a “base layer” of SPF 35 followed by SPF 90 on the places you would typically apply highlighter. After that, she lays in the sun, claiming that “the sun will contour your face.”
While…interesting, sun contouring fundamentally is scientifically unsound, and possibly dangerous, too. “Sun contouring leaves areas of the skin vulnerable to UV damage, increasing the risk of sunburn, skin cancer, sun spots, fine lines, wrinkles, photo-damage and more,” dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology, New York Presbyterian-Cornell, tells GRAZIA. As we all know and are told time and time again, it is important to provide full SPF coverage to your entire face to reduce the chance of sun damage and skin cancer.
“When using the sun to help contour, you risk that certain areas of the skin will experience greater levels of damage,” says Dr. Garschick. “Which, while in the short term, may be cosmetically appealing for some to give a naturally contoured appearance, in the long term, it increases the risk of sun damage in the area.” In addition to all of that, there’s no guarantee that withholding sunscreen from a particular area of skin or using a lower SPF will lead to the desired “contour” effect.
Instead of testing this sunscreen trend, why not try your hand at a contour stick or another top-rated sculpting formula? Shop some of GRAZIA’s favorites below.
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