Q: How to choose the sunscreen for your face

How to choose the best sunscreen for your face

Like your arms, legs, and chest, your face is frequently exposed to the sun. You should protect it with sunscreen every day, not just on trips to the pool or the beach.

It’s also important to choose the right sunscreen. Some sunscreens include ingredients to address specific skin types.

How Do Chemical and Mineral Sunscreens Work?

Chemical and mineral sunscreens shield your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays in very different ways.

Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, allow UV light into the skin. Once the light is absorbed into the skin, the chemicals in the sunscreen (the AAD lists oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate) create a chemical reaction in which UV light is converted to heat, and the heat dissipates from the skin.

Don’t skimp on quality: The label on your face sunscreen needs to say “broad spectrum” to guard against both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. You really have to pay attention to the wording on the bottle because “many sunscreens only protect against UVB rays,” Ideally, look for SPF 30 or higher.

Know your skin type: If you have dry skin, choose a face sunscreen with hydrating ingredients like Hyaluronic acid or ceramides. If you have oily skin, look for sunscreens that have a matte finish. Lighter gel formulations will also feel less heavy if you tend to get shiny throughout the day.

Layer it on last: Generally speaking, sunscreen should be applied to freshly cleansed skin. As a rule of thumb, this should be the last step of your morning skin care before applying makeup—so it goes on after your serum or moisturizer .

Stick To Creams Over Sprays :

It's tempting to want to use a spray sunscreen since it saves you time, but if you do, you may not be getting adequate protection. It’s challenging to determine if spray sunscreens adequately cover all of the sun-exposed skin, especially when it's windy. This means you could possibly miss some spots.

Do You Need Water Resistant Sunscreen?

Sunscreens protect you hardly for about 120 minutes. The higher SPF sunscreens might last a little bit longer but yet again, it all depends on your body. If you are a person who sweats a lot or spends time in the swimming pool, the water can wash your sunscreen away. You might need to consider a sunscreen that is water resistant. This will help the sunscreen stay for about 40 minutes depending on the sunscreen. A highly water resistant sunscreen would mean that the SPF is maintained for about 80 minutes or so.

Conclusion

The perfect sunscreen for you can be chosen depending on your skin type. Higher SPF sunscreen does not guarantee better protection. Sunscreen with moisturizer is preferred if you have a dry skin type like most people. It is important that you apply sunscreen frequently before you go out in the sun. Try considering a broad spectrum sunscreen if you spend a lot of time in the scorching sun.

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