By Puja Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANSlife): It's that time of the year when you say hello to all your jackets, hoodies and warm clothes. Winter is finally here and so are your winter skincare routines. Though people often wonder why they need to wear sunscreen during the winter if they are not exposed to the bright sun.

Having said so, it is wrongly believed that the sunscreen is more of an option than a necessity during the winter months. While we conveniently associate cold weather with dry skin and windburns, most people are unaware that the winter UV rays can be every bit as damaging as the summer sun.

Megha Asher, Co-founder and COO of Juicy Chemistry, explains: "The ozone layer acts as Earth's sun-shield and absorbs harmful UV rays. The ozone layer is actually at its thinnest in the winter. Windburn and sunburn also act in unison during the rough winter months. The freezing temperatures and vicious winds that leave your skin dry and agitated allow for UV rays to have a better shot at your skin."

Wearing sunscreen on exposed skin, especially when the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., will keep you protected from these damaging rays, she says.

If you're planning to be outdoors applying sunscreen is very important. For adequate protection, select broad-spectrum sunscreens and lip balms with a minimum of 30 SPF with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as the active ingredient, for those looking for a chemical-free, reef-safe option, choose sunscreens, Asher suggests.

As there is less humidity in the winters, your skin is constantly stripped of moisture. Dryness reveals every wrinkle and a fine line in the skin's surface, and it makes your skin more likely to crack or tear, exposing you to infection risk. Using sunscreen in the winter can help restore some of your skin's depleted moisture, she says.

"Having said that the sun's rays are known to accelerate the skin's ageing process. Sunscreens protect skin from the sun's rays and add moisture back into dry skin, addressing two concerns at once. The daily application of the right sunscreen slows the ageing process and making the skin looking more youthful."

The majority of UV exposure in our entire life is UVA which contributes to skin cancer and premature ageing. We are exposed to UVA rays every time we step out of our house. UVA penetrates through clouds and also window glass, therefore it is imperative to wear sunscreen even when your indoors, Asher points out.

This season be ready with your healthy and ever-glowing skin with the right sunscreen to bring that winter glow!