Applying sunscreen at all is obviously better than skipping this step, but if you don’t know how to apply sunscreen the right way — like how much you should be using, when and how often to reapply, which SPF formula is best for your skin type, etc. — the odds of your skin coming out of the sun unscathed are slim.

The good news is, there’s no such thing as over-applying sunscreen — in fact, when in doubt, dermatologists suggest the best move is to actually apply more than what you think might be necessary.