Summer is approaching and temperatures are rising! At this time of the year, we not only start thinking about bikini bodies again but also about sun protection. As the pharmacies’ shelves are full of different types of sunscreen, its time to brush up on the ABCs of sun protection.
Sun Protection 101
Sunscreens help prevent our skin from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation – part of the electromagnetic spectrum, coming from the sun. Whereas the shorter wave UVB rays are responsible for sunburn, the longer wave UVA rays are even worse since they cause lasting damage to the skin: Since they reach the deeper layers of our skin, they hence stimulate premature skin aging (photoaging). UVA rays are also known for intensifying the carcinogenic effects of UVB rays.
What is SPF?
SPF, short for Sun Protection Factor, measures the ability of sun protection to prevent from UV radiation and of how long a person can stay in the sun before it starts burning the skin.
When shopping for a new sunscreen, choose the one that offers broad protection, i.e. protection against both UVA and UVB rays, having an SPF of 30 or higher. Another holiday must have is for the sun protection to be water resistant.
However, no matter the SPF, all sunscreens are to be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied after two hours; especially after sweating or swimming.
Below are some examples for broad-spectrum ingredients to watch for:
| Ingredient | Other Names |
| Benzophenones | Oxybenzone |
| Cinnamates | Octinoxate Cinoxate |
| Ecamsule | Mexoryl SX |
| Sulisobenzone | |
| Salicylates | |
| Titanium Dioxide | |
| Zinc Oxide | |
| Avobenzone | Parsol 1789 |
All in One Beauty Products
In order to get a flawless complexion, many women favor multi-purpose skincare products, containing SPF as they can be easily incorporated into their daily beauty regimen.2
Multi-purpose products such as BB, CC or DD creams are the best way to combine sun protection, care and make-up – in just one step! It’s a lightweight and mostly time saving way to protect against UV radiation, premature skin aging and skin cancer!
