Sun in the City
Seasonless Suncare, Skin Tips, and beyond from Dr. Marko Lens, Founder of Zelens.
Sun care—a topic often reserved for months spent by the beach, has become a hot word (quite, literally) for all seasons. After all, healthy skin, that glows if you will, is what we’re all seeking, and the sun doesn’t only present immediate damage with scary burns and redness, but it also can cause major damage to your future face, with aging, sun spots, and most seriously, cancer.
So why are we focusing on the sun at the end of September you might ask? Frankly, the sun (and its powerful rays) should be a concern that spans throughout the year and we believe it’s time to get serious about your sun care portfolio all year long (shop some of our favorites here).
Enter Dr. Marko Lens—the international authority on skin aging, skin cancer, and the founder of cult-favorite beauty brand Zelens. We can’t get enough of Zelens’ magical skincare tonics and potions chock full of both high-performance active biotechnology ingredients like glycolipids (molecules that repair) and botanical ingredients like shiso leaf (which helps with inflammation). So we decided to sit down with Dr. Lens to talk sun protection, skin icons, and why we should still use SPF in the fall.
Dr. Marko Lens
Can you tell us a bit about Zelens and what sets it apart from other skincare brands on the market?
"When I develop these products— I’m not developing a product based off of hot terms in the industry or cost. Instead, I’m working on products that will directly target the specific issues your skin is going through. No marketing slogans needed.”
Let’s talk sun care… one of your specialties. What are your current thoughts on sun protection?
“I look back to 50 years ago when we didn’t have SPF and yet skin cancer numbers were far less. We must be doing something wrong. We are not protected when we go into the sun the way we used to— with umbrellas and being covered up. Currently, we are also not properly using sunscreen or choosing the correct types. We are exposed to so many environmental aggressors and our skin (which is our defense system ) can’t fight against this aggression. We need to be proactive and take our skin seriously.”
What should we be focused on when it comes to the sun and how religious should we be about sun exposure?
“For me— from a medical perspective I think we should be focused on the correct protective measures of the skin in relation to the sun and repairing damage that has already been done from improper protection. If you are getting significant sun exposure daily, via a walk to work, or sitting near a window you need to protect your skin every season of the year.”
Many of us (including me) tend to break out from sunscreens, do you have any advice on sunscreens that are okay for acne-prone skin?
I would say first of all, go to your dermatologist and get your acne under control and understand what the cause of your acne is. As for sunscreen—try a bunch of non-comedogenic formulas until you find one that doesn’t make you breakout.”
What's your ride or die product from Zelens?
Who is your skin icon?
"Jane Fonda."
What's your approach to aging?
"I am in favour of fighting premature skin aging and taking good care of your skin in order to achieve heathy, younger-looking complexion but I do not like any kind of work that changes the face features that would not normally happen with the natural course of aging."
Written by Micaela E English
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