If you know me, you know sunscreen is an essential part of my daily routine, year round. The sun shines every day, beyond just the summer season. Our skin is our largest body organ and it’s important to take care of it, which includes not letting it burn. This is particularly an issue in the summertime, where the UVB rays are usually harshest as we spend so much time outside in the heat. There are so many different types of sunscreens to choose from these days and it can feel confusing to know how to make a decision. Sun exposure in harsh UV rays is not something to take lightly, so it’s incredibly important to figure out the best sunscreen for ourselves, especially one with a high SPF. Moreover, sunscreen also aids against premature aging.
Here are a few things we take into consideration when picking out a new sunscreen:
SPF Level
First and foremost: what is SPF? It stands for sun protection factor. This means that the higher the SPF, the more UVB protection it provides. We should wear sunscreen every single day of the year, but the SPF should definitely be higher in the summer months. To make sure you have adequate protection from the sun, it’s safest to stick with 36 SPF and higher. Particularly this goes more for the face on a daily basis.
Skin Types
Secondly, shopping for sunscreen is a lot like shopping for skincare. Your skin type matters here. For example, do you have oily skin? Maybe you’ll want to opt for a matte or gel option. Dry skin? Go for a dewy summer glow! A lot of the newer sunscreens are tinted, which is great because it’s like wearing a bb cream that has SPF and evens out your skin tone. But you’ll want to do some research on each of those, to make sure they are right for your skin type. There’s nothing worse than dry patches or a product that is too oily. I have an entire list of non pore clogging sunscreens and makeup with SPF here if you are acne prone and looking for the right broad-spectrum sunscreen for you to protect against UVA rays.
Mineral Vs Chemical
Thirdly, there are two different types of sunscreen: mineral and chemical. I know this can get confusing, but we’ll break it down simply. Chemical sunscreens are created to use chemical filters to protect your skin from damaging ultraviolet rays. The ingredients in this type of sunscreen will absorb the rays before they hit your skin and you will not get a white cast from these sunscreens. While mineral sunscreen actually physically blocks ultraviolet radiation. It’s also known as physical sunscreen for this purpose.
Furthermore, these primarily include an active ingredient like Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide, which is why we sometimes get a white cast that can be difficult to rub in. It’s all about preference! If you’re having trouble making a decision, let’s break it down further for an easy decision to protect against free radicals!
Mineral: Gentle but can be more difficult to spread or absorb. For summer, my family opts for this option.
Chemical: Can be irritating for sensitive or oily skin. Best for days where you aren’t outside a ton near harmful UV rays. It’s great for cloudy days.
Extras
Finally, this goes hand in hand with your skin type. What does your skin need or what are some problems you are facing? Dark spots? Sensitive skin? Try sunscreen that has skincare in it! A lot of options out there now offer Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, vitamin c and other skincare benefits to help you achieve a healthy glow and as well as healthy skin. They even make CC cream that has SPF in it! I know it’s an extra step in your skincare routine, but it really is integral in decreasing your risk of sun damage and protecting you from the sun’s rays!
This is all of the extras you can pay attention to once you’ve chosen your facial sunscreen for the summer. While all of these are meant for the face, you absolutely can use them on the body. I recommend shopping from the same brand you use on your face and grabbing a larger bottle or spray sunscreen for your body in the summers.
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