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Wellness » Health

What Is the Sunscreen Contour Trend?

Authored by Grace Gallagher
Grace Gallagher
August 4, 2021

The prospect of having defined abs without doing crunches or holding a plank sounds appealing, I admit, which is exactly the reason the “sunscreen contouring” trend became popular on TikTok.

If you’re not familiar, sunscreen contouring involves putting a higher SPF in the shape of a six-pack on the stomach, then putting a lower SPF (or worse, no SPF) around the “six-pack” area. The outer area gets a deeper tan, resulting in a shading effect not unlike using bronzer to contour the face.

@ava_berubethink smart not hard!!!! ##snatched4summer ##foryou ##fyp ##viral ##rollerskating ##HowTo ##CurlsCheck ##tanning ##toned ##abs ##noworkout ##makeup ##countour♬ original sound – Eli Withrow

This results in a contouring effect where the areas protected by a higher SPF are lighter, and the other areas are darker,” Dr. Whitney Bowe, board-certified dermatologist, says. Some are also trying this SPF trick on their faces to achieve a more chiseled look, with no contour required. And while we can understand the intrigue, it’s really not a good idea. Here’s why.

Is sunscreen contouring dangerous?

In short, yes sunscreen contouring is not a good idea, especially if you’re forgoing SPF in certain places (though even if you’re fully covered in SPFs of different factors, it’s still not a good idea).

“There’s no such thing as a ‘safe tan’,” Dr. Bowe says.  As soon as your skin gets darker as a result of sun exposure, that’s actually a sign of DNA damage, and means you are at increased risk for skin cancer and premature aging.” Check out Dr. Bowe’s video below to hear her break down the facts. 

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A post shared by Dr. Whitney Bowe (@drwhitneybowe)

Is there a way to achieve this look without sun exposure?

If you’re still drawn to the idea of getting the look of abs without doing much more than laying in a lawn chair, I feel you. To get the look without the effort you could try using self-tanner or even contour makeup instead (makeup, of course, will only be effective if you’re not going swimming).

“Self-tanner is a much safer thing to experiment with if you want to try to get a contoured effect without makeup,” Dr. Bowe says. “Self-tanners use DHA which is a safe ingredient when used in a cream, lotion or mousse. You just want to avoid sprays because it’s best not to inhale DHA.” She also notes that the tanner method may take a bit of trial and error to avoid a streaky look. You may want to have an exfoliating mitt on hand to be able to erase any self-tanner mishaps.

Is it okay to layer different sunscreens?

To be clear, the issue with sunscreen contouring is not layering the sunscreens; it’s about either not wearing SPF in certain areas, or laying in the sun with the intention of getting tan. Dr. Bowe says she personally layers her own sunscreen regularly.

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“On my face, I sometimes use a moisturizer that has sunscreen followed by a regular sunscreen, and then I will use makeup with SPF on top,” she says. “ I reapply sunscreen powder throughout the day on top of those layers. I’m all about layering sunscreen!”

The difference? “I never deliberately expose my skin waiting for it to tan. I layer with the intention of protecting my skin and use a hat, seek shade, and practice sun-protective behaviors whenever I can to complement my sunscreen,” she says.


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