On and off, I have been having the same conversations with my sisters....about how important it is, to include wearing sunscreens in your skincare regime. These conversations have not always been successful. They tend to just nod or say yes but generally ignore the advise.
At most, they start/include in their skincare regime but never consistent. Cough (K) Cough....Hence putting up my advise as a blog post in case it helps others.
Writing basic information on this blog post but will expand on the topic to include studies, ingredients etc in a subsequent post.
Here goes.....
Sunscreens can be in the form of a lotion, gel, spray, foam or stick. It essentially absorbs/deflects the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV radiation is a natural energy produced by the sun.
There are two UV light and contribute to the risk of skin cancer. Ultraviolet A (UVA) - longer wavelength and promotes skin ageing. Ultraviolet B (UVB) - shorter wavelength and promotes skin burning.
Sunscreen protects against sunburns, skin damage, skin cancer. It also helps to slow/prevent the development of wrinkles, dark spots and sagging skin.
Yes, ladies! Wearing sunscreens helps to prevent wrinkles, sagging skin and dark spots....If for nothing else, include in your skin care regime for those reasons alone!
The level of UV rays that is being absorbed/deflected depends on the level of SPF (sun protection factor). It is important to know and understand your skin and its tolerance levels.
If your skin would normally burn after 10 mins, applying SPF 15 allows you to stay in the sun for a rough estimate of150 minutes (a factor of 15 times longer). Also advisable if you will be in the sun longer, re-apply every 2 hours.
SPF scale:
SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays (4% more protection than SPF 15, recommendation is to go at least SPF 30)
SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays
There are also higher factor sunscreens SPF 75 and SPF 100. However, these do not offer any significant greater protection than SPF 30.
There are 2 general types of sunscreens. I will provide a bit of information on each as well as the positives and negatives of each type:
Physical sunscreen/sun block - this stays on the surface of shin and help to deflect/filter UV light/rays.
Positives:
Offers protection of UVA and UVB rays
Safe for use on babies and during pregnancy
Skin is protected upon application
Safe with heat activated skin conditions like rosacea
The shelf life is quite significant
Negatives:
Easily sweat this off so must apply quite frequently
Gives you a white cast (casper the friendly ghost vibes right here)
Feels heavy with makeup. Quite uncomfortable
Consistency is quite thick. You need strong hands to rub this in.
Chemical sunscreens - skin absorbs the sunscreen, then absorbs UV rays, converts the rays into heat and releases it from your body.
Positives:
Thinner consistency feels like a lotion. Suitable for daily wear. Several brands offer products that feel and perform as a primer. Gives off the blurring effect.
Most brands layer well on top of skincare (including serums, creams, lotions, oils) and under makeup
Much less amount of product is needed to give good cover
Negatives:
Can be irritating on skin and eyes. Be careful of brands and as always, patch test before apply to your face.
Becomes effective after 20 mins after application. I usually apply with a minimum of 30 mins before I head out.
Can increase breakout of you suffer from acne.
I personally use a chemical sunscreen from La Roche Posay SPF 50+. This works for me. Its resistant to water, sand and sweat. Has a lotion like consistency and does not leave a white cast. Layers well on top of skincare and under makeup.
Oh! Also does not sting skin or eyes no matter how I apply it.
My backup is Heliocare 360 oil free gel SPF 50+. This magnifies so works well with skincare and makeup.
For period where i will be in the sun for an extended period, I use the Heliocare 360 invisible spray for touchups.
Hope the information is helpful and stay tuned for a deeper dive into sunscreens.....
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