Even if you wear sunscreen, you may find yourself with a sunburn at the end of the day, likely because you forgot to reapply your SPF. That’s where these clever SpotMyUV stickers come in. They can detect UV light from the sun’s rays and SPF, with color-changing dye that indicates when you’re due for more sunscreen. This means you won’t ever under-apply SPF again.
This cheap product has saved me from sunburns on more than one occasion this summer, making them one of my favorite beauty scores under $25.
If you always forget to reapply sunscreen, these stickers will save you from getting a sunburn. They change color to indicate when it's time to put on more SPF, ensuring that you stay protected throughout your beach days and summer hangs.
Before I give you the lowdown on how they work, first, let me give a quick recap on why sunscreen is a crucial part of a skin care routine and why remembering to reapply it is equally important.
As a beauty editor, it’s been baked into my brain by various dermatologists and skin experts that I’ve spoken to over the years that sunscreen is a nonnegotiable when it comes to taking care of your skin. Aside from sun damage and the accelerated signs of aging that come with it,?skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US?— but it’s largely preventable by limiting sun exposure and wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen. (Hence why?sunscreen is classified as a drug by the FDA.)
I wear?sunscreen on my face?every day, as the last step in my morning?skin care?routine. If I’m planning on spending extended periods of time outdoors for a long walk with my dog or a day at the beach, I’ll apply SPF to my body too, but most days, I just make sure my face, neck and chest are covered in the morning and that’s it. However, the general rule is that?sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, especially if you’re outdoors. The time between reapplications can be longer or shorter, though, depending on the level of sun exposure and if you’re sweating or swimming. For example, if you’re just going to work and spending most of the day indoors, you may not need to reapply at all. But if you’re splashing around in a pool, under the sun for hours, you’ll definitely need to reapply.
These UV-detection stickers take the guesswork out of when to reapply, providing a visual cue to tell you it’s time.
How I found the SpotMyUV Detection Stickers
Underscored’s social team frequently uses the SpotMyUV stickers to test different types of SPF, from sunscreen sticks to water-resistant SPF to mineral formulas, and I was curious to see how they worked. I ordered them from Amazon right before a family weekend spent near the coast and put them to the test. Like the Solar Buddies sunscreen applicator, these stickers help you work smarter, not harder, when it comes to sun safety.
Why the SpotMyUV Detection Stickers are a score
It’s pretty cool to see the SpotMyUV stickers change color before your eyes and prove that they — and your sunscreen — are working. The stickers are a dark-purple right out of pack. Then you’re supposed to apply them to your skin, in a spot that will be easily exposed to the sun. I usually put them on my arm or wrist. Next, you apply your sunscreen directly onto the sticker without rubbing it in. They’re made with a patented layer called Dermatrue that absorbs the SPF in the same way your skin does, so you have to wait for 30 seconds while the sticker absorbs the sunscreen. After that time, you can rub in the sunscreen over the sticker and finish applying it to the rest of your body. Gradually, you’ll notice that the sticker starts becoming lighter.
Testing SpotMyUV Detection Stickers
The goal is to have the sticker become completely clear, but it doesn’t always happen. According to the brand, the spot may not become clear if the SPF is expired, insufficient or not enough sunscreen was applied. After using the stickers several times, I found that I would most often get a sheer shade of light purple (like in the photo above) as my baseline. I think my sunscreen of choice factored in here — I was using the Paula’s Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50, which has a super-light, liquid consistency so it easily melts into the skin and doesn’t create a thick barrier like a typical sunscreen lotion would.
That said, my sticker remained the same shade of light purple for hours before it slowly started darkening again. As it darkens, that’s your cue to reapply sunscreen. And you don’t need to start over with a new sticker once your existing one gets fully purple again. They use a water-resistant, hypoallergenic adhesive that’s meant to last for 12 hours and will work just the same after multiple cycles of reapplication. I only had to switch mine once, and that’s because I already had some regular body lotion on my skin that made it a bit too slippery for the sticker to properly adhere in the first place. If you apply it to clean, dry skin, one sticker should last you a whole day.
Now that I’ve tested them, I recommend getting the $36 48-count for better value versus paying $1 per sticker if you get the 16-count pack. It’ll last you at least a month (if you’re planning on being in the sun every day), plus some extras for sharing with friends or reapplying if needed.
